We’ve frequently featured the music of Frank Joshua, but I must confess I don’t know much about him. With a new single out, it seemed the perfect time for a chat.
By Graeme Smith
“My journey into music has been anything but straightforward,” he confesses. “I started out as a songwriter many years ago, but life pulled me in all sorts of directions before I found my way back. Coming back to music later in life, under the name Frank Joshua, has given me a freedom and perspective I didn’t have before. I’m no longer trying to fit into a scene or meet anyone else’s expectations. It’s about exploring sound and storytelling in a way that feels honest to me and hopefully resonates with others too.”
Joshua certainly goes his own way with his music and never fails to surprise us no matter how many of his releases pass through our pages. Our relationship goes back to 2022 when he popped up on Jane’s Monthly Favourites roundup. Early on, we were tempted to class him as a dream pop artist, but he’s since proved a little more undefinable.
“I’ve always admired artists who can blend warmth and sophistication, people like Peter Gabriel, Bon Iver, or even early Talk Talk,” he says. “They all had a way of being musically ambitious without losing emotional clarity.”
What I like about him is he’s a storyteller. You get a clear point of view with each of his tracks, and his latest single, Days Like These is no exception. Opening gently with acoustic guitar, there’s an instant warmness to it. Soulful vocals tell a tale of waking up and finding one’s moment.
“The story is about noticing joy in the ordinary,” explains Joshua. “There isn’t a big drama at the heart of it; it’s more about the small moments that suddenly feel extraordinary. The song is a reminder to myself not to miss those things. It’s almost a diary entry in music form, a snapshot of contentment that I wanted to share before it slipped away.”
It’s a rare moment of positivity in an industry that trades on heartache and desire. It’s just what we need right now, a smooth voice and bright beat telling us there’s still good out there if we look for it.
“I wanted to capture that fleeting sense of balance, because it’s something we all crave but can never quite hold onto,” Joshua continues. “It came out of a very personal time of reflection, but I think everyone knows what it’s like to stumble across those kinds of days.”
Frank Joshua is a prolific artist who is showing no signs of slowing down. There’s a new album, Fertile Mind, coming out early next year, a record that he says “grew out of the same soil as Days Like These.” Expect themes of resilience, reflection, and renewal.
Before I let Joshua go, I had to ask him about his ‘faceless’ approach to making music and sharing on social media.
“Part of it is shyness, to be honest, but it’s also about keeping the focus on the music,” he says. “In a world where image and personality often dominate, I wanted to see if I could carve out a little space where the songs came first. The mystery wasn’t calculated; it’s just me being more comfortable behind the music than in front of it.”
Finally, he takes the time to thank those who have engaged with his music. “Making music can feel like shouting into the void, but when someone hears themselves in what you’ve made, that connection makes it all worthwhile,” he says. “That’s what keeps me writing.”
Days Like These is out now, and you can listen to it below.
