Oxley’s rising music star

Joss W (Year 10) is an innovative songwriter who was recently featured on triple j’s Unearthed program and recognised as Highlands FM’s Homegrown Artist of the Month. Her music offers a refreshing break from mainstream music, conveying honest and deep messages through indie and folk melodies. Siena T (Year 11) sat down with Joss to find out more about her creative process and her dreams for the future.

When and why did you start producing music?

I started writing music when I was around 11. Though I started singing from a very young age joining the Australian Girls Choir at around 5 years old. I then went to a performing arts school before coming to Oxley. I started producing music to get out my feelings, and I found that writing songs was the perfect way to do so. I have a bad day, I write a song about it. Have a good day, write a song about it. I just gravitated towards music and soon I found a home in it. I love music for how you can use it to connect with others. I love how when people relate to your songs you feel like you’re not alone.

Who or what inspires your music?

My music is inspired by things that happen in my life along with people I care about. My music is inspired by my thoughts and feelings.

Describe your creative process when you write new music.

It depends. Sometimes I start with the music and others I start with the lyrics. Sometimes I’ll just be walking around the house and I’ll get some lyrics stuck in my head so I’ll go to my guitar and coordinate some chords to go with the vocals. Others I’ll be fiddling around on the guitar and find a chord progression I like and I’ll write some lyrics to go with it.

What is your favourite song you’ve written and what is the message behind it?

My favourite song I have written is called ‘On My Mind.’ It is also one of the more recent songs I have written and is a very special song to me being the first real love song I have ever written. ‘On My Mind’ explores the feeling of love and how it feels when you’re away from that person.

What bands or artists would you say your music is similar to?

I would say my music is similar to artists such as Noah Cyrus, Maddie Zahm, Mckenna Grace, Lauren Spencer-Smith, along with Tate McCrae.

What are your aspirations regarding your songwriting for the future?

I want to make music that resonates with people, I want to be the person whose music gets screamed in the car. I want to use my music to tell stories. I want to enchant people with my words, I want to connect with them. I want to take them back in time to memories they didn’t knew they had.