INTRO BY DANA GALO
INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSIE DUNNE
Since Josie Dunne released her debut single “Old School,” she has already been top on the charts, as well as featured on numerous top Spotify playlists. Instantly, her fanbase continued growing as she released her second single off of her first EP, “To Be The Little Fish,” in addition to accompanying music videos. What we have heard from Josie is not only fun, but also inspired by a mixture of pop music and the soul of Motown. Although she has lots of experience in the industry, having written songs for artists like Kelly Clarkson and Jacob Sartorius, this is the first time fans will hear her music straight from the source. We got a chance to sit down with her to find out more about her as an artist and where she is headed.
How old were you when you first found your love for music?
"I grew up in a really creative family, so I was always around art and music as a kid. Because of that, I’ve been really into music for as long as I can remember. It wasn’t till I was in middle school that I started playing shows and taking it seriously, though."
When did you realize you wanted to pursue music as your career?
"I grew up in a small suburb of Chicago and I think that I realized I could pursue music as my career when I started getting attention for being the “music girl” around that town. And that was about when I was about 13 years old. I would call the locals bars or restaurants and ask them if I could play there. I knew it was a good sign when they started calling me instead of the other way around. Ha!"
Who are some of your musical influences?
"I grew up on a lot of MoTown and RnB Soul. So my favorite artists are Amy Winehouse, Ray Charles, and Stevie Wonder. At the same time, my parents would just play the radio around the house and in the car, so I also loved all the 90s and early 00’s pop music. So I’m also definitely influenced by Britney Spears, N’SYNC, and Mariah Carey, too. With my music, I’ve tried to blend the worlds of those two, combining the heart and grit of MoTown with the fun of that era’s tight pop songs."
You recently released your debut single “Old School”. Why did you choose for it to be your first single?
"Old School was the first song I wrote that I felt like was exactly the sound I was going for. Plus, lyrically I thought it was really fun and happy, which is always what I aim for. The rest of the EP was written around Old School. I think that song always being the centerpiece made it the obvious choice for the first single."
You also recently released your EP “To Be The Little Fish” – can you tell us a little about the EP as a whole and the process creating it?
"I’m so insanely excited for the EP to come out! It took me over 3 years of writing to find what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it, so it feels like it’s been a long time coming getting this thing into the world. I’ve been really lucky that in my artistic development, I’ve gotten to work with people in the music industry that are my heroes- my favorite songwriters, producers, and artists. I wanted to call the EP “To Be The Little Fish” because of everything I’ve learned from these people about navigating the tough waters of the industry and growing yourself as a person. Someone gave me great advice that I should always strive to be the little fish. That way, I can hang out with the big fish and learn from them on how they got to be so big. Kind of like the saying ‘if you’re the smartest one in the room, you’re hanging out with the wrong people’. The people that have helped me create these 6 songs have really let me be their “little fish”- I’ve learned so much from them. So, that’s how the EP got it’s title."
How would you describe the EP in three words?
"Fun. Groovy. Soulful."
Is there anything else we can expect from you soon?
"My goal is to start touring as soon as I can! I really want to get out there and meet some of the people that have been streaming and buying the music. So, hopefully I’ll be booking some shows soon!"