by madden levin
photo courtesy of alyssa joseph
Singer-songwriter Alyssa Joseph is back with another perfect summer day single, “curled toes.” Though she has been quite busy releasing plenty of other tunes for her fans to enjoy over the past few months, post-move to Nashville, she sure didn’t let this single fall flat of amazing! From the beginning of the tune, there is a wave of comfort that flows through the eardrums and travels to the rest of the body. With a quick build-up, despite continuing the calm vibe, Joseph captures her audience with a catchy melody, outlined by her addictive voice. The instrumentals surrounding “curled toes” aids in its calm feeling, as they invoke a relaxed emotion, while each beat perfectly matches the messages she is trying to get across.
Out of all her recent singles and releases that we are lucky to have on our playlists, this is the song that I believe truly captures Joseph’s impeccable production quality and ability to create a song for virtually any emotion or situation. We are sure that this new single will be on repeat on your playlists — be sure to give it a listen before you go!
Not only has Joseph released this new single, but we were lucky enough to speak with her about the exciting changes she’s been making in her life and if “curled toes” is a continuation of any previous singles or if it marks a new journey for her as an artist. The last time we spoke with her was back in 2016, so we were extremely excited to chat about maturing and how her life has brought her to the lovely city of Nashville to continue to embark on her musical journey. Check out our exclusive interview with Alyssa Joseph below! And don’t forget to listen to “curled toes” on your favorite streaming platform starting July 30th! You can also get a free early download of the song here.
For those who have never gotten the chance to check you out before, can you tell us a bit about your music/who you are? What’s the first song of yours you’d direct these new fans to listen to?
Alyssa: “Yeah, I’m Alyssa Joseph — singer, songwriter, vegan, plant mom, sensitive human who feels a lot. I’m from Jersey and have been living in Nashville for two years now. My music is alternative indie rock, but I like to describe it as grungy sadgirl.”
You recently(-ish) moved to Nashville. Why was this move so important to you and your music, too?
A: “Nashville is Music City! A lot of people think it’s just for country music, and that’s not true. All genres are blooming here, and it’s where a huge part of the music industry is located. I lived here for a summer in college and really loved it; I always wanted to move back.
Mostly everyone is a creative here. I needed to change my environment to grow and set myself up to meet and interact with potential collaborators. I have definitely seen growth in myself and my music so far and am excited to continue that hustle.”
Last time we caught up with you was back in 2016. Since then, how do you feel that your music has matured/you as well? I have definitely noticed a change in confidence in your music that is quite motivating!
A: “Wow — 2016 was the year I graduated college. It feels like a different version of myself. I have definitely evolved and grown. It was cool — after college I didn’t jump into a job or any environment where I was surrounded by peers or a ‘system’ everyday. I didn’t have the constant pressures or insecurities or confines of seeing the same people every day.
I could re-evaluate myself, where I stood in the world, how I portrayed myself. And I decided to become the girl I always wanted to be but told myself I couldn’t. I learned to love my body, I developed a style, an aesthetic, a brand.
As a solo artist, who I am as a person is what my image/brand is as a musician. So having that time after college to just focus on myself — to learn to love my plus size body, to chop my hair off, to dye it tons of colors, to get a nose ring, to experiment with dark lipsticks and makeup, to date around and experience sexual growth, to choose to push myself out of my comfort zones — was so so important in my experience as a human. And that translates to my music and who I am as an artist.”
photo courtesy of alyssa joseph
Your most recent EP, alive, has been out for about a month now. Can you tell us a bit about the creative direction you were going for, for the EP as a whole and how the production process was?
A: “alive is an EP-version of a record that I will be putting out in a few months. It is a collection of the more polished songs on the record — the songs that are more about external factors in my life and how I reacted to them. Each song was written during a moment where I felt very alive — either feeling the weight of existence or stuck in a tough transition or just in awe of how we are tiny little ants in the scope of the entire universe.
I recorded those songs in Philly, and moved to Nashville with the stems. I wanted to find some badass womxn engineers to work on the record, and I found Kate Haldrup. She mixed the EP (and LP), and completely made it sound 3 dimensional.
I was then connected with Raelynn Janicke who mastered the record analog. Finding women to work with through the process was a completely rejuvenating experience. As a woman, if I am not going to pursue womxn engineers, what man is going to?”
You are definitely not wasting any time with the release of your newest single, “curled toes,” coming out on July 30th. Is this song an extension of the EP or a step in a different stage/story line for you?
A: “Let’s keep the new music going, right? ‘curled toes’ is the segway from the EP into the full album. :) It’s the most light-hearted song on the record, and I figured it would be the perfect summer track!”
Can you share with us why you wanted to make this song in particular a single? What was that turning point moment for you?
A: “I think that ‘curled toes’ is a soft, sweet, and fun moment on the record that is in the midst of some pretty dark stuff. So, I wanted to highlight that moment. I really enjoy playing it live, and I’m so stoked to incorporate it into my live shows — that will actually happen this Thursday, July 29th at The End in Nashville, TN!”
The song itself from the very beginning is something that feels almost like a picnic during a nice sunset in the summer season. Do you imagine a visual representation of your songs at all in creation? Do you think it is important/fun to do so?
A: “I definitely think visually. It’s important, especially when figuring out arrangements and recordings, but also the content that goes alongside each song. What emotions do you want to elicit in the listener?
‘alive’ to me is staring up at all the stars in a remote location on a clear night. ‘easier’ is an angsty morning when I haven’t eaten breakfast yet. ‘curled toes’ is playing in the background while I’m driving with the windows down on a summer day and the sun is shining on my skin.”
Are you looking forward to live shows continuing? Out of all your newest songs since last stepping foot on a stage, which are you most excited about performing live?
A: “I am definitely excited to perform. I have my first live show coming up on Thursday, 7/29. I haven’t played a show in person since March 13th, 2020. AND it’s my first full band show in Nashville. So, I really can’t wait. I’m excited to play all of them! There isn’t one in particular.”
Got any fun things coming up in the future that you can tell us??? :)
A: “Well, for those who are not in Nashville and can’t make it to my 7/29 show at The End, I will be having a ‘curled toes’ livestream show on YouTube Live on Thursday, August 5th! You can RSVP here.
I can tell you that there will be a full album. That there will be more video content. That there will be chances to see each other again and experience music together, in-person.”
And before we go… last chance to plug anything you want… social media/new songs/shows/etc. BUT, plot twist, you must also describe your music using as much alliteration as possible.
A: “You can pre-save ‘curled toes’ here! If you’re in Nashville, this Thursday, 7/29 I’ll be playing at The End with my full band! If not, don’t worry because I’ll be doing a livestream show on Thursday, 8/5 on YouTube Live! And grungy guitar girl guts. ;)”
