Spotlight: Singer-Songwriter Josie Man on Community and Finding Her Voice

☆ By FATIMA AAMIR ☆

WITH A START TO WRITING HER OWN SONGS IN APRIL OF 2019 — less than six months later, Josie Man had been signed to industry giant Columbia Records. With her career moving so fast, there was little time for any doubt to take hold. "I'm glad I didn't overthink it, because I probably would have talked myself out of it," Josie admits. Wary of the ways labels can limit an artist's self-expression by pushing them to make music that's marketable, Josie never felt pressured to get signed simply for the sake of it. Luckily for her, however, things quickly fell into place. "I had only met with one label and felt that they really got me," she explains. If it hadn't been for the people, Josie doubts her decision would have felt as right.

Prior to her own songwriting, Josie used to sing for a band. She began creating her own music out of a desire to speak directly to others and connect with audiences more intimately. With her radiant eyes and warm demeanour, Josie embodies a genuine openness that delights in sharing her inner world with others. "I don't even have a close friends list on Instagram," she laughs, reflecting on how important it is to show her audiences all the various aspects of her selfhood — not just the picture-perfect ones.

Josie's upbeat self-love anthems such as "Just Me" and "Colours" reveal a young woman proud to celebrate her individuality, but she admits it took some time to see her uniqueness as a strength. Growing up, Josie's penchant for vibrant colours, chunky jewelry, and dramatic silhouettes wasn't always appreciated, and the laughter from others often left her heartbroken. "I'd come home and tell my mum, and the next time we'd go out, my mum would say, ‘I'll make sure the angels are protecting you.’" Basking in the unconditional support of her loved ones, Josie was able to nurture her self-confidence and grow as an artist and a woman. Other’s unconstructive opinions simply lost their importance over time, which has helped Josie deal with her newfound visibility on social media. "It's not that I don't care what you think, but it's okay. People can laugh at me. If I'm not laughing at myself, it's fine."

Josie touches her jewelry absently throughout our conversation. "I feel like I should have been born wearing jewelry," she laughs. Every little piece means something to her: her rings represent her parents, her sisters, her love for Gucci, her astrological sign (Pisces), or are presents or souvenirs from her best friend and boyfriend. Around her neck, Josie wears a guardian angel necklace with a purple amethyst in the middle. "I wear all these things because they make me feel safe." Josie is intentional about the little rituals that make her feel protected enough to share her fullest self with the world. Her down-to-earth manner, sweet-as-honey vocals, and candid lyrics radiate a self-compassion that makes listeners want to be kinder to themselves too. That's Josie's biggest motivation. "It shows me that it's okay to be yourself because there'll always be a group of people that find their way to you and accept you."

Being vulnerable in such a public space has also allowed Josie to make lasting connections with other talented singers. "I've connected with so many artists that made me realize it's not this fake industry that I'm scared of," she says. It breaks Josie's heart to see fellow artists torn down by strangers online — especially when she has experienced their kindness firsthand — but she points out that this helps her keep hate comments in perspective. "People on the internet — it just doesn't matter,” she elaborates. “The internet can be quite a scary place. We live once; I don't understand the logic behind being mean to people." With her connections in the industry, Josie is thrilled at the prospect of doing collaborations in the near future. "I did a tarot reading at the beginning of the year, and it was like, ‘You're gonna collaborate with someone this year.’" But, like other aspects of her creative process, she's determined to let her intuition take the lead. "When it comes, it'll be the right thing. I don't want to force it — whatever it is, whoever it is."

Josie's latest single "Cuts and Bruises" is a tribute to her boyfriend (the song title refers to the barbershop he works at). "I just love how he helps me heal and grow,” she says. “Love is my biggest inspiration." The creative influence that love gives Josie is readily apparent throughout her debut EP aLOVINGboothang, most notably with the tracks "Four in a Row," dedicated to her family, and "Baby Pink and Blue," exploring the desire to retain independence and freedom in love. In classic Piscean fashion, Josie is undaunted by the enormity of love. "Even the bad kind of love is such a powerful feeling," she muses, wide-eyed. Her upcoming singles explore some of love's more difficult aspects, marking a slight departure from her previous EP. "These songs come from a place of hurt as well. I want people to hear that as well."

While the pandemic has hindered Josie from performing live, she's optimistic about the possibility of having small outdoor gigs in the summertime and looks forward to connecting with her audiences. Josie's found joy in the community she's built through her music and cautions aspiring artists against worrying about how they're perceived. "Don't try to do something you think the industry will like,” she encourages. “The right person will always hear it."

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“I want to set the mood for younger emerging artists in Toronto, to be like, ‘Hey, you could, like, fucking work with literally anyone who has a kind soul.’ I do want to uplift the artist community. I do think collaboration is important, because if you wanna be in the community, you're gonna have to collaborate one way or another." - Cruz ⭐️ 🎞Allowing themself to take a more vulnerable & meaningful approach with their work, photographer Cruz is combining her creative talent with her passion for mental health advocacy. Read more about this incredible artist & how quarantine shifted her work + about the work they are doing for the community in our feature on the site now 💞