Soul siren JOEY has been going through changes. She’s just released her debut album, ‘Enough’, after years of dropping bangers.
She also changed her stage name last year – she was known as Joelle – after another recording artist trademarked the name and started pulling down all of JOEY’s music.
The album title is fitting, then, for the former X-Factor Australia singer who’s ready to roar after years of working hard as independent artist. We talked about her stellar new album, and her plans to storm the states.
You just put a new song and video, and it’s giving me strong 90s vibes. Very Tboz. Are the 90s a big influence on your music?
J: I guess so without even noticing. I didn’t know I was gonna be a singer until later in my life, until I was 19. So I didn’t really know what was influencing me. I still don’t really know.
I dropped an album, too.
Yeah I saw your tweets saying it’s climbing the charts. How does that feel?
It’s weird, as an independent artist, there’s so much going on, and so many people with different opinions. People wanting to help you one second then hold you back the next second. When it comes to releasing an album it’s like ‘Holy shit. This is real. I’ve got an album out!’ I didn’t expect it to get in the charts in the U.S. this early, because I’m still growing. It’s pretty insane. I’m happy, though. I’m really happy.
What’s your favorite way to connect with fans? Is it YouTube, is it live?
J: It’s all so different. Because my YouTube is obviously the biggest content in one go. So they’re connecting with me more through that. But in terms of a transaction, it’s moreso in the comments on whatever platform I like to write back. I just like writing real shit. I know I’m about music and r&b. But my biggest way of connecting is writing some real shit that artists don’t usually talk about. I get a lot of angry fans who’ll say ‘you wont write back to this!’ And I’ll go ‘Oh I won’t, ay?’
What’s coming up for you?
J: We’re organizing my Australian tour now through my agency. And then a bit of a US tour as well, which is pretty weird. I’ve never done that. First. Tour.
Do you know where you’re gonna go?
J: We’ve been looking at my statistics and analytics and apparently I have a really big following in Houston and Chicago.
I could see that!
J: It just depends on the city, I’ll go anywhere. I’m pumped!
