Drawing us in with an immersive bassline and astral frequencies with subversive nuance, Joshua Pearlstein opens Wandering Degenerate with atmospheric vocals and cerebral prose, tapping into an introspective and philosophical perspective with a unique and hypnotic brand of storytelling. Needless to say, we are completely in awe.
We love the charisma that Joshua exudes with his performance, the vocal design and his emotive chord transitions. The beat switch ups are dynamic and refined, showcasing nothing short of production mastery. We appreciate the hook which stays with us long after the song is over, leaving us yearning for another hit of dopamine from the rising star.
Speaking on the overarching message of the opus, Joshua confesses, “The overall idea is that as the main character falls deeper into mania/depressive episodes, because he just can’t compete in the Hollywood system; he feels like he doesn’t have a place (i.e. wandering) and has to sell his soul.”
The prophetic artist continues with intentional depth, “The point is to show the transformation of feelings and how vanity can unravel itself into someone who loses passion for the reason they started in the first place: to make art. The song also shows the duality of the appearance of confidence and the inner self-doubt, almost absolution.”
Joshua Pearlstein is a talented rising artist merging classic pop and disco drama, who hails from Atlanta, Georgia, and now resides in Boston. We learn that with a passion for innovative and catchy songwriting, Joshua’s musical journey began early in life, drawing inspiration from icons like Michael Jackson and Prince. We can feel this come through with Wandering Degenerate, although there is no doubt that the star is manifesting a sound of his own.
Immersing himself in music during high school, he explored singing, producing, and using music as a cathartic outlet for storytelling. Accepted to Berklee College of Music, Joshua is honing his songwriting skills and gaining recognition for his unique musical creations. With a vision to inspire future musicians, Joshua designs his work to challenge the norms of pop music.
We love the philosophical, metaphorical and intentional stance that he takes with his artistry and poetic prowess, and have added Wandering Degenerate to our New Music Spotlight playlist and our new TRIPPY playlist, whilst we continue to stream Joshua Pearlstein‘s debut single, Heartless Binge, and anticipate future releases from the talented emerging artist.