Check out our interview with talented artist Josie Proto.
An intriguing young artist, described by CLASH Magazine as “a 2k20 female version of Ray Davies”, Josie has been garnering instant validation from Gen-Z internet via her Tik Tok videos, reaching over 3M+ plays and 550K+ likes over the last few months – her first song “BTEC Lily Allen” immediately going viral across the platform in March to rack up over 525K views and 120K likes.
Reminiscent of “Foundations” era Kate Nash, Josie’s second single “Sliced Bread” is a breakup song “that’s not about crying into your pillow and burning photos of your ex” and exemplifies Josie’s lyrical style: conversational, occasionally tongue-in-cheek, delivered in quintessential British form.
With international support rolling in from tastemakers like Jack Saunders on BBC Radio 1 and a slot at The TakeOver’s Online Music Festival alongside Badly Drawn Boy and Katie Melua, Josie has quickly accumulated almost 200K Spotify streams alone for her music.
Follow Josie at @josieproto
[vc_column][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROAoRIq4HhI” title=”Josie Proto – Burner”][vc_column_text]
Hi Josie, please tell us a little about you?
Hi! Well, I’m a 19 year old singer/songwriter from a tiny little village in the middle of nowhere. I managed to go a little bit viral on TikTok for my original song ‘BTEC Lily Allen’ and am now releasing my first EP ‘PUB SONGS: Volume 1’. I’m a very messy person, I love ice cream, I still build blanket forts and my dog is called Billie. That covers the most important things I think?
Describe yourself in 3 words?
I’m a mess…
We’re sure you have been asked this million times but how did you get in the industry?
Sideways! I wrote a song and my dad sent it around to some of his friends who worked in the industry and that’s how I found my wonderful manager. My manager got my songs in front of some other people in the industry who had a bit of faith and got me writing with some incredible producers and songwriter. It all sort of blew up from there! I’ve been singing since I was tiny, and writing stories for as long as I can remember but it wasn’t until about a year ago that I decided to throw myself into music as a career!
Describe your sound in 3 words?
Bedroom toy pianos??!!
Who influenced you and why did you choose to make music?
I have the broadest music taste on the globe. My influences come from everywhere, though I really love the songwriting of musicians like Frank Turner and Carole King. I’ve always been a creative person, and I used to write lots of poems as a kid and songwriting was sort of birthed from poems and my love for singing! I didn’t really ‘choose’ music until very late, I had my sights set on going to university to study psychology until about a year ago!
Do you play any instrument?
I taught myself guitar and piano but I’m not very good. I never learnt music theory so I’m pretty rubbish at that too!
Do you ever get nervous?
All the time! I get more nervous when I am performing to people I know! I prefer to perform to strangers!
Tell us about your latest single “Burner”
Burner was such a fun song to write and record! It feels like an anthem that people will relate too. I get so frustrated with myself and others for being so addicted to our phones and ‘Burner’ is all about releasing that bad energy and finally feeling free again!
And about the success of your first single “BTEC Lily Allen?”
I couldn’t be more amazed with the reception that BTEC Lily Allen has had! I am so grateful for all the amazing response! It still feels surreal for strangers to be listening to my music!
Now tell us about the huge success you have in Tik Tok with over 3M+ plays and over 550k likes. That’s amazing!
It was all a big accident really! My manager nagged me to use it; it was a rapidly growing app. I was messing around, and posted a minute clip of me performing BTEC and it blew up! I only had 15 followers at the time and it grew to 20k in a week! I now am almost at double that, its crazy!
What do you love about Tik Tok compared to other social media channels?
TikTok has this fantastic, and really quite brutal, algorithm where regardless of how big your initial audience is, if the content is liked, it does well. It means that very small accounts can still do well and bigger accounts will lose traction if they don’t maintain good content! TikTok is also super tailored to each user, so once you have used the app for a while, the content you see becomes a stream of videos linked to your interests!
What are the five things you can’t live without?
Ice cream, my notebook, PG tips, potatoes (in every form), and my guitar
What’s next for Josie Proto in 2020?
I’m working super hard on more music, and I am dying to start gigging as soon as it’s safe to do so! I love making video content, so expect some more music videos and TikToks!
What is you favorite song? And why?
At the moment, my favourite song is called ‘Without a Believer’ and it’s from the ‘What’s not inside’ Waitress the musical Album. It was written by Sara Bareilles for a male character in the musical waitress and it was never used. I think it has such an incredible message and the melody is stunning, it gives me chills just thinking about it! I also love that it sounds like it’s been recorded on a phone, it’s so raw and real!
Any loves other than music?
I love musical theatre! I’m definitely going to write a musical one day!
If you could meet someone living or dead, who would it be and why?
Carole King, no question. I think she would be the most interesting and wise conversationalist. I cannot imagine the wisdom that she imparts. She has been my idol for so long, and her music is so incredibly timeless. Id love to pick her brains on everything ‘songwriting’!
Best advice ever given?
Bacon goes with everything.
How’s a typical day in your life?
Everyday is completely different! Since lockdown started, I have got myself into a little routine. I’m usually up and moving by 8, answer some emails and spend time on social media till about 10. Probably play around with songs I have been working on, jump on a zoom call at around midday with other songwriters/producers and work till about 5/6. Sing. Sing a lot. Cook dinner, watch some Matt Smith Doctor Who, fall asleep with ice cream or cake half digested. I wish I could say I was that girl that got up and did a workout, ran a marathon, phoned her friends, got all her work done and was eating avocado on toast by 11am, but I’m pretty rubbish at all that!
Name one your strengths?
Making a meal out of nothing in the fridge. I LOVE coming up with whacky meals made from leftovers and cans that you’ve forgotten existed.
Idea of a perfect Sunday?
Sleep in till 11, big fry up breakfast with pancakes and bacon and golden syrup, and then a little walk or an adventure somewhere new. Home, shower, more grub, build a blanket fort, make dinner, watch a movie and have a hot chocolate before falling asleep in the fort. Perfect.
What is you favorite song to belt out in the car/for karaoke?
Rizzle Kicks, Skip to the good bit! I rediscovered this song the other day, and I have been blasting it on repeat because I remembered all the lyrics that I learnt when I was probably about 13!
What is your own definition of happiness?
Travelling the world with enough money in my pocket to feed me and get me to the next place, and playing music to anyone who wants to sit and listen for a while.
Do you support any charities?
YouthStop AIDS are a youth led charity that aim to abolish AIDS globally by 2030. The work they do is incredible and they work so hard. They also aim to raise awareness of the stigma that surrounds testing positive for HIV and to erase the discrimination or prejudice against those who have tested positive.
What is your favorite healthy food?
Ice cream (what is healthy for your head is healthy for your heart!)
And your favorite cheat food?
Ice cream.
What would be a deal breaker on a first date?
Boat shoes.
How do you see yourself in 5 years?
Id love to be earning a full wage from writing and releasing music. It’s not really a job if you love it that much!
How would you describe your fashion style?
Whatever is clean in my wardrobe plus a few rogue charity shop steals that are pretty much glued to my body!
What do you think of Social Media?
It’s a love/hate relationship at the moment. I think used positively, it has such a great impact, in recent events we have seen the power that a social media movement can have globally, but, I also have to actively check myself when scrolling through, to make sure Im not criticising myself because of what I am seeing. It’s all fake and pristine and it’s very easy to slip into that life!
Where we can follow you?
Instagram @josieproto
Facebook @josieprotomusic
TikTok @josieproto
Youtube: Josie Proto
Quote: ‘It’s lovely in the sunshine’ – My four year old cousin, Mia.
Movie: Big Fish
Travel Destination: Berlin
Sports Team: I wish I could say I had one, but watching people play sports makes me out of breathe!
