Introducing JoshIGuess, a 19-year-old experimental artist hailing from Stockton, CA, whose musical journey is as eclectic as it is inspiring. Emerging from the vibrant underground scene of Stockton, JoshIGuess has deftly blended elements of alternative, emo, and electronic music to create a sound uniquely his own. Drawing inspiration from his surroundings, his music reflects the raw emotion and creative energy of his experiences, resonating with listeners far beyond his hometown. With a penchant for collaboration and a commitment to pushing artistic boundaries, JoshIGuess has quickly become a rising star in the world of experimental music, captivating audiences with his emotive lyricism and dynamic soundscapes. As he continues to evolve his craft and expand his artistic horizons, JoshIGuess stands poised to leave an indelible mark on the music industry, showcasing the boundless potential of his talent and vision.
Q: Who is JoshIGuess?
A: I am a 19 year old experimental artist who originated from Stockton, CA. I started music over previous aliases until further finding his approach around mid-2020. I had found a lot of inspiration from a lot of the emo-rap scene at the time, and from 2019 up to 2020 there were many concerts I had attended in Sacramento & Bay Area. This had motivated me to want to be up on stage one of these days, which led to it almost happening March of 2020 before cancelations due to co-vid 19. This was also a bit of a benefit to me because being in an enclosed environment, I was able to create more of what my vision was without feeling rushed due to other commitments being currently out of his life. My music mainly consists of an alternative/emo sound mixed with electronic elements, but I have tackled other genres from time to time.
Q: What is the meaning behind your artist name?
A: Honestly what happened with me is that it was an old gamertag of mine that just sounded unique. It was hard to find a unique name for a common name like mine. I had went under different names before but I did not like the way people would mess up the pronounciation or sometimes shorten my name. For me I’d rather just be called my name I’ve been called my whole life. Even then some people mess up the pronounciation like Joshi-Guess, like the letters are capitalized for a reason haha. But I don’t mind it as much as what happened.
Q: Tell me more about the culture of Stockton, CA
A: It’s a bit difficult because I’ve always felt like an outlier here. Stockton gets a lot of bad rep, when even at its worst it isn’t as bad as a lot of people tend to say in my opinion, but my whole life I’ve lived in areas that aren’t exactly suburban here, but were streets that were kind of outside of the chaos. One of the main attractions here has always been food tho. I’ve met people who’ve moved to places like Los Angeles and other major cities and they still either come back for the food here or miss it. Stockton has a lot more art than I had anticipated. I did not realize this until I started attending open mics from 2021-2022.I always have love for this city, but it can be hard to deal with at times. People that aren’t familiar with California as much still don’t know where this is despite being one of the more populated towns, so commonly I just say i’m from Sacramento to a person that isn’t familiar with California as much, since everyone usually knows the literal capitol. A lot of my life I had been kind of outcasted for society, so I don’t think i’d be exactly the right person to ask about the experience of surroundings and struggles.
Q: How did you start making music?
A: A lot of my early music involved childhood friend Athryn, who I’m still close with to this day, but not on a music path as much in comparison to me. These were just fun little projects we weren’t taking seriously at first, but one that they took decently serious was our “luv” EP on Soundcloud. This consists of 3 Lo-fi/Indie type songs If we’re talking before JoshIGuess, I started off with meme rap since I was super unconfident at first and felt the only way I could release confidently was making fun of myself and just enjoying it. As a child I had also pretended to perform in front of people and sing songs from video games, tv shows, etc.
Q: Your first project, “Foreshadowed Future,” set the tone for your musical direction. Can you elaborate on the sound you were aiming for with this project?
A: “Foreshadowed Future” was all about diving into that electronic emo sound I was passionate about. It laid the groundwork for my future music, blending electronic elements with emotive lyricism.
Q: Who are your biggest inspirations?
A: Some main inspirations that still do to this day are shinigami, fats’e, teen suicide & atlas. Of course I’ve had the usual emo rap inspirations too, but not too much. I started gaining more inspiration from the smaller artists at the time, because I noticed a lot of them had high and unique voices. I used to be insecure of my singing voice because it was way different than my speaking voice. Shinigami basically was my introduction to combining electronic elements with similar alternative vocals, which was really cool for me. I grew up listening to a lot of EDM and Video Game Music, so to hear that implemented into a sound was super interesting. Atlas inspired me with their rawness and confidence, fats’e is just overall super talented and has a crazy range, and teen suicide as a band inspired some of my creativity and slower music. There are definitely a lot more inspirations, which you can probably find by looking for similar artists to them. But I can’t just ramble on forever.
Q: Who are your top affiliated artists you associate with?
A: Collaborating with other artists has been crucial in my musical development. I’ve had the pleasure of working with talents like whatafuckingbitch, Reapers Shadow, AkiraDoves, and Timxlxss, many of whom I still collaborate with today. Their unique styles and perspectives have really enriched my music and pushed me to explore new creative avenues. There are many other talents that I’ve worked with and still do, which you can find by searching through my discography but these people have stuck by with me for a majority of my career and never gave up on me.
Q: Can you share some standout moments from your live performances, especially your debut show in Sacramento?
A: Playing my first show in Sacramento was a huge milestone for me. It was an opportunity to showcase my music alongside other emerging artists in the experimental/hyperpop scene. It was a memorable experience that fueled my passion for live performances and connecting with audiences. I was very nervous but soundcheck honestly made me more comfortable for my main show. This was also my first time I was sharing music with some of my family more than just my dad, so it was a bit nerve racking but an accomplishment. I’m happy that all of them accepted what I make. My bay area shows at raves are some of my favorite moments. I know people are there to party all night, but the crowd’s engagement was the best of any at those and I had fun being able to share my more electronic tracks there like my dance and scene ones. I’ve had a lot of memories at Napalm, which was an event hosted by chrisegv from time to time in Sacramento. One of these involved a lot of my friends and artists that I knew, so it was really fun to do. Pretty much all of my shows have memories attached to them, it’s hard to not just talk about all of them. A fair amount of these sets are cataloged on Youtube.
Q: Your album “Forgotten Memory,” released on New Year’s Day 2022, received widespread acclaim. What inspired the collaboration with Jxsie Beats for this project?
A: Collaborating with Jxsie Beats on “Forgotten Memory” was amazing. Their expertise in lo-fi production complemented my style perfectly, resulting in an album that really resonated with listeners. “Vacation” is definitely one of the standout tracks from that project, capturing the essence of our collaboration. This had released and many appreciated the uniqueness and vocal talents of mine that I shared it with. Fun fact is it originally released as a sped up song, which a lot of people had heard at first. Both still exist but I decided on the regular version for the album as it fit the vibes more.
Q: Looking back on your career so far, what do you consider to be some of your standout work?
A: As of 2024, I feel like I’ve been creating some of my best music yet. Tracks like “Manatee” and “Blend,” a collaboration with artists fats’e & polearm, have exceeded my expectations in terms of reception. These songs really showcase my growth as an artist and inspire me to keep pushing the boundaries of my creativity. My most recent track “Endless Desire”, a collaboration with Yung Scuff is one of my first times bringing a more heavy approach to the emo pop rock sound, and was also really fun to create.
Q: What are your plans for the future?
A: I always find enjoyment in doing shows, so that’s always on the list. Music was never intended to be a main occupation for my life, only a fun thing on the side. But who knows what the future might bring for that. Regardless of the direction, I’ve always had fun with the process and I appreciate as long as I’m enjoying the music and someone else is elsewhere. I just want to continue growing my sound and grow an audience that supports my vision. I eventually want to start doing more music videos as well, as my only ones I’ve done were DIY. Eventually I want to work with more videographers for these, it’s just a bit nerve racking since I’ve always felt a bit awkward on camera personally.
Closing Notes:
JoshIGuess’s journey from Stockton to the forefront of experimental music is a testament to his resilience and creativity. Inspired by his surroundings and influenced by a diverse range of artists, he has crafted a unique sound that resonates with listeners worldwide. From his debut project “Foreshadowed Future” to the acclaimed collaboration with Jxsie Beats on “Forgotten Memory,” JoshIGuess continues to push the boundaries of his artistry. With plans for future shows, music videos, and further growth, his dedication to his craft promises an exciting journey ahead, where his authenticity and talent will undoubtedly shine through.
You Can listen to JoshIGuess Here: