Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Cleveland.
Hi Josh, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I have been singing since I can remember. I grew up in an acapella church, so singing was the first instrument I used on a regular basis. My dad loved singing and much of what I learned early on, came from him. I remember sitting down at the piano when I was about 7 or 8 and writing my first melody. I played and sang that melody for what seemed like hours. It was probably mere minutes, but it sparked something within me. That was the first time I felt moved by music and had the first dream that maybe I could create music that moved people.
However, there was also a battle raging inside me. Music and creation seemed so personal and vulnerable to me.
What if I were to create something that meant a great deal to me, and someone laughed or dismissed it? This question paralyzed and stalled my musical journey off and on for years. Thankfully, I could never escape the need and desire to create and sing.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have always compared myself to others, as many creators do. Do I have anything to say? Will I be able to measure up? Do I belong? Can I make a living doing this? So many questions. Some that I still ask from time to time today.
I think what has been an important question to answer is, “What does success look like?” I think each person has to answer that question for themselves as a person, much less a musician. And the answers will obviously vary depending on who is answering the question. For me, the definition has changed over the years, but I think I have landed on one that has resonated for the past couple of years. If I am consistently working hard and trying to better my craft, then I am building success.
I used to spend so much time wishing for success, not really knowing what it was. I was aimlessly wishing for something that had no path, no definition, and no shape. Plus, I was wishing not wanting. My friend Sebastian Davin, helped me build a distinction between the two. A wish is something more that is done unto us, whereas a want or desire is something that we strive, work, and move toward. Mentally and emotionally, this did a ton to bring me to a more tangible grasp of how to be successful in a music career.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My voice is what I bring to the table. My bandmates bring unbelievable talents with the instruments they play and I do my best to not get in their way with my guitar playing. However, as soon as it’s time for the lyric in a tune, my heart expands to fill the room and my voice follows thereafter. I love that a voice can bring so much power and emotion in such a dynamic way. I also love that the power can come from the softest of vocal lines as much as it can from the powerful belts.
I’m proud of how much I have worked on my vocal skills. I have never been properly trained, but I have done my best to soak up any wisdom that I have found along the way. The closest I got to formal training was working with a vocal coach when I had a brief stint on NBC’s The Voice. The main thing I took away from my vocal coach in those few weeks was how to prepare and strengthen your voice when you are not singing. I was amazed at what a difference that made in how quickly I could recover after a big show. Preparation baby! Who knew?
We’d love to hear what you think about risk-taking.
It has been a journey for me to take more and more risks. I used to be so afraid of making mistakes that I would miss opportunities to try or maybe even succeed at something. Over the past few years, I have tried to jump quickly into taking risks, whether that’s in general or in my music career. I have branched out more and more in recent years and though I have definitely made mistakes or missed the mark, or flat-out been disappointed with the outcome, I have way fewer regrets about trying and missing than not trying at all. I haven’t completely cut out the “What ifs” from my life, but I’m getting there.
I never would have tried out of the Voice without overcoming the fear of risk-taking. Though I did not turn a chair in my blind audition, I gained a confidence and sense of awareness that I never would have. I met great people, learned more about the craft and creativity of singing, and learned that risks are not a death sentence. In some instances, risks can be a license to have richer experiences.
I also learned that Adam Levine is way taller than I expected.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.joshcleveland.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshclevelandband/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshclevelandmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@joshclevelandband
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ngkJdtUSdWcyvSMiSnKG1
Image Credits
Tom Smouse Photography and Alison Malone Photography
