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Meet Josh Hassell

What’s your background/ or tell us about the journey that led you to your current performance career?

I started singing at the age of 14 back in secondary school and was persuaded to take part in school performances including concerts and showcases that led me to starting up my own gigs in 2011.

I started out singing strictly jazz and swing: my first musical influences were Michael Buble, Frank Sinatra and greats of the rat pack genre. Today, I am a lot more varied in my repertoire and set list due to simply not wanting to limit myself and wanting to perform at all kinds of functions.

Josh H music 2

Josh H music 3

Where or how did you train?

I trained as a singer with Walderslade-based Pete Moody, a very experienced singer and piano player who has helped me become the more confident, assured performer I am today. Before I began lessons with Pete (who covers all genres), all my teaching had been classical.

Who’s your inspiration?

I have always been extremely impressed by Ed Sheeran. He was my influence for learning guitar, and for also varying up my set list and learning more current songs.

What is your favourite album or song? Why?

To choose my favourite album of all time is really tricky … I would probably have to say California 37 by Train. I have many favourite albums and songs but the one I have been listening to for years and never got bored of has to be the Train album.

If you hadn’t become a musician, what other path might you have taken?

I was always quite interested in sports journalism when I was younger, so much so that I used to type out match reports on my laptop about football and the latest results in the Premier league! No real reason, just for fun and practise I guess. If I hadn’t have gone into music then I would’ve focused all my energy on applying to big newspaper companies in an attempt to get into sports journalism.

Do you have a favourite film?

I really like a good comedy, and all of Jim Carrey’s films make me crease up with laughter, but one of my favourite films with a link to music would be ‘Yesterday’. It’s a very random storyline and a lot of people I know have slated it, but I love it!  With a good blend of comedy, seriousness, music interest, love interest, great cast and it teaches the younger generation, including me, a lot about The Beatles who were one of the biggest bands of all time - and although a strange one, I really like the plot! 

What’s your strangest venue you’ve ever played?

I’ve performed in some beautiful venues, albeit obscure ones like The Old Dickens World at Chatham Dockside, and I’ve done gigs in people’s houses - where they are just chilling, all eating food round the kitchen counter and just enjoying the music, very relaxed, a little odd but they’ve been fun and memorable experiences!

What the most memorable performance you’ve played or experienced?

One of my first ever public performances was a memorable one because the lights cut out halfway through due to a power failure! I didn’t know what to do so in the end I just carried on singing, mic wasn’t working, just going acapella in a school hall. The song I was singing was ironically Bad Day by Daniel Powter!

If you were a song (or music genre) – what would you be and why?!

My favourite musical genre to listen to at the moment is country, so if I had to pick a song it would be’Ticket To L.A.’ by Brett Young.  It’s got a really cool melody and musical backing - and the lyrics I feel are very similar to what I’d write. 

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