With more than 1 billion streams and over 1 million records sold, there’s a good chance you’ve turned to Joshua Radin’s soothing songs to define a moment in your life. Since launching his career in 2004, the singer-songwriter views his music as a healing force, and if you’ve heard any of his hits off of his nine studio albums so far—from “Only You” (2006), to “I’d Rather Be With You” (2008), to “Beautiful Day” (2013), and everything in between—you’d have to concur.
For someone who has created so many evocative, special moments for so many, Josh’s new album The Ghost and the Wall (July 23) explores personal barriers against sadness, pain, longing and even the search for love. A collaboration with producer Jonathan Wilson (Father John Misty, Conor Oberst), The Ghost and the Wall delivers a music journey that pulls at our heartstrings. This album somehow feels simpler and more raw than the last, from “Better Life,” which details an immigrant’s journey, to the folksy picking of “Make It Easy” about the relentless search for love, Josh continues to tell beautiful, heart-wrenching stories we love to hear.
“When the world shut down and I was forced to stay in my house, alone, I decided to write a new album,” he tells us, of The Ghost and the Wall. “I wanted to answer one question with which I’ve always struggled… I’ve always had a deeply rooted fear of intimacy since childhood. So, I wanted to figure out which came first for me: Was I born with a wall around me, keeping people at bay, and is that why the women in my life became ghosts…or, did the women become ghosts and that’s what caused me to fortify said wall? So, I searched within for this answer, and thus sprang this new album The Ghost and the Wall.”
Here’s a day in the life (in bella Roma, no less!) of Joshua Radin.
Date July 7, 2021
Time I woke up Noon.
Every day starts with Coffee.
Breakfast consists of Usually I fluctuate between yogurt, fresh fruit and granola…or I make a veggie and cheese egg scramble. Depends on the day.
To get going I always have a bit of exercise and jump in my pool naked.
I don’t feel dressed without This depends. I am a man of many hats, but sometimes it’s just too hot like in Italy today. But on most days, I feel naked without a hat on, especially on stage playing a show. I like to be able to take the hat off after a song as sort of an old-school way of saying thank you to the audience.
Before I start working I must Well… this is a tricky question because I rarely “work”. I try to act like a lightning rod, living my life, hoping for inspiration to strike. And then when it does, and I feel I HAVE to express something rolling around my head, I pick up the guitar and go to work.
Currently working on At the moment I’m traveling for inspiration. And reading for the same. So, I guess you could say I’m extremely lucky that I consider this “work”.
But I’d really love to be Sorry, I’m doing exactly what I love. Not sorry.
Book I’m reading I’ve been reading The Diary of Anaïs Nin. I’ve finished the first two volumes and have just begun Volume 3.
I don’t know how anyone ever I answered this in a video so I’ll reiterate: I don’t mean to be judgmental but I’m in Rome, the best place to eat on planet earth. And I walked past a McDonald’s and so many people were eating there. And all I could think to myself was…“this seems crazy”.
If I had to play one album on repeat it would be Astral Weeks by Van Morrison.
The perfect midday consists of It so depends on my location, but today it’s an Aperol Spritz while looking at some incredible architecture in Rome.
To help get through the day I need I think a solid day consists of a good sweat, a good conversation and a good meal. If I’ve had all three that day, I feel like I lived the day correctly.
Not a day goes by without speaking to Sometimes I go an entire day without speaking to anyone but myself. I spend a lot of time alone and this pandemic made it even more so…but I’ve become pretty damn adept at making my own joy. So many days might pass whereby I speak to myself. My inner monologue usually becomes music.
My daydreams consist of Love. I can’t lie. I fantasize frequently about the perfect woman for me and where she might be.
In a perfect day, in a perfect world Not to be too cheesy, but this answer has nothing to do with me. If I could craft the perfect day in a perfect world, every single human being would laugh uncontrollably and eat ‘til their collective bellies are full.
I’ll always fight for The right for everyone to be able to believe what they want to believe. I’m not a religious person. I believe in questions, not answers. If I had to answer though, my religion is “love”. Every major religion is rooted in love. I wish extremists of all religions could see that.
Currently in love with Well… I’m in Italy. So, I’d have to say: pasta, pasta and more pasta.
Hoping to make time to watch Honestly, I have so much time on my hands right now. Hmmm. I’m obsessed with music documentaries and I try to watch every one I can. So maybe I’ll peruse my Netflix and see what’s new for me. They’re a constant source of inspiration. The last one I watched was about Sam Cooke.
By my bedside I always have Water. And melatonin gummies when I have jet lag like I do right now.
To help get through the night I have become used to night noise. Whether it was living in NYC for ten years, or living on a tour bus, I need the TV on with the volume down super low so I can’t really hear the dialogue. A lot of nights it’s a Seinfeld episode on almost mute, so faint that I still feel like something is going on while I drift off.
Bedtime I don’t have one. I sleep when I fall.
