Author: Ashley E.
20 year old singer and song-writer Joshua Waters knew at an early age he had a passion for performing and singing, but it wasn’t until around his freshman year in college that it became clear to him music is what he wanted to pursue professionally. Josh was so adamant about his music career that he decided to drop out of college to eliminate having a plan B option. He knew not having a plan B would force him to put everything he had into his music.
He and a few other talented artists are known to some as “The God Particles,” and they are changing the way artists and music from Mississippi are perceived. I caught up with Josh for a quick interview to talk about his rising career and plans for the future. Check it out below!
Ashley E: I know there is a group of you all. You and some other Mississippi artists are known as “The God Particles.” How did all of you link up?
JW: Yea shout out to D. Horton, Dev Maccc and Kway. I knew Kway prior, he was like a older brother to me. I had a show with Kway back in March or April at Offbeat and before that show I felt he was the best rapper in Mississippi until I heard D. Horton and Dev Macc that night. After the show they both came up to me and told me they were fans of my music and since then we’ve been working together. We all just have this chemistry…..we are like family.
Ashley E: You have a single out called That Road. What was the inspiration behind that track?
JW: I was dating this young lady in college and it didn’t work out. It’s like when you’re trapped in the world or lost in the world, you don’t really know who you are. Everybody you meet is pretty much the same until you meet someone that knows who they are. You feel like that person is just so different or not like everyone else. I was that “different” person to her; a step out of her comfort zone as far as dating goes. I was her experiment.
Ashley E: Who are some of your musical influences?
JW: This is one of the most difficult questions I am asked. There are so many… Musiq Soulchild, Erykah Badu, D’Angelo, BJ The Chicago Kid, Jazmine Sullivan…. As a singer maturing and coming into my sound more, I try not to listen to a lot of singers because I don’t want to bite anyone. I’m trying to make music for myself. I listen to a lot of hip hop.
Ashley E: Is your family supportive of your music career?
JW: Well it’s just me, my mom and my brothers. My dad passed when I was 6. My mom was actually a singer so she really pushes me to pursue my talent because she was unable to pursue hers. She supports me 100 percent.
Ashley E: That’s great that you have that support. A lot of parents and just people in general encourage pursuing the “safe route.”
JW: Yea there were so many people against my decision but I left college so I wouldn’t have a plan B. I have a one year old son now too so I’m putting all my energy and time into my music. This has to work.
Ashley E: How far do you want to take your career?
JW: Man I have no limits. It’s not me, it’s God. I sing a lot about love because God is love. God gives me the ideas when I’m writing music. I’m walking in the purpose He gave me so as far as He allows me to go. I’m leaving Mississippi soon moving to Atlanta but I plan to come back. It’s not in a sense to get rich and come back and give people money. I want to get more knowledge about the game, make connections, and come back to create a platform for artists here. There is so much talent here but we don’t know what to do with it.
I got a chance to see Josh perform for the second time in Jackson, Mississippi on the Silas Gullah Gullah Island Tour two weeks ago. He performed a new single called This Fire that hasn’t officially been released. The song is fire just like the name! Josh was very excited about the track and gave me some details about a possible industry feature.
Check out more about the rising star here.