Today, powerhouse vocalist Joshua Roberts announces his debut EP, Good For You due for release on December 15th via Epitaph Records. Already taking the world by storm with his band Magnolia Park, Roberts re-introduced himself last year with his debut single “Stay, Stay, Stay!” that launched him into brand-new territory. Previously known for uplifting stadium pop-punk anthems and energizing live performances, Good For You finds Roberts experimenting with alternative R&B as he expands his vocal range while pushing the limits of his creativity and artistic output.
Leading with a dreamy guitar riff imbued by floating synths and an entrancing trap beat, Joshua shares the EP’s lead single “Darkness” today. A cold-blooded, hard-hearted account of apathetic love, he takes on the role of the toxic lover who detaches himself from romantic connection and fixates on the physical. Written and produced by close collaborator and Magnolia Park member Vince Ernst, the song’s graphic lyrics were inspired by a cult classic movie. Roberts explains,
“’Darkness’ came about when Vince and I learned that a favorite movie we share is ‘American Psycho’. We were like okay, let’s make a song inspired by our love for this movie and add a little personal twist to it at the same time.” Watch the accompanying video below:
Across eight tracks, Good For You conveys feelings of longing, lovesickness, and at times jaded heartlessness. During the process of creating the EP, Joshua Roberts was immersing himself in the music of eclectic artists with distinct vocal tones such as Labrinth, Jason Derulo and The Weeknd, while also taking note of the gritty dialogue and genre-bending sonics of HBO’s Euphoria. What results is a conglomeration of alt R&B inspired dance-pop with raw, sometimes dark lyrical honesty.
Working closely with Magnolia Park member Vince Ernst who co-wrote and produced a majority of the songs on Good For You, most of Roberts’ time in the studio was taken up by painstakingly nailing his vocals. “It was a different process because I had to be more of a nuisance with my voice because of the style prerequisites,” he muses. “I believe that it definitely shows the distinction of what I do with the band versus what I do with my solo work.”
Good For You features his debut solo single “Stay, Stay, Stay!” – a sweet serenade with pleading lyrics – and its follow up “Angel”, a new-age pop/R&B track that tested the limits of his silky falsetto. Giving way to a new kind of vulnerability in his solo music, the EP peels back the layers and showcases the true emotional and sonic depth to this multifaceted artist.
“What inspired me to create this EP honestly is the motivation to always push myself,” he concludes. “I felt like at the time of my artistry I wasn’t fulfilling my roots by creating something that I grew up listening to. So this EP is something born of nostalgia but it’s also something that meets uncertainty and different sides of myself that I haven’t truly expressed yet.”
‘Good For You’ Tracklisting
- Father
- Angel
- Darkness
- Psilocybin
- Victim
- Inside Out
- Stay Stay Stay!
- Good For You (w/ glimmers)
