Josh Tavares

Toronto-based pop artist Josh Tavares is yet another example of what the talent in the city has to offer. His debut single "Family Man" is a must listen. “Family Man” tells the story of a man who cheats on his wife, ultimately choosing to leave his family for his own happiness. This third person narrative dives into the heavy impact cheating can have on a family and those around them. “Family Man” has a strong vulnerable presence to add comfort to the listener.

The lyrics represent something many people have experienced in their own personal lives. Therefore, hearing Joshua Tavares get vulnerable and emotionally unguarded , creates the safe haven for the listener. Josh co-produced this new record and the setting of the production complementing the theme of the song shows a high level of skill in Josh. his artistry is impeccable and he’s surely an unpredictable force to be reckoned with. “Family Man” was heart-rendering. Moving its listener with every note, you discover an amount of emotions you’re holding within. “Family Man” is a must-listen!

Welcome to BuzzMusic Josh Tavares! Mind telling our readers a bit about your upbringing and background?

Hey guys, I’m Josh. I’m a 23 year old singer/songwriter living in Toronto. I grew up just outside Toronto with four sisters and a brother and my parents who are still together despite the horrors we put them through growing up :) Music has always been important to me, whether it was forcing my siblings and cousins to put on shows at every family event we had, or begging my elementary school teachers to let me and a few friends perform new songs in front of the class (ALL of which were made up on the spot). EMBARRASSING. I don’t know if I’ll ever live that one down. I started writing music when I was about 13 and really got into writing when I was 18. I went to school for music and TV production and I’m currently working in the entertainment industry. Now I’m here, about to release my debut single. Nervous, but very excited!

“Family Man” was an amazing song. What drove you to write this?

I always start my writing process with a title. Not sure why, it’s just always been the way I’ve done it. I’ve had the idea for a song called “Family Man” since 2015 but never really knew what to do with it. Last year I was put into a pretty awkward situation when I found out a close friend of mine was being cheated on. I didn’t know what to do and was just sitting at home that night where I started mumbling some random lyrics and ended up putting what ended up being “Family Man” together in about thirty minutes.

How would you describe the arrangement of “Family Man”?

As the song goes on, the beat buildup represents the inner struggle of the man in question which can also be seen in the video. By the second verse the backing vocals are more present and continue to get louder into the chorus as a way to show the man’s thoughts getting the best of him. The song plateaus at the bridge when his entire world falls apart, leaving him confused, angry, sad, and sorry. Ultimately the last chorus has a lot going on, again to match all of the thoughts running through this character’s head all at once.

What was the most challenging aspect in creating “Family Man”? How did you overcome the task!

I’ve gotten so used to writing about me and my relationships with people that the idea of “Family Man” was so different for me. For a while I actually wasn’t going to release it at all but a few friends who I show all my music to told me that would be a big mistake. I knew I had to release it when my friend Kaitlyn started singing the lyrics randomly in her car before the final track was even recorded. The production of the song itself went pretty smoothly.

What’s next for you Josh Tavares?

I have a couple more singles and music videos I’d like to release in the next few months, and they’re all a lot more personal. “Family Man” is one of my favourite songs I’ve written, but I wrote it from a third person perspective. Anyone who listens to my music will definitely get to know me a little better with the next couple songs. - BuzzMusic

Soft. Composed. Intricate. Josh Tavares's voice holds many qualities, and the sound he creates will melt into you in a convoluted kind of way. Based in Toronto, CA, contemporary R&B/pop artist Josh is swinging us off our feet with the incredibly delicate sound of his voice. We feel absolutely entranced and captivated by how Josh is able to execute his articulate sound. His debut single only came out this past June, but Josh has the sound of a mature and seasoned artist. Josh's latest single, "West Coast", followed closely behind his debut, detailing some serious poise and gentleness.

"West Coast" showcases Josh's vocal dynamics in the most delicate way possible. With that charming R&B feel, combined with integral alternative pop elements, "West Coast" is that tranquil track needed on everyones playlist. Josh dives into the story of relationships with "West Coast", and gets honest about the naivety of love. With a distinct melancholic and serene atmosphere, "West Coast" honestly had us feeling relaxed. The overall production of the track was stellar in terms of execution, as Josh and his vocalism blended well in with the curated sounds, revealing an almost palpable peace of mind. We have to say that "West Coast" was our kind of track, and we know the BuzzMusic R&B/pop listeners will fall in love immediately! - BuzzMusic

Toronto-based artist Josh Tavares has recently released their second single “West Coast”, and first of all, I have to pay ode to the ingeniously sweet metaphor which inspired the track. Comparing a relationship which doesn’t go anywhere to going on holiday where it rains every day is exactly the kind of lyrical ingenuity which we should all be looking for in our music. If that leaves you as endeared as it did with me, you’re in for a sticky-sweet pensive aural treat with the ambient pop hip hop soundscape.

Josh Tavares has ensured that the melancholy comes with teeth in this wavy indie pop single and there’s also plenty of morose magnetism found within Josh Tavares’s hushed, harmonic vocals which poignantly exude the same painful passion which West Coast was penned with.

You can check out Josh Tavares’s latest single for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast - A&R Factory

Josh Tavares released a groundbreaking album titled “Anonymous” that you will become highly emotionally invested in. This album begins with the single “Fake”. This emotionally heart-rendering record moves you with every element of the song. What I loved most about this track was the vulnerability and sentimental delivery in it. This song gave me the idea that there was a deep meaning behind the lyricism. “Fake” feels as if it was written like a personal expression from Josh Tavares himself. The way the song was arranged gave us a more insightful look at the emotions and mindset of Josh Tavares.

The next single that transitions in on this album are “Actress”. “Actress” along with “Fake” was another emotionally convicted record that felt like it had a deeper meaning behind the surface lyrics. It’s clear by now, that Josh Tavares' passionate vocal delivery is carrying us through this thought-provoking album that gives us a reflection of our emotions. Singles like “I Don’t Know What I Want” & “Sleepless Nights” continued this poetically driven and unguarded emotional vibe to the album. However, “Sleepless Nights” stood out to me the most because it enhanced my emotions the most. I really felt connected to this song and was able to personally relate to the soaring passionate melody. What’s unique about “Sleepless Nights” was the inclusion of a rough raw rap segment that helped the song pop out even more for me.

“Family Man” and “Come Back In A Dream” continued this atmospheric and hazy vibe filled with exposed feelings that’s underlined behind the lyrics. A single on this album that really triggered the focus for me was “Anonymous”. “Anonymous” is the title of the album, so when I saw that there was a song on this project that complemented the title of the album, I immediately wanted to take a listen to the track and analyze it in-depth. “I just want to feel like myself again” was a leading and standout lyric on this song that showed us a lot about not only the album but how Josh Tavares is unforgivingly expressing himself through his music. This is highly commendable and showed us that he was able to strip away from his artist’s outlook and let us know that he to, go through many emotions we experience. The next song that transitions in “West Coast” was a descriptive display with an aesthetic that offers an escape from your day to day realities. The vibes of this album so far remind me of a more sentimental version of “The Neighbourhood”. Despite the amazing comparison, Josh Tavares style is quite unique and still holds its own torch.

The singles “Falling” and “All This Time” was extremely relatable for me. These songs evoked the themes of heartbreak, lost love, and disappointment. These are feelings mostly everyone will experience at least once in this lifetime. Josh Tavares has this raspy, gritty vocal tone that’s super digestible and specifically caters to this sad & dwell some vibe of his music. The closing song on “Anonymous” was “Room 307”. “Room 307”. “Room 307” was a song that showcased Josh Tavares storytelling abilities. You were able to follow along with the song due to how the lyrics gave a cinematic approach to the arrangement. Josh Tavares opens up in the album “Anonymous”. He allows his emotions to vent through his lyrics with a mystical atmosphere that leaves you wondering for more.

You can listen to this breathtaking album “Anonymous” here.

Welcome back to BuzzMusic Josh Tavares! Tell us about your background! How was it growing up and what motivated you to pursue music?
From a very young age, I was always making up songs and insisting anyone who I crossed paths with to listen to. Family, friends, classmates, neighbors. LITERALLY ANYONE. I still cringe thinking about forcing my entire class to watch me perform a song that I was really making up on the spot (being stranded on a desk was one of those groundbreaking concepts from grade four me) *slumps into the corner forever*. I can't remember the exact moment I decided I wanted to pursue music, but I also can't remember a time in my life when music wasn't important to me.

Let’s talk about your album “Anonymous”. What are some of the themes we can find in this project?
The album as a whole is about finding yourself and moving on after losing yourself in another person (or a group of people). The album touches on the betrayal of someone who meant the world to you, to losing sleep over it, to wishing they'd come back, and ultimately looking back and realizing that what you thought was sunshine and rainbows was really rotting flowers and sewage water.

The lyrics were all beautifully well-written with a good emotional conviction. What inspired most of the songs from “Anonymous”?
Well, thanks :) A lot of the songs came from a situation that put me in a very sad, angry place. But I'm not in that place anymore. All of the songs come from the idea of betrayal but also realizing that it wasn't one-sided. I messed up. The people the songs are about messed up. The entire album is about losing someone and going through withdrawal (and all the emotions that come from that).

“Room 307” was a song with a storytelling appeal. In what ways were you able to personally relate to this record?
Room 307 is very much about my life when I was finally getting out of that "funk" I was in. The song references driving back East, which plays on the idea of another song on the album, West Coast (which is about putting yourself in a different headspace expecting everything to be bright and sunny, but it ultimately is the opposite). Room 307 is about leaving the past behind and "checking in" to a new place of moving on.

Did you stumble upon any challenges when creating “Anonymous”? If so mind describing them?
I've been writing songs for a loooooong time but I've only been working with producers since early this year. The biggest challenge for me in every song I do is putting what I want a song to sound like into words. My notes to producers are usually just me rambling on and sending voice notes of weird sounds that sound a lot better in my head. Yet somehow, they usually exceed my expectations.

What’s next for you Josh Tavares?
I'm still writing - not sure what the next project will be yet, but I don't plan on taking a break anytime soon. I've also just started performing my songs and I plan on doing a lot more showcases in 2020. - Buzz Music