By
Emma Greenberg

Photography by Brantely Guitierrez.

JOSHUA WINSTEAD


You may not know the name Joshua Winstead, but chances are you know his music. Unless you were living under a rock in 2012, you probably heard “Help I’m Alive” a few hundred times. As the bassist for Metric, Winstead gained notoriety as part of a cool, eerie electro band, but now he’s striking out on his own.

With the release of his first solo album, MMXX, this summer and a lineup of not-so traditional shows, the bassist-turned-singer knows that it’s time to strike out on his own. “This is a bit more real, to give a sense of who I am,” Winstead explains. “A lot of my album is based off of pretty heavy emotional [content]. I was talking about trying to overcome fear. It was very scary. You can tell it’s a very heartfelt album. It’s hard to reveal to people, but overcoming fears—that’s what I want to do.”

Winstead has been compared to Prince, Ben Harper, and Lenny Kravitz, but his album feels like something entirely his own. “Since this was an album that I recorded myself, without any expectations from anybody else, I didn’t really look to” other music, Winstead explains. “I listen to everything. I love music, I devour music—and I don’t really sound like anyone else.”

Similarly, his music video for “A Poison Cup,” directed by Raviv Ullman, is as personal as it gets, a vintage, nostalgic portrayal of the modern love story of Winstead and his wife. “We spent one full day enjoying ourselves around New York,” Winstead recalls. “She is the person [with whom] I most enjoy spending time. I wanted to share this more intimate part of my life.” Which is all in keeping with the thoughtful tone Winstead has set for his burgeoning solo career. “Sharing a little love,” he says to describe the entire album. “We could all use a little love right now.”

MMXX is out now. For more information, please visit JoshuaWinstead.com.

By
Emma Greenberg

Photography by Brantely Guitierrez.

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