Q&A: Joell

Edinburgh's "bad boy with a big heart" is Joell, he has circled the underground Scottish hip-hop scene for some time, and is on course to break through, pioneering his own blend of sung-rap and effortless hooks. Drawing on both US and UK influences, Joell has his own unique take on the current UK rap explosion.

Get to know Joell, his latest tracks ‘Safe Outside’ and ‘Hop in the Coupe”, as well as his creative process, and advice to fellow musicians trying to navigate their way through the Scottish music industry.

Before the release of ‘Safe Outside’ in March, your last single was 'Hop in the Coupe', a favourite of the Resonate team. Can you tell us a bit about the track and how it came to be? 

My producer/my g, ‘Baygee’ comes up from Nottingham every couple of months to work on music. He’ll play beats and I just go on all of them. We pick our favourites. We work fast and efficiently and I think this night we made Hop in the Coupe, Mamacita which is part of a previous EP.

What is your creative process when creating music? Do you have a specific technique for writing/composing or is it freestyle? 

I used to try perfect everything but the music industry is so quick. I've got fast and I just believe in my ability to come different. I usually have a lot going on in life good and bad so music just allows me to get that out.  I’m not good at talking, I like to keep myself to myself but songs are just stories of my life I turn into lullabies. So I’ll play the beat and just freestyle and come up with melodies and create a sort of movie in my head that relates to whatever I've got going on that listeners will be able to relate too.  I like different sounds and as long as the sound or the beat excites me or sparks something and I feel I can do something on. it just kinda happens. It's something I got naturally good at I can’t explain that part.

What was your favourite show you played/went to last year? 

2023, was French the Kid. I supported him at the garage in Glasgow early 2023. I'm a fan of him so yeah, it was cool and my sound is a bit slower and chill for the crowd who were there to turn up for him but they really took to me, I was surprised. I don't get booked for many shows unfortunately, hopefully that changes. But go back to 2022 Resonate of course I really enjoyed that. It was an audience that were there to take in new music and new artists I think they were surprised by me. Everyone took to my sound so I feel there’s a place for me I just have to get out more. And maybe let people in a little more. 2024 lets go.

 Tell us your three desert island albums. 

50 Cent - Get Rich or Die Trying because I grew up on it as a kid,  I’ll wake up and work out and have to survive every day on my island. Travis Scott - Astroworld. That’s everything. Frank Ocean - Channel Orange. If nobody is coming to get me, I can be forgotten about in peace.

 ⁠If you could collaborate with anyone on future music, who would it be?

It has got to be Kanye. 

 ⁠What advice would you give to aspiring musicians who are looking to establish themselves in the Scottish music industry?

Get a job. Whatever it is. 

1 - This is not cheap, this is so expensive, you need money to survive in this game, everything’s going to cost you, you might never make a penny, I don't believe in big deals and labels coming to save you anymore, you’ve really got to adapt, hustle and take every opportunity you can. 

2 - If you hate the job it will make you hungrier than ever to get out the job, the job will give you drive and focus to chase the goal, the life, the material - whatever the thing is, the job you hate will give you a reason to go get what you want most.

 ⁠Lastly, what can we expect to see from Joell in 2024?

Music. Loads of music. That's what I'm missing. Loads of music for people to constantly listen to and get use to my sound. SHOWS, loads of shows so they can learn my songs and come sing them with me live! LETS GO.

Make my friends proud. It's good to see Scotland make it to the euros. I want to be another positive thing to talk about coming out of SCOTLAND. 

Click for tickets.

Follow Joell here.