An Interview with Joe Raphael
- BuzzSlayers
- Feb 25
- 6 min read
A new single release from Joe Raphael brings together quite an array of pop influences that come together to breed this very honest yet very lush soundscape.
One of the things that stands out most about "Here & Now" is its songwriting approach. The way it brings in this amazing sort of groove, along with layers of instrumentation, both digital and natural, layers of beets, and pop-riddled vocals, all build a beautiful atmosphere that beckons certain elements of 80s pop style.
Now, this is a track that definitely speaks volumes for Joe, simply because of how straightforward he is lyrically. He has a very particular way of articulating those lyrics in a sense that lets you understand and relate to them very much.
The track is a little bit existential, in a sense. It's about building something that no one can take from you. Doing something with your life that's real, something that gives you a sense of being alive and builds promise, meaning, and most of all, purpose.
This song also revolves around the many distractions that we have today as humans. We just surround ourselves with screens and no longer even know what's real or fake when we watch them.
To me, and I think it's the same thing for Joe.
As I mentioned earlier, this is really about doing something with your life that gives you that massive purpose. Something that lets you feel like you're not just living to be alive, but for something greater.
You want to have something that's yours and yours alone, even if that means building something for your family as well.
This is a super common and completely connective sentiment. I connected with it almost immediately, and I absolutely love how he's able to take such a deepening sort of message and weave it into this pop song.
Now, this is how I interpreted the track. Others may listen to it and take it a little bit differently, but for me, that message and sentiment were loud and clear.
The lyrics are very expressive and pretty straightforward as well. There aren't a lot of metaphors, so you really get a great grasp of the meaning behind everything.
Because of that, the song is unafraid and just a bit vulnerable. This is mainly because he's letting so much of this big but inner thought come out for all to soak up.
I think that takes a bit of guts, even if those lyrics are indeed this relatable.
He's singing about things that a lot of us think about but don't really know how to put into words, let alone words of music, so when we hear a song like this, there's something about it that we really grasp
The driving force behind this track is percussion. The percussion on this track is absolutely outstanding and doesn't just sit in the pocket, but instead is sort of layered so that you have a sound that's full-bodied.
Not only does this help the flow of the track, but it also gives you a lot to chew on.
There are also some great guitar layers going on that sort of feed off of each other and bop between each other at times, creating a rhythm between the beats and I really enjoyed that because it makes everything so alive.
This song was very colorful, but again very authentic at the same time.
Another thing that hit me about this track is that you do get a good amount of soul coming through. This mainly comes from his vocal approach, especially towards the choruses.
You get that genuine soulful sort of feel, still coated in pop, but with a little something extra seasoned in.
It's flavorful, robust, it has heart, and most of all, personality.
As fun and catchy as the track is, it is slightly experimental, which gives it a little bit of an outside-the-box approach, soundscape-wise.
I definitely adored this aspect as well because it shows how the artist is able to sort of branch out into different areas within one song.
It also gives you a little bit of an idea of the artist's many influences as well.
You can tell this is not a one-trick pony. Joe obviously listens to a lot of different kinds of pop, but also plenty of indie.
This song feels cinematic and has this bit of vastness in its undertone.
A lot about this track, both lyrically and musically, creates a sort of depth, and the way the instrumentation comes together gives you beautiful layers of textures that feel like you can almost touch them.
I love stuff like that because you don't come across it too often.
To me, this was a track that really bent genres to an extent.
It wasn't exactly reinventing the wheel, but it was taking different elements of genres and subgenres of pop music and meshing them together to create something that's got its own atmosphere altogether.
These are the kind of attributes that make the song memorable.
It's the character behind the song that you end up holding on to.
That's what you relate to and connect with from the get-go.
This was a really well-woven song that felt good to listen to, had a great spirit, and wasn't afraid to express the sentiment of being okay with things, but really wanting more. Wanting something long-lasting that's not just for yourself.
Beautifully done.
With the release of such a welcoming track, I wanted to have a sit-down with Joe to find out where it actually did come from and what might be coming up next for the artist.
So, while you listen to this song, have a read-through of our interview with Joe Raphael below.
Don't forget where you heard it first.
Let's talk about "Here and Now "! This song had an amazing production to it and came through with a near perfect blend of color and some edginess! Where did this track come from?
Thank you! I just wanted to write something truthful and earnest, the chorus came out first and it was catchy and unlike anything I’ve ever written before which was exciting to me. Then I built the track out from there. I found these really abrasive drums that sounded like Donkey Kong or Crash Bandicoot and I felt like that added some edge and fun to round out the song and make it exciting.
I'm hearing a few different approaches to this song! Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
I have so many it’s hard to name them all. But for this song I think I was subconsciously inspired by Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Hercules and Love Affair, and again Crash Bandicoot.
Did you record this at a home setup, or at a big studio?
I record almost everything at home unless I am working with someone else.
How did this all start for you as an artist?
I’ve been writing songs on the piano since childhood. Then my friend Greg taught me how to produce music on Ableton, which exponentially increased the possibilities for the music I could make. This was very fun and exciting but also it took me years to develop myself as an artist and find my point of view. I dropped my debut album in 2024 and I’ve been riding this music wave ever since.
Are you performing live right now?
Yes! I’ve been playing lots of shows around NYC mostly lately. Performing live is a completely different skillset, but it’s so fun to make my songs come to life in a live performance and to see how people react to them.
Now that this is out, what's next for you?
More music soon! I’m also trying to learn how to make baguettes which is a struggle.
Who's in your headphones right now?
I’m obsessed with this band from Niger called Etran de L'Aïr, they are amazing.
What would you tell people what they can expect from this release?
I like to surprise myself with the music that I make, so you can always expect the unexpected.
Before we go, what would you like to express to fans of the music?
Thank you so much and please show me love and support and stream or download my songs! Making music is so fun and such a privilege but it’s also incredibly challenging so I need all the support I can get.
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