Client: BRITISH GQ
The 28 year old had amassed over 7 million subscribers on his TVFilthyFrank YouTube channel before deciding to focus on music full time, but this creative transition wasn’t unexpected. Albeit with a comedic slant, he’d been releasing tracks as Pink Guy before publicly quitting YouTube in December 2017, a month after releasing his first Joji EP, In Tongues. Then came the lo-fi BALLADS 1 (which contained the beautiful, disconsolate multi-platinum lead single, “Slow Dancing In The Dark”), which also reached No.3 on the main Billboard Top 200 chart, firmly establishing Joji’s creative crossover.
However, if BALLADS 1 was Joji’s self-struck nail in the coffin of his comedy beginnings, then Nectar heralds his next life. His second album is a Herculean 18-track effort featuring collaborations with, amongst others, Diplo, Lil Yachty and Rei Brown.
As he gears up for this new era, GQ spoke with Joji to discuss his remarkable new album, his love of sci-fi, and writing happy endings.
Taylor Glasby 