Joesef SWG3, Glasgow
As well as making the perfect last-minute stocking filler, the pink balaclavas on Joesef’s merchandise stall were a neat metaphor for this 24-year-old sensitive soul from the hard part of town. Such has been Joesef’s rise since debuting this spring with his self-styled “sad boi” soul sound that it is now considered quite normal for a guy from Garthamlock to pursue a career in music. Joesef is a fine example of never judging a book by its cover, so soft and sultry is his voice.
With sprays of flowers lashed to every available stand and a prevailing feelgood party atmosphere to greet him, he crooned some impressively luscious tenor notes offstage before showering the crowd in pink confetti to the smooth strains of Loverboy, a song as assured as its sentiments are wild and uncertain. It is early days for this unassuming vocalist who is still building his confidence as a performer as well as his set, which consisted almost entirely of songs of first love and heartbreak executed with exquisite ecstasy and romantic regret.
There was a poetic vulnerability to Play Me Something Nice, followed by a gorgeous bare ballad which further captured the agony and the ecstasy and then a more upbeat light funk soul number to illustrate the mellow spectrum of his Scotsoul sound.
Pink Santa hats were donned for an effortlessly phrased cover of Santa Baby before a further blast of confetti to accompany Limbo, a carefree tune with a bittersweet sentiment which received a deafening a capella reprise from the audience.