What began as a deeply personal solo project for Joshua Davies is now transforming into something far greater. Melbourne-based pop act Simply Joshua has entered a new chapter, evolving from a one-person recording project into a collaborative full band featuring Bethany Hill and Ruben Kingsley.
Built on emotional honesty, reflective songwriting, and modern pop production, Simply Joshua first emerged as an outlet for Davies to process heartbreak and life experiences through music. Today, the project carries a broader identity — one shaped by collaboration, richer instrumentation, and a more expansive creative vision while remaining grounded in vulnerability and authenticity.
Influenced by artists such as Adele and Dua Lipa, Simply Joshua blends emotionally driven storytelling with polished pop sensibilities, creating a sound that feels intimate yet ambitious. The addition of Hill and Kingsley has expanded the project’s sonic palette, introducing cello, violin, saxophone, trumpet, guitar work, and stronger production depth into the music.
The project’s debut release arrived in July 2024 as a two-track single exploring the aftermath of a breakup. Raw, reflective, and emotionally direct, it established the foundation of Simply Joshua’s identity. Now, with the upcoming release of the 16-track album Thirty Two on May 8, 2026, the band is stepping into a more fully realized era.
In this exclusive interview with Music Times UK, Simply Joshua discusses the transition from solo artist to full band, the emotional core behind the music, artistic influences, and the future of the project.
Interview With Simply Joshua
Music Times UK: Simply Joshua started as a solo recording project. How would you describe what it has become now?
Simply Joshua:
“It started as something deeply personal — a way for me to process emotions and experiences through songwriting after a very difficult breakup. At the beginning, it was just me trying to make sense of everything through music.
Now, it feels like the project has evolved into something much more complete.
Bringing Bethany and Ruben into Simply Joshua completely changed the energy in the best possible way. The emotional honesty that was there from the beginning is still present, but now there are more ideas, more perspectives, and more life surrounding it.
We all contribute creatively and musically. I play piano and have recently started learning drums, which has changed the way I think about rhythm and arrangements. Bethany plays cello and violin, bringing depth and emotion into the music, while Ruben plays saxophone, trumpet, guitar, and also contributes heavily to synth work, track editing, and mastering.
The collaboration feels natural. Bethany has a strong instinct for melody and emotional direction, while Ruben adds another layer to the production side. It honestly feels like Simply Joshua is becoming what it was always meant to become.”
Music Times UK: What made now the right time to turn Simply Joshua into a full band?
Simply Joshua:
“It happened very naturally. After finishing recording my debut album Thirty Two, I looked back at the tracks and realised that Bethany and Ruben were already heavily involved, either as collaborators or featured artists.
That made me think, ‘Would I be crazy not to turn this into a group?’
The songs were beginning to ask for more than one perspective. I’ve always cared deeply about storytelling and emotion, but I wanted the sound to become bigger, more alive, and more dynamic.
Because Bethany and Ruben are close friends, there’s already trust there — and that matters when the songs are this personal. You need people around you who understand the emotional heart of the project while helping it grow creatively.”
Music Times UK: Emotional honesty seems central to the project. Why is that so important to you?
Simply Joshua:
“People can tell when something is real. I never wanted the music to feel like I was performing emotions simply because they sound good in a song. I want the songs to feel lived-in.
Whether it’s heartbreak, identity, relationships, or the emotional pressure of everyday life, the music has to come from somewhere genuine. I think listeners connect more deeply when they can feel that authenticity.
We’re currently finishing another album scheduled for release in October, and that record explores melodies, modern listening habits, consumer demands, and personal taste in music. It’s about how people connect with songs and why certain music resonates emotionally.
The artists I admire most are the ones who make you believe every word they sing. That’s what I want Simply Joshua to do as well.”
Music Times UK: Your debut release arrived in July 2024 through a German label. What do you remember most about that moment?
Simply Joshua:
“That release made the project feel real for the first time. Before then, Simply Joshua existed privately — it was something I was building quietly.
Once the music was released, it became something people could connect with and interpret for themselves.
The songs came from a deeply emotional place and focused heavily on the aftermath of a breakup. Looking back now, I think those tracks established the emotional identity of Simply Joshua.
Even though the sound is evolving now, that first release gave the project its foundation. It showed me that painful experiences could become meaningful music.”
Music Times UK: Why did a two-track single feel like the right introduction?
Simply Joshua:
“A two-track release felt honest. It allowed me to show two sides of the same emotional experience without overexplaining it.
Breakups are never just one feeling. There’s sadness, confusion, reflection, and eventually some sense of strength or clarity. Those two songs captured different parts of that emotional process.
It wasn’t about making a huge statement. It was about beginning with something real.”
Music Times UK: You’ve cited Adele and Dua Lipa as influences. What do you take from each artist?
Simply Joshua:
“Adele is incredible — not just vocally, but as a person. She feels relatable, grounded, and emotionally honest. Her music feels deeply lived through, and you can hear the truth in her voice.
With Dua Lipa, I admire the confidence, the production quality, and the energy. Her music has identity, direction, and strength.
I think Simply Joshua exists somewhere between those two worlds — emotional storytelling combined with modern pop production.
Honestly, both Adele and Dua Lipa helped me through one of the darkest periods of my life during the end of a nine-year relationship. Their music genuinely helped me keep going. And so did my cat, Jet, who brings warmth into my life every day.”
Music Times UK: Does becoming a band change the meaning of the name Simply Joshua?
Simply Joshua:
“In some ways, yes — but I think that’s a beautiful thing.
The name still represents where the project started, but now it also represents growth. What began with one person is becoming something collective.
The writing and experiences still come from me, but now the project is also shaped by Bethany and Ruben and everything they bring creatively. It still feels like Simply Joshua — just wider and more complete.”
Music Times UK: Your songs often explore identity, relationships, and emotional weight. Are those themes still central to the band version of Simply Joshua?
Simply Joshua:
“Absolutely. Those themes are the heart of the project.
Even as the production grows stronger and the hooks become bigger, the songs still need to mean something emotionally.
Everyday emotions can carry enormous weight — conversations that stay in your head, relationships changing, uncertainty about who you’re becoming. Those are universal feelings, even when they seem ordinary from the outside.
I want the music to give those emotions somewhere to exist.”
Music Times UK: What do you want listeners to feel when they hear Simply Joshua today?
Simply Joshua:
“I want listeners to feel seen.
Whether a song is reflective, emotional, confident, or upbeat, I want there to be honesty inside it. I also want people to hear the growth happening within the project.
Every album we create will carry its own theme — whether that’s love, relationships, family, politics, or personal identity. There will always be a deeper thread connecting the songs together.”
Music Times UK: What can fans expect from the next chapter of Simply Joshua?
Simply Joshua:
“They can expect stronger songs, bigger hooks, and a clearer identity.
We’re keeping the emotional storytelling, but the sound is becoming more focused and fully developed.
This next chapter is about connection. We want to make music that lasts — songs people return to because they recognise something truthful inside them.
Some tracks also explore political themes and recent global events, including conflict, war, and elections. We want to approach those subjects thoughtfully while still keeping the music accessible and emotionally honest.”
Music Times UK: Finally, how would you describe Simply Joshua in one sentence?
Simply Joshua:
“Simply Joshua is emotional pop built from real experience, now evolving into a full band with a stronger sound, a bigger story, and a clearer sense of identity.”
A Melbourne Pop Project Finding Its Voice
Simply Joshua’s transition from solo recording project to full band represents a defining moment in the act’s evolution. What began as a private emotional outlet has now become a collaborative creative force with a stronger sonic identity and broader artistic ambition.
With Bethany Hill and Ruben Kingsley officially joining the project, Simply Joshua is moving toward a richer and more expansive sound — one that balances intimate songwriting with polished production, larger hooks, and deeper musical textures.
Joshua Davies’ emotionally driven piano songwriting, Bethany’s violin and cello arrangements, and Ruben’s brass instrumentation, guitar work, and production expertise combine to create a modern pop sound that feels both personal and cinematic.
For listeners drawn to emotionally honest pop music with depth and authenticity, Simply Joshua is undoubtedly a project to watch.
Their next chapter is not simply about expanding the lineup — it is about expanding the emotional world behind the music itself.
Album Release
Thirty Two — the 16-track debut album from Simply Joshua — was released on May 8, 2026.
Spotify Artist Profile Link: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0S1qmq9nPbtIcZ5p63AH5B?si=RO71S78vQmepazGPYs3XNw
Available on:
- Spotify
- Apple Music
- YouTube Music
- Amazon Music
- 7 Digital
- TikTok
