Josh Setterfield is riding a wave of success that continues with the release of his newest EP 'Rise'; while the anticipation for his upcoming show in Brisbane is building – which will also be his first headline performance in Australia.
Just a month after the release of 'Rise', Josh is already carving out a promising trajectory to success. The album has garnered an impressive three million streams in total and claimed the second spot on the ARIA Country Charts."I didn't really kind of attack this one with a theme or anything," Setterfield says. "It was kind of like a collection of my best work, and kind of stuff that I've been doing the last couple of years. And I felt like the songs that we've kind of been doing since 'Right About Now' have been along the lines of where I'm trying to take my music."
By encompassing a spectrum from country pop to country metal, 'Rise' consists of anthems that cater to a diverse audience, ensuring enjoyment for all. "I want to put out the best thing that I could possibly do. I just work so hard to get [the songs] exactly how I want them.
"I would say the challenge for me is kind of being a perfectionist in an industry and a music world that just wants quick content. I feel like this year has really kind of taken off with doing shows overseas and the songs that we've released, and I kind of felt like I was just starting to rise, if that makes sense.
"So, I think it's a pretty appropriate title for what we kind of go for because I'm on the rise, and it does link very well with what we have coming later too. But when it comes to shows, I like to go even further. So I write it for a live setting and then I change it.
"So we got some new songs and also a couple of old ones [in the live set] for the first time in awhile, but they'll probably also be the last time we play them, because of the amount of new stuff we've got coming up that I'm super proud of.
"I like to have an entertainment value to [the live show], where people come and they get more than just what's on the EP. People could sit at home and just listen to the song on whatever the hell they use. But we kind of like to change it up."
Determined to invest significant effort into his performance to create an electric experience, Josh assures his upcoming show will be accompanied by some noteworthy elements. "Try and imagine it kind of as seeing an entertainment centre style show in a tiny venue. That's kind of what we're going for.
"When you're doing your own thing and you get to build your own show, it's actually really cool. It's kind of a new layer that you bring in. You have endless creative stuff that you can do.
"My entire band is like, 'we like it loud'. We have to have the music absolutely pumping. You want like, a mental energy drink kind of kick in before we go. So basically the energy that we have onstage is the same energy that we have backstage. There's no calm before the storm with us. It is just storm all the time."
There is no doubt that with a track record of shows that ensures unexpected and spontaneous moments, fans are in for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
"I used to get a fan up onstage, and if they had their mum there, I would play 'Stacy's Mom' but would change it to the girl's name. This one time, I'm up onstage and I sang. I sang like the person's name. Mom has got it going on and at the end of the song, the mom grabbed me and kissed my face on the lips. It was. . . I was not expecting that."
Fans have an additional reason to be thrilled as they anticipate the openers, Zac Cross Band, who Josh speaks highly of, showering them with praise.
"I want to show my fanbase the new artists and these guys are killing it. They're like a country rock band, kind of in the Morgan Wallen and Hardy vibe. They're a full band, which is really cool, not an acoustic support, and I really believe in them."
There is no doubt that with an EP as compelling as 'Rise', a stellar opening act, and an extraordinary show in store for fans, Josh Setterfield is poised to deliver a truly sensational experience at his first Australian headline show in Brisbane next month.
Josh Setterfield plays Arcana Empress Theatre (Brisbane) 13 January; he also appears at the sold-out CMC Rocks QLD 2024 that runs at Willowbank Raceway (Ipswich) 15-17 March.
