What have you been up to since we shot you for our second issue "Closer"?
I have been working quite a lot, doing a lot of traveling. Went out to Tokyo for a few months, which was amazing, last year. It has really pushed me to do a lot more traveling. Hopefully by the end of the year I will have done a lot more. I’m now at Supa Models, and in addition to modelling have been putting my fingers in loads of different pies recently, trying to keep up with my music.
What kind of music do you do?
I’m really heavily into my techno. I love my sort of dark Richie Horten and stuff like that. So I’ve been doing some production with my friend. I’m saving up to get some decks, as I haven't had decks since I was 17 so need to get them again. I miss them. And eventually I want to go off to uni and do sound design. That's my main aim. Sound effects and film and stuff.
Back to uni?
Yeah I will go back. Eventually. Not this September, but maybe next September. Stay in London. Maybe do it three days a week. Carry on with the modeling as well. Keep myself busy and occupied. If i’m not busy I’m bored. I have to be busy.
We recognise ourselves in you. How do you describe yourself as a person?
Oooh thats tough. You’ve thrown me now. I'd say fun, hardworking and quite chilled. A lot of people say I’m very relaxed.
You have a very calming voice.
Really? It’s quite monotone.
You should read bedtime stories.
Everyone says I’m very monotone, you can never tell if i’m happy or sad, it’s just always kind of the same.
You know people who listen to books on tape, you should do that.
Maybe, that’ll be my new career move if it all goes wrong! haha
It’s so soft and soothing...
Maybe I’ll go to nature documentaries if it all falls through.
What do you think is beautiful?
Me? (Theres a laugh from the distance, as an intern chimes in ‘I thought you just meant .. Me. I’m beautiful’.) Haha no no, imagine! God, no. Music is beautiful. Do you know ‘I want you in my soul’ by Love Birds? Me and my girlfriend sort of met to it. We were at Bestival and it was playing. I love that song. But yeah. Music, because it can change your emotion unlike anything else.You can be really sad and it’ll make you happy, or you can put a different song on and it’ll make you sad. It can take you to a different moment. I’ve always thought that with music. It’s a little bit of magic that we’ve got. I’ve been playing from such a young age, if it's the one thing that I love it’s music. I’ve always got my headphones in.
What instruments do you play?
I’m a flute and saxophone player.
I would love to see you play the flute! You don’t look like a flute player.
I know, people wouldn’t expect it.
With your Led Zeppelin t-shirt and earring.
Yeah, I know I know. I found a flute in my house when I was eight, and you wern't allowed to start learning music until year 10 -11, so I went to my music teacher and I said I really wanna learn, wanna learn, wanna learn, so she gave in and started giving me lessons. Then two years later I picked up the saxophone and they are really similar, so I picked it up really quickly.
And the clarinet?
Yeah I started teaching myself the clarinet.
Good guess.
Yeah yeah! But I got quite bored with it as I was just teaching myself. I played the bassoon as well up to grade 5. I just got offered free lessons for it because its an endangered instrument
Wow! I've just learned something new.
Because it’s a Baroque instrument, so theres only 150 people in the country that play it now. It’s really cool. I got a scholarship for Trinity Music College.
See, you could of been one of those guys that made that really cool.
Haha no it was too much. It was just too complicated. I wanted to stick to flute and sax. I don’t want to be a Jack of all trades and master of none.
Could you imagine if you were there with all your tattoos and your earring and you’re super cool playing that instrument. All the kids would want to do it.
Yeah, thats quite an interesting position haha, go on Britain’s Got Talent with a bassoon.
Could have been a plan. Right. Modeling. What should we update the world on your modeling?
Um yes. I’ve been to Paris and Milan quite a bit.
What’s you’re favorite show you’ve ever done?
Probably Dsquared. I did the women’s show and it was quite funny. It was supposed to be festival themed. They had tents and mud, and the catwalk was like a dirt track. By the second time we were walking they were spraying water on it, so it was like thick muddy sludge and all the girls were falling over and stuff. And I just thought it was hilarious! haha
(The whole office cracks up at this point. Bit of a giggling fit takes place.)
But yeah, that was a really cool show. Plus there was a massive fridge of beer at the back, so afterwards we could go chill with everyone and it was really relaxed, which makes a change.
What about your favorite editorial?
Probably shooting with the twins Aline and Jacqueline Tappia, I’m actually really good friends with them. We shot together in Milan and just got on really well. When I shoot with them it’s always such a nice day, really comfortable, they know what they’re doing, it’s just really relaxed. They are sweethearts, really lovely girls. Quiet, calm, relaxed, chilled, keep themselves to themselves. Quite refreshing.
As you’ve been in the industry for a while now, If you could give advice to the new guys coming in what would you tell them?
Don't get swept up in it all. Keep your feet on the ground. Remember you’re a normal kid at the end of the day. You have a lot of people telling you you’re amazing and special, but you are just an average Joe and you’ve gotta just keep your head screwed on and enjoy it. Have fun. Try and travel as much as you can, you’re young, its a good time to see the world. I wouldn’t have been able to see any of these places if I wasn’t doing this. There's a lot of good you can take out of it, but keep your head screwed on.
Thank you for coming to see us Josh, you are a true delight!
Polaroid by Cecilie Harris
Words by Annie Ounstead
boysbygirls.co.uk