· Marcus Adetola · Reviews

Joshu’s holding on: Where Mangoes Meet Folk Music

<p>Antigua-based folk artist Joshu explores identity and belonging in &#8220;holding on,&#8221; a soul-stirring Atlantic-inspired single.</p>

Small islands make big dreamers. Just ask Joshu, the Antigua-based folk artist whose latest single holding on maps the coordinates between Caribbean sunshine and British melancholy.

Joshu holding on song artwork
Joshu holding on song artwork

Born to British parents but raised on calypso rhythms and ocean breezes, Joshu spins cultural complexity into musical gold.

After a heart-shattering breakup in 2019, he sailed solo across the Atlantic – because apparently some people process heartbreak by crossing entire oceans.

That journey sparked his upcoming EP way back home, with holding on serving as its first glimpse.

The track floats on gentle acoustic strumming while background whistles dance like sea spray.

Joshu’s vocals – warm as Caribbean afternoons – carry lyrics that dig into thorny questions about belonging.

“Left my home in the warm rain” opens a conversation about identity that feels universal yet deeply personal.

Mixed during lockdown in his childhood Antiguan home, the song weaves together Jack Johnson’s laid-back groove, John Martyn’s folk sensibilities, and subtle island influences.

It’s music for those quiet moments when you’re wondering where exactly ‘home’ is – and whether that even matters anymore.

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Joshu holding on Lyrics

Left my home in the warm rain
Too many times and I’m going again
This is change, she knows me well
We’ll leave it all for time to tell
It’s not easy when you’re holding on so tight
It’s not easy when you’re holding on so tight
You get the feeling that everything’s alright
It’s not easy when you’re holding on so tight
Big sky mind is setting in
I’ve got so much time for the way it’s been
But something in me is growing old
I’ll take one more smile for the road
It’s not easy when you’re holding on so tight
It’s not easy when you’re holding on so tight
You get the feeling that everything’s alright
It’s not easy when you’re holding on so tight
It’s not easy when you’re holding on so tight
It’s not easy when you’re holding on so tight
It’s not easy when you’re holding on so tight
It’s not easy when you’re holding on so tight
It’s not easy when you’re holding on so tight
It’s not easy when you’re holding on so tight

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