Multiplatinum songwriter and producer, Joseph Angel is finally presenting himself as a solo artist with his debut single “Shame.” Mostly known as the person who penned Rihanna’s triple-platinum hit single “Love On the Brain,” Joseph has spent years helping other artists with their music. He’s written for notable artists like Lil Wayne, Jennifer Lopez, Demi Lovato, and is now deciding to use his talents to build his own career as an artist.
With Joseph stepping from behind-the-scenes, he really brought the heat with “Shame.” Backed by a guitar, drum beats, and a couple of full band parts, the song is pure vocals with Joseph’s voice being the most important and powerful instruments. It’s very reminiscent of Al Green, Marvin Garvin, or BeBe King. His raw voice fills out the track and takes over, showcasing his range and unique vocal ability.
“I was going through some detrimental stuff. Music was my escape from it. I needed to go all-in. I was in a dangerous and abusive relationship that I was trying to get out of. Until this person came into my life, I never thought the concept of love was real for me. I fell in this deep dark hole of what I thought love was. Once I got away from it, I was still empty, so I tried to fill the void with anything…Each and every person I could. It started to spiral out of control to where I was an addict with it. I knew it wasn’t healthy, but it wasn’t something I could just talk to my mom about it. It was a vicious cycle until I crawled out. ‘Shame’ is a guy trying to find himself after losing himself,” says Joseph as he explains what led him to write this incredible song.
The New Orleans native originally kept his voice a secret until his talents caught the attention of Matthew Knowles. While working for money trying to afford to record, Joseph eventually started to ghostwrite for various artists. His efforts awarded him a contract with Roc Nation in 2010 and two years later he landed a number one hit on the Billboard US Dance Club Songs chart with Jennifer Lopez’s “Goin in” (feat. Flo Rida).
Though he’s written many songs for other artists, his greatest writing to date is “Love On the Brain.” Joseph originally wrote the song for himself, however, it resonated very strongly with Rihanna. The breakout hit totally changed the direction on Joseph’s career and now he’s taking full advantage by stepping from behind-the-scenes and onto center stage.
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Martel S. Sharpe
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