Song Deconstructed: ‘Holding On’ by Joshu

Joshu: “There’s something really fun about making an arrangement work with only one progression”

An indie-folk song inspired by a tumultuous relationship and written on the shore of Lake Atitlán, up a nearby volcano

Raised on the rhythms of Antigua & Barbuda and the quiet introspection of indie-folk, Joshu’s music feels like a deep breath of sea air. His latest single, Holding On, is a tender reflection on identity, belonging, and the pull of home – the song carries the weight of memory and the grace of release. It’s a soulful journey – both grounding and liberating – offering a glimpse into the heartfelt storytelling of his upcoming EP, Way Back Home.

Discover more Songs Deconstructed

INSPIRATION

The kernel of Holding On was formed at an impromptu singing circle in Guatemala. I was sitting with some folks in a little cafe by Lake Atitlán, and playing this guitar riff that had been swirling around in my head. We slowly started singing the wordless melody over the top and harmonising together for what seemed like a long while. As I was trying to find words to fit, the lyric, “It’s not easy when you’re holding on so tight,” formed in my mind and it just fit so snugly. That was a real lesson in collective creativity.

I ended up writing the rest alone, thinking a lot about my relationship at the time, which was coming to a tumultuous end. I was steeped in the feeling that arises when the time has come to leave a place. A place you’ve spent so much time in that it’s become part of who you are.

LYRICS

The refrain is a self-forgiving affirmation, a calm and gentle reminder that it’s okay to struggle when you’ve realised it’s time to let go of something. There’s a profound difficulty in letting things change, but I think self-compassion and allowing yourself to truly feel those gruelling, painful emotions enables you to move past them.

To finish the verses, I hiked up a nearby volcano with my little guitalele, and wrote them immersed in the lake view. With the peaceful, prayer-like refrain established, I wanted the verse lyrics to have a bit more movement and reflect the journey of whoever might be in need of that chorus affirmation. There are some heavy nods to Buddhist and beatnik philosophy throughout, but especially in the second verse: “Big sky mind is setting in”. Ram Dass’ idea that we should be deeply involved in life and yet less attached to it is one that profoundly resonated with me when I was writing Holding On.

MUSIC

Holding On is an unbelievably simple song, musically. The guitar riff came first, one of those voice memos I’d made late on a quiet night. I experimented with adding other sections to the arrangement, but nothing ever hit me like the main riff, and I always try to follow those signs.

I was also very interested in records which have a single riff running the whole way through them. There’s something really fun about making an arrangement work with only one progression. That also allowed me to create a really compelling live version with my loop pedal, which builds as I add layers on layers of vocals, without having to suddenly change loops.

Joshu: “[Holding On] has helped me through some dark times, and I’m stoked to be able to share it with everyone”

IN THE STUDIO

There was a long wait between writing and recording Holding On, but when I finally took it to the studio, I couldn’t seem to get it right. It just kept eluding me. I started from scratch about five separate times, searching for the magic I was able to capture live with my loop pedal. It finally came together when I was compiling basslines, and accidentally heard two of them harmonising together. I knew that was exactly what the track needed. I also agonised over the outro, trying to figure out how to end the arrangement in an interesting and relevant way. All in all, it was definitely the most difficult track to produce on the EP.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This song has helped me through some dark times, and I’m stoked to be able to share it with everyone. I think its simplicity really resonates with a lot of folks. Whenever I play it live, it’s often the final song, and it seems to leave a nostalgic, comforting fragrance in the air. I hope it finds whoever needs it now.

Joshu’s new EP, Way Back Home is set for independent release in January 2025, after which he will embark on a series of intimate live shows around the Caribbean and Europe. Learn more at joshu.art

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.