Luxembourg’s national final for Eurovision 2024 will take place on January 27. Submissions opened in the Grand Duchy back in July and earlier this week we learned that Luxembourg-based artist Josh Island had submitted an entry.
And while he hasn’t yet heard whether he’s in or out — the submissions window closes October 1 — he has today released a new single called, “How Does it Feel.”
We asked Josh’s team if “How Does It Feel” is his Eurovision entry, but they neither confirmed nor denied.
“While in Luxembourg we are still in the submission stage, we prefer not to comment,” he said. “However once submissions close, and the submitted song potentially moves to the confirmation stage, we will probably have much more to tell you”.
What we do know for sure is that Josh has never submitted a song to the Eurovision Song Contest, but he does have some connections to it.
Black Mamba — Portugal’s Eurovision 2021 act — have been session musicians for Josh in studio recordings and he supported them at a concert in The Netherlands. They remain in close contact. Elsewhere, Josh worked on his recent EP with Luís Figueiredo, who arranged Eurovision 2017 winner Salvador Sobral’s “Amar Pelos Dois”.
About Josh Island
What follows is a press release from Josh’s team
Luxembourg-based singer-songwriter Josh Island releases his debut album In My Head on 15 September, taking him on a European tour with a final full-band show celebration in Dudelange on 11 November.
Born in the British roundabout town of Milton Keynes to Dutch parents, Josh Island moved to Germany and The Netherlands before eventually settling in Luxembourg. At the age of 15 he began touring the local music scene, quickly establishing himself as a powerhouse vocalist and engaging live performer.
His catchy singer-songwriter pop with strong soul and folk influences is inspired by the likes of Sting, John Mayer and Jamie Cullum. Since his debut at Screaming Fields in 2015, he has released two EPs, opened for James Morrison and Passenger, and played several European headline tours.
Josh Island: “In My Head is about all the thoughts, ideas, fears and dreams we all have and how they start in our heads. It’s an honest title for my first album.”
Four previously released singles (Make It, Pennies From Heaven, Rewind and Patio Blues) received national airplay in the Benelux and Germany. The fifth single, How Does It Feel, comes out on 6 September.
In his music Josh calls on listeners to be less afraid of the unknown future and to focus more on the here and now. This mindset allowed him to mature as an artist and person: “I’ve learned to enjoy the moment.”
Mental health is a dominant theme in the title track In My Head, in which Josh describes the feeling of one’s head being on fire. “But when the sun is shining, it fills me up…” he then sings. How Does It Feel, written with Guy Chambers (Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue), is a quest for identity.
Other songs have a positive upbeat vibe, including the synth-driven summer song Patio Blues, the mysterious tale of a human submariner (Pieces Of The Ocean), or looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow (Rainbow). Josh proves to be a genre-bending storyteller and entertainer.
The album was produced by Nelson Canoa (Mariza, Carminho), with whom Josh already worked on his second EP, Love Don’t Come Easy. The 10 songs were recorded across a period of a year at Nelson’s studio, nestled in the vineyards of Torres Vedras, an hour north of Lisbon. Musicians of The Black Mamba (Eurovision 2021) were his studio band.
Josh Island will embark on a European tour this fall with 20 dates in Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg. The tour will conclude with an album release party at Opderschmelz, Dudelange on 11 November, where he is accompanied by an 8-piece band.
The stage is where Josh feels home: “Performing is the best thing there is. The goal is to break down the invisible barrier between artist and audience, create a memorable moment, and feel like a community.”
Tour dates
27.09 – Kulturfabrik, Koblenz
28.09 – Wohngemeinschaft, Köln
29.09 – Alter Schlachthof, Eupen
30.09 – APEX, Göttingen
04.10 – Kulturforum, Kiel
05.10 – Hebebühne, Hamburg
09.11 – FZW, Dortmund
12.10 – Bar Bobu, Berlin
14.10 – Kunst & Bühne, Celle
15.10 – One World, Reinstorf
25.10 – Kresslesmühle, Augsburg
26.10 – Stadtteilkultur 2411, München
28.10 – Kufa, Bamberg
02.11 – Effenaar, Eindhoven (Steffen Morrison Support)
11.11 – Opderschmelz, Dudelange
17.11 – Grenswerk, Venlo (Steffen Morrison Support)
