Josh Levi is steadily carving out his lane as a pop and R&B it-boy, blending the polish of a true triple threat with a freshness that feels distinctly modern. Like the icons before him who could sing, dance, and command a stage, Levi bridges that legacy with his own twist, pushing the genres forward while keeping the essence intact. His choreography is crisp and magnetic, his music videos are intentional extensions of his artistry, and his records glide with a smoothness that hints at timelessness. In every release, he feels both rooted in tradition and untethered enough to bend the rules, placing him among a small class of rising stars who embody artistry in full motion.

His June 2025 single, “DONT GO,” drives the point home. Sampling the Destiny’s Child classic “No, No, No (Part II),” Levi doesn’t just ride nostalgia — he reinvents it. Infusing a playful Y2K energy with modern pop sensibilities, the track becomes something at once familiar and refreshing, a sonic bridge between eras. It’s a formula that’s becoming his signature: tapping into cultural memory while reshaping it for today’s audience. With performances that showcase undeniable showmanship and music that fuses intention with joy, Josh Levi isn’t just rising; he’s building the foundation for a career that could define this generation’s pop/R&B landscape.

With more music in his vault continuing to drop, he’s sure to keep pushing that vision even further.

Your choreography always hits so precisely. When you’re crafting a song, how early do you start thinking about how you’ll move to it? Does dancing ever change how you structure a track?

It's kind of like an immediate thing for me. I grew up dancing competitively. It’s naturally the way I approach making music. Percussion is the first thing for me when I’m making a record. If it’s nothing that I feel naturally in my body, then I know that I don’t connect with the song, even if it’s slower. It needs to be dynamic enough for me to have a reaction in my body to know that I connected with the song.

How does it feel to be living in the middle of your wildest dreams and actually seeing them come true?

Wow, that's a good question. I think I'm trying to constantly be in a state of gratitude and just remember how far I've come. To even hear people like yourself and others say encouraging words to me keeps me going. It’s such a blessing man. It’s been a long time, but it feels really exciting to be embarking on my debut album, which is something I've definitely dreamed of and pictured in my head since I was a kid.

As a true triple threat, how do you think artists can stand out today without feeling like they’re doing too much or being “everywhere” at once?

I think it's a balance of being as authentic as possible. I think we're in the era now where people really connect with your true self as an artist. I think the more that you try or the more that you are aiming to please or abide by the rules, the more you might miss out. I think when you ignore what people say you should do and how you should do it, and you honor your inner voice more than every other voice, I believe that's when you get the best chance of being heard. It might not be as peaceful as you think because you’re going against the grain and doing things opposite the way that people say you should do, causing conversation and opinions. But, if you’re trying to do what I do and stay true to yourself and create what you feel and not what you see, I feel like that's what true artistry is. That will give you your real fans.

You have a big queer fanbase who ride hard for you. How conscious are you of creating music and visuals that feel inclusive, even if they’re not explicitly about queerness?

At the end of the day, bro, I make music for humans, for people. Regardless of how you identify or where you're from or who you are, that shouldn't change the quality of art. For me, I just want to make good art where everyone can see themselves and everyone can connect with. I think the queer community specifically has good taste. They appreciate artistry and effort and intentionality probably more than most communities. I take it as a compliment. I really do create music for every type of person. I don't want there to be anyone, any community, or any person in the world that feels like they are alienated by or don't see themselves or don't connect with something that I'm creating because I truly aim to reach every type of person.

Your debut studio album, HYDRAULIC, has a release date of October 3, 2025. What’s something in your own personality that feels “hydraulic,” powerful, precise, and always ready to lift things up?

I think my faith is like that. That's probably what carries me the most while creating this debut album. Also, being an artist is truly challenging. It’s mentally and emotionally draining just in terms of continuing to share yourself and navigating the highs and lows of what the entertainment industry kind of puts you through. So for me, my faith and belief in God helps me to stay energized and to stay confident in myself. I would also say like the yin and yang of it all, HYDRAULIC is about the balance of the highs and the lows, the ups and downs, the dips and the twists. I feel like I've always said balance is like my true middle name. I feel like I'm a very balanced person and I keep things in perspective. I think the good and the bad and the ugly [are] what make up human beings. I don't try to exclude any part of it.

You once tweeted, “Never met a bridge I couldn’t cross.” In your opinion, who’s the ultimate artist when it comes to writing or delivering a killer bridge in a song?

I’m going to say Brandy and Destiny’s Child and Beyoncé. I think every Destiny's Child bridge, specifically Michelle, or all of them actually, but I think their bridges are like in the Hall of Fame. Brandy's bridges just hold a special place in my heart. Every bridge that we get the pleasure of getting from Beyoncé, I think is always epic.

What bridge from any record remains your favorite?

Oh, that's a good question. This is cliche, but I really was inspired by the bridge in “No, No, No (Part II)” from Destiny’s Child. I love the chord change, I love how the majority of the song feels really... It feels grungy and kind of raw. When it gets to that bridge, it's very sweet, and it takes you into a whole different place. I think that one is really inspirational to me.

Cynthia Erivo shared her love for Sisqo’s “Thong Song” and had some fun comments, sharing thoughts we all thought. Is there a record that makes you feel like that?

I would say “One In A Million” by Aaliyah makes me feel like this. I don't know what it is. That song has me in a chokehold. I think it's the best R&B song of all time. I think it's the flyest R&B song of all time. She was ahead of her time.

What were three music videos growing up that completely hypnotized you?

Definitely “Scream” and “Bad” by Michael Jackson. Then I would say “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” by Missy Elliott.

You’ve called Destiny’s Child the best of all time and used their record “No, No, No (Part II)” as a sample. Aside from “Say My Name,” what other record do you feel is a Destiny’s Child signature?

I would say “Emotion” by Destiny’s Child. I would also say “Cater 2 You” because of the lyrics, but it feels like your girl made a nice warm meal for you. The song feels like comfort food that was freshly cooked by your girl. The song is the epitome of feel-good, and it's soothing. I'm also go with “Lose My Breath" because of the production. I think they just really like cooked with that s**t. Also, that intro with Michelle saying, “Hit me.” I was like, “Oh wow, what the hell.” So yeah, I would say those three. Destiny Fulfilled does it for me.

Do you have any comfort TV shows?

I like “Severance.” “Sex and the City” is always a classic, and my sister put me on to it. “The Chosen” on Prime Video is good.

Name three bombshell artists who you feel deserve a “Tiny Desk” moment.

Has Lauryn Hill done one yet? I would love to see that and specifically hear the song “Tell Him.” And then let me see... Who else do I be loving? I would say Beyoncé, too.

We’ve seen you grilling for Juneteenth. Important question: Can you really throw down on the grill? And why do you think grilling seems to be a lost art among a lot of men today?

I am dead, Ty (laughs). I 1,000% can throw down on the grill. It's something I really enjoy at the end of the day. I'm from Texas, so we are known for a BBQ that's, like, in our bones. I grew up with my dad barbecuing all the time. That’s like a side quest skill I like to have. So, I can be trusted. Anybody that needs to BBQ, just hit me up. So why is it a lost art? I don’t know, maybe n**gas just don’t own grills, and it’s harder to find grills these days? (laughs).

You can go to Home Depot and get a George Foreman grill. I think men have given up on grills, and they ran to podcasts instead. I think we need to just stop (laughs).

Some of these podcasts definitely could afford to end on whatever season they're on.

And just get to the grill.

Get to the grills (laughs).

If you could swap creative brains with any artist for 24 hours, who would it be and what’s the first thing you’d create in their style?

Solange. I think she actually was in my dream last night, so maybe that's why she came to mind. It was one of those dreams where someone you look up to is saying what you want to hear. It was really nice, and she was complimenting me on my rollout. I don't know if that was a subconscious thing that I like desire or not, but she's someone I extremely look up to. I think she is probably the top-most creative intellectual artist in the game. I am immensely inspired by everything that she does in and out of the studio.

What’s one “wrong” way people sometimes describe your music that secretly amuses you?

I'm going to say the whole Y2K thing. It amuses me because, as much as I'm inspired by Y2K, not every single thing I do is with that on the mood board. So sometimes I can for real, like dead a** say that I'm not aiming to do that in certain things I do. People would look at some of my stuff and say, “Oh, this is so Ginuwine” or “This is so throwback Usher,” and I can tell you, I had the intention to not be on that type of time. So, I think that always amuses me 'cause it feels like something I can't really escape, no matter what I'm wearing or how many tank tops I have on.