A brief conversation with Josephine

On the mononymous Chicago band's new single "Does It Pay"

photo by Kiera Robinson

Josephine is Josephine. To be more clear, Midwestern singer-songwriter Josephine Luhman leads the self-titled band Josephine. The quartet returns with their first new music since last year’s Leaning EP. “Does It Pay” barrels forward with gloriously ramshackle energy, empathizing with the daily grind while also poking holes in its self-seriousness. Luhman packs layers of meaning into plainspoken lyrics and catchy-as-hell melodies.

It’s been a while since you were based in MN. What have you learned from different artistic/musical communities over the years?

I moved to Chicago when I was 18 so I feel like I didn’t get to experience much of the music community in MN. My friends in high school had a band called Good Luck Finding Iris, but they didn’t start doing shows really until my senior year if I’m remembering correctly. But I still keep in touch with them. One of them is still based in the Twin Cities, Mike Kota, [and they] make really great music. I only started playing my own gigs in Minneapolis over the past year and I’ve been welcomed back so warmly by the people there. The Twin Cities have an incredibly supportive music scene, I love going back. From both the Twin Cities and Chicago, I’ve learned how showing up to shows is what it’s all about. Just simply showing up is really important to build and support a community.

What does your songwriting process look like? Do you sit down with an idea / lyric or does inspiration simply strike out of the blue?

Both of those ways are usually what happens. If I feel like writing, it starts with finding chords on my acoustic and whatever emotion or situation I’ve been living with will be the catalyst. When I listen to music, I’m way more into the melody than the lyrics, so I think that with my own songwriting, I go for melodies before words. Ever since I got my bike last year, lyrics have popped in my head while riding and sometimes songs come about that way.

This is your first new music since last year’s Leaning EP. When did you begin work on “Does It Pay?”

I first demoed out “Does It Pay” on St. Patrick’s Day 2024. I know that because the song title in Logic is ‘Saint Pat.’ Then I introduced the song to my bandmates (Emma McCall, Stuart MacFadyen, and Ricardo Herrera). We took some time to learn how to play it live but the recording process was a lot of trial and error.

“Does It Pay” is an energetic, anthemic single. How did the music come to life with the full band?

I don’t think the song came alive until the very end of the recording, maybe even the mixing process. Playing it live at shows is so fun and it has this big energy, but I couldn’t figure out how to have that energy translated to a recorded version. I’ve never had to re-record a song as much as I have with this one. The song took a lot of revising arrangement-wise. Arrangement isn’t quite my strong suit, so I was really grateful for my bandmates and Kyle Maurisak, who helped produce, record and engineer this song with me. They got it to where it needed to be before we sent it to mixing. Dave Vettraino did a great job with mixing along with Greg Obis on mastering.

The lyrics are world-weary, almost teasing or bitter, yet they hold sympathy for everyone trapped in the capitalist hamster ball. How do you maintain that balance? What inspired the song?

I’m pretty sure it came from a point of insecurity with my job situation. I’ve worked in the service industry since I was like 14 so it’s really all I know. I have a lot of love for this industry, for its flexibility and the people I get to work with. That being said, I know very little of the 9 to 5 work life. But from what I’ve perceived of it, it looks horrible and I only hear people complain about it. The insecurity comes from that lack of security that the service industry gives you. We all know what the societal norm is and that what it promises us is financial security, but I’m far from that norm choosing a career in music. I’m accepting that. “Does It Pay” let me make fun of it all because either way we’re all still working way too much for way too little.

How do you balance pure creative expression and the more enterprising aspects of releasing music and playing shows?

Maybe by keeping them sort of separate. But doesn’t one lead to another? I’m not sure. So much of the pure creativity is in the beginning with the writing. Then releasing music makes me feel like a salesperson. Then shows make me feel like a rock star and that I’m doing everything right. There’s a point after a song is fully written and put together where it enters this other realm it sort of becomes an object that I want to give away like a present in a nicely-wrapped up box, where it’s no longer a thing I’m working through and now it’s ready for someone else to experience. Take it away from me!

What’s next for Josephine?

Right now I’m working on a bunch of new songs that I’d like to put all together either into an EP or album, I’m leaning towards an album. I have 5 songs that are basically done then a few more that I’ve demoed out and have introduced to the band. This would be my first album which feels exciting and scary. I have a full band show at Hideout on October 25th then some solo shows in Madison in early November. I hope what’s next is releasing some singles off the project then going on a tour. I really really really want to tour, especially as a full band.

thanks so much reading, thanks to Josephine for chatting - hopefully i’ll be sharing more interviews here in the ensuing decade. be well, love you.