– ACADEMY 3, MANCHESTER –
I have a confession to make, one that I probably shouldn’t tell, but there is a reason behind it. I am late, only about 5 minutes but that’s enough to miss the best bit of the gig. Me and my friend are running up the stairs and I hear the soft, charming voice of Josh Kumra. I’ve said this as I wanted to mention that I love how his voice has carried through the corridors, like a pleasant breeze on a summer’s day and I get into Academy 3 just in time to hear the rest of the song.
He is singing his most well known track ‘Don’t Go’ which took Wretch 32 to number 1. I really love how the acoustic version is so simple and catchy. When I hear Josh’s voice it reminds me of various people rolled into one, including hints of James Morrison and Ray LaMontagne.
On many tracks he performs tonight the drums are accompanying his voice which works to great effect. It’s nice to hear the simplicity of it all; drums along with Kumra with his guitar and voice, it just goes to show how much talent can be conveyed with the bare minimum.
My favourite song tonight is by far ‘Helicopters and Planes’; the lyrics and energy from the song are overwhelming, and I would definitely recommend listening to a live version of this song as you will no doubt agree.
As the gig ends I manage to get backstage to ask Josh about his music.
His songs are very emotional, and he looks so young, I wondered what has happened to him, or how vast his imagination is to sing with such sensitivity along with his heart felt lyrics. I then find out he’s approaching 21, and he’s always been interested in emotional songs, and the artists involved such as Tracey Chapman. He says “I try to put myself in other people’s shoes”, which is exactly what a writer does. He’s very relaxed, and comfortable talking about his music, and jokily says “it’s about 20 different girls”.
At the moment it appears Kumra is just beginning his musical journey, having just been signed to Sony RCA and already having a number 1 under his belt. He’s fully aware of this saying “it’s really opened doors for me”.
Once he is on stage and you are there hearing the rustic sounds of his guitar with his soulful voice you feel connected to the song in your own way. He even says his career so far (has) “given me a chance to put my name out there and connect with fans”; which is exactly what he is doing and doing very well indeed.
Josh Kumra is currently working on his first album so all I can say is ‘watch this space!’
I'm a northern bird that appreciates all the lovely sounds this city has to offer. What I love about gigs, is that not only the music but the venue and atmosphere can create such a vibe that it takes you somewhere else.
