Joseph Shepherd is an internationally-recognized queer media personality and producer who’s ready to take the pop world by storm. He’s the creator, producer and host of “Exposed”, spawning a wildly-popular YouTube series (over 70k subscribers) and podcast interviewing the biggest names in the Drag Race universe, creating space for hilarious and vulnerable insight into queens’ lives post-Drag Race that no other interviewer has achieved. 

Now, the Los Angeles based creative is releasing his catchy debut pop single, “Don’t Call Me” dropping March 25 with a super campy Scream inspired music video co-starring Canada’s Drag Race and U.K. vs the World superstar, Jimbo. 

Written by Joseph, “Don’t Call Me” is a modern early aughts inspired pop hit ready for takeoff. With lyrics like “don’t think I’ll be waiting by the phone / just because you’re horny and alone” and “Don’t call me, I won’t answer, don’t you realize you’re a disaster”, Joseph is calling out a cheating ex for hitting his line late at in the night just for attention.

What’s your story as an artist?

There is always a beat in my head or I am writing down rhymes. Every shower session I have involves a new tune or new lyrics. So one day while high, I decided to start recording my shower sessions and would listen the next day. I think for the longest time I suppressed those musically artistic moments and thought to myself that it would never amount to anything. But once I put in the work and saw it come together, I have never been happier.

What do you want your music to communicate?

Definitely high energy, campiness, fun, and all around good vibes. I also want it to be stuck in your head and it never leave so you have to download it, watch the video daily and throw streaming parties…lol.

What are some sources of inspiration for your storytelling?

Honestly, I tell my story through the visuals or in this case the music video. I grew up where I could memorize song lyrics and sing them but never actually pay attention to the lyrics. It was always harder for me to do. I view it more as a catchy beat, rhyming words, and a hot bridge. Watching TRL in the early 2000s was where I saw how artists used their music to create an outstanding visual that told the story. So I wanted to do the same.

Who is an artist that you look up to more than others today?

I will always look up to Britney Spears. That woman is a pure trailblazer. Whether you like her or not, you cannot deny that the music was bop after bop. That the videos were all moments: Baby One More Time, Oops, Slave 4 u, Toxic. The VMA moments. She truly encompasses everything I’ve always wanted to achieve when it comes down to the visual artistry.

What’s the record or artist that made you realize you wanted to be an artist?

Britney Spears. Truly such a legend.

Tell us about your latest release and how it came about

It is called “Don’t Call Me”. Many will think this is a song about a guy who did me wrong but in fact, the song came from my annoyance of talking on the phone…especially a FaceTime. As that is not a very interesting thing to sing about, I added in a layer of a cheating ex, because we have all been there or known somebody who has had a cheating ex. Or hell maybe he’s cheating now, check his phone. When I am high, I love singing whatever random melody I craft in my head, so one night I decided to voice memo my nights and Don’t Call Me slowly progressed into what it is now. Catchy. Upbeat. Campy.

What inspires your sound?

For this song in particular, I drew inspiration from Taylor Swift’s “You Need to Calm Down”, All American Rejects “Gives You Hell”, and The Lonely Island.

What’s your favorite tune of yours?

Well silly. I only got one tune out now “Don’t Call Me” which you should be playing right now on your YouTube while also playing simultaneously on your Spotify and Apple Music.

Where are some things you really want to accomplish as an artist?

I want to accomplish achieving the life of an international late 90s pop sensation. To have teenage girls screaming my name while chasing me down the street would be pretty dope! But they would most likely be dudes. I want people to throw underwear at me on stage…clean please. I honestly want to accomplish fulfilling that happiness behind a craft you love.

Favorite lyric you ever wrote?

Bitch, this aint a buffet, it ain’t all that you can eat.

Was there ever a moment when you felt like giving up?

Oh, of course. I think the one thing has always been public perception and what others will think. But at the end of the day, you have to tell yourself, I am happy. I am doing this for me. And if you ain’t paying my bills then I am not giving you the satisfaction of getting under my skin. Once I developed that mentality, I told myself I will never give up.

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

Be Yourself. That never meant crap to me early in my career. I was always like I am myself. But overtime, I realized a lot of things I did was to please other people and make sure no one forms a negative opinion of me. Once I stopped caring what others think and was living authentically as me, I understood what be yourself actually meant.

Where do you think the next game changer will be in the music industry and entertainment scene?

Right in front of your nose.