Bio
Joe Visser's new EP THINGS THAT CANNOT BE illustrates the evolution of a distinctive sound
Joe Visser has been performing his original music since he was 12, developing his craft and musicianship with each new song. Now, aged 18, he has released his second EP and embarks on a new stage in his musical journey.
A singer/songwriter from the age of 12, Joe Visser grew up playing local venues near his south coast home town, and supporting the likes of Sally Seltmann, Daniel Champagne, Bobby Alu, This Way North, The Bean Project and others.
As Joe moved on and began playing shows everywhere from Mollymook to Sydney, his music continued to develop. Drawing on references from Leon Bridges to Julia Jacklin and beyond, Joe’s sound has matured into a strong individual voice.
Blending classic folk sounds with the nuances of contemporary indie music, Joe continues to broaden his horizons, and draw inspiration from wherever it may come.
His first EP, a limited edition, CD-only release featured a handful of original songs and was released in December 2017. ‘Playing With Fire’ from that EP was shortlisted in the 2017 ACMF National Songwriting Awards.
Joe’s follow-up single, a one-off release titled ‘Freakshow Carnival’ incorporates the sounds of his coastal upbringing, resulting in a breezy time capsule of teenage years spent on the South Coast of NSW. ‘Freakshow Carnival’ was shortlisted for the 2019 ACMF National Songwriting Awards.
In April 2020, Joe co-founded the South Coast StayList Festival, which comprised 17 local artists and bands streamed live on Instagram. You can hear the playlist inspired by the festival here.
Joe co-hosted the J² program on 2UUU community radio from June 2020 to January 2022, championing young Australian performers, local and otherwise. You can find a selection of his artist interviews here.
Now based in Sydney, Joe is an accomplished musician, specialising in guitar and drums, a freelance writer, voiceover artist and experienced audio producer.
‘Left Behind‘, Joe’s single released in September 2022, has been described by Triple J Presenters as ‘goddamn beautiful songwriting‘ and ‘heart-on-your-sleeve songwriting‘.
‘Looking For Something New‘, the second single, released in November 2022 and earned Joe community radio attention across Australia.
‘Things That Cannot Be‘, Joe’s new six-song EP, is out now. Find out more here.
Stay tuned for gig and music announcements.