Going from strength to strength over the last couple of years, Joshua Pearlstein is an artist who glides through music with all the markings of a sonic star on the rise. At 21, the Atlanta-born singer-songwriter, now working between Boston and Los Angeles, is already serving up a sound that’s struck a chord with countless fans around the world.
As a pop artist and producer, he operates with a clear sense of identity that’s been building since early on; discovering his perfect pitch as a child, he locked into music with an intensity that hasn’t really let up, drawn to artists who approached their work as something cinematic rather than static. Those early influences, from Michael Jackson and Prince to The Weeknd, Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga represented a way of thinking about music as something that could stretch beyond its format, existing somewhere between structure and fluid creativity.
From laying down gritty club energy to crafting more danceable pop moments, his music is constructed to land emotionally, sonically and physically. It’s a balance between control and release, where each element is placed with meaning, but the overall process still allows space for spontaneity, which extends into his workflow at Berklee College of Music, where he continues to develop his talents.
Since making his entrance with the debut single “Heartless Binge” in 2024, Joshua has been building incredible steadily and without relying on anything beyond his own intuition and a persistent inner drive, he’s already clocked more than a million spins online. His latest release titled “Wanna Dance” is his ninth single, arriving as a more personal offering than anything he’s released thus far.
Penned in a single sleepless sitting, the track captures an energy that distils the moment of its creation into an instantly catchy dance pop anthem. Thematically, “Wanna Dance” focuses on letting go of pressure, quieting external expectations and reconnecting with the instinctive joy that first sparked his relationship with music. “There’s so much pressure to prove yourself, to be something. This song is about letting all of that go and just dancing — what I love to do,” he shares.
The track operates as both a declaration and an invitation, encouraging movement not just physically, but emotionally. With mixing by Yianni AP and mastering by four-time Grammy winner John Greenham, the track delivers an impactful pop experience packed full of infectious vocal hooks, energising rhythms and an immersive arrangement full of colourful synth textures. Jumping straight in with the punch of crisp percussion and bounce of stabbing synth tones, Joshua’s smooth vocal leads float in to cast a moody R&B-tinged scene that rolls with intoxicating groove and memorable melodies.
Dashed with flashes of stuttering synth flourishes and shifting energy, “Wanna Dance” offers a thrilling musical moment that’s engaging and utterly captivating from start to finish. With his new release, Joshua Pearlstein presents a superb showcase of his epic sonic output and it’s sure to win over new and existing listeners everywhere.
Listen to Wanna Dance below
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