Joshua Burnside

Joshua Burnside is an experimental folk songwriter, singer and producer. He takes influence from alternative electronica and Irish traditional song heritages, chopping and blending them with a mixture of found sounds, world music and unorthodox production methods. His music lives against the grain, in both style and spirit. Raised in the north of Ireland between the lush drumlins and hills of Strangford Lough, and the narrow entries and alleyways of East Belfast, Joshua’s music has defined and defied the post-conflict society of his home. Taking in the economics of existence, family, trauma and renewal, while set against a backdrop of tense electronica and lush Irish folk and traditional songwriting.

His fourth album, “It’s Not Going To be Okay”, was released in 2026 and is an unflinching portrayal of a man on the tightwire between grief and acceptance. Written in the aftermath of the tragic passing of Joshua’s close friend Dean Jendoubi, the album navigates the twisting, jagged road of Joshua’s recovery, told through a medium of stripped back finger picking, raw and brutal lyricism and his signature experimental
production.

It has had heavy press and radio support including BBC 6Music playlisting. This followed Joshua’s critically acclaimed 2025 “Teeth of Time”, which was selected one of the BBC 6Music Albums of the Year, nominated for multiple awards including 2025 Choice RTE Irish Album of the Year, 2025 Folk Album of the Year, RTE 1 Folk Awards and the NI Music Prize for Best Album (where he was also nominated for Single of the Year and Live Act of the Year), and received glowing support from the likes of MOJO, Uncut, Songlines, Irish Times, KLOF Mag and, The Thin Air, Nialler 9, Hot Press, BBC Alba, BBC Radio 2 & BBC 6Music.