A newcomer to the Ōtautahi music scene, Josette Klausen (musically known as Josette), is showing the breadth of her musical palette with the March release of her debut EP ‘Daytona Fair’. 

Her music may broadly be described as ‘soul with a rock edge’, but each of the songs here can better be prescribed its own genre as Josette proves her versatility, with added unexpected twists and turns within each track.

Courtesy of Tim Heeringa (Wulfie), the five-track EP features high-quality production that seamlessly blends instrumental layers beneath strong and varied vocals.

One Shot, her debut single, falls into the soul/rock blend category. An acapella intro kicks into a groovy drum beat, with instruments slowly introducing themselves. Punchy and compelling guitar work compliments Josette’s dynamic voice as the song builds in excitement and adrenaline. 

Comfort Show is more on the alternative side, starting with TV show-like commentaries and static frequency before the groove kicks in. It’s clear, Josette is a storyteller with both her lyrics and instrumentation, breaking out of singer mode to guide a series of drum solos mid-song. 

Sweet Heart is the EP’s soulful radio pop track, an ear-worm, summer love song co-written and performed with Sam Burt. Their voices blend seamlessly and with considerable charm, with the production much less intrusive.

The EP’s title track proves a real stand out, showing a more sombre side to Josette’s musical palette. The first half of Daytona Fair is stripped back in comparison to the other tracks, constrained vocals floating over a bed of mellow chords. The second half however builds into a lush soundscape bursting into an energy-filled chorus, with a lead guitar solo to top things off in anthemic rock fashion.

This diverse debut is a strong introduction, revealing Josette as a powerful new voice and alternative music personality.