Canadian singer-songwriter Josh Ritchie is set to release new music this summer with an EP in preparation of his second album Love At the End of the World.

In a three track sneak peak of what’s to come, Ritchie displays a new level of maturity to his award-winning songwriting with songs inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement that call for change and deal with the wealth of emotions that come with standing up for equality.

It was the act of leading a Black Lives Matter march in his home town of Wiarton, Ontario that inspired Ritchie to begin writing this body of work. He combined themes of leading a protest with the raw and ugly emotions surrounding systemic racism and police brutality into a thought- provoking trilogy of songs. The very protestors who marched in solidarity to support the Black Lives Matter movement can be heard in the dying embers of the record. Without that experience this EP would never have been written. These songs are set to release on the one year anniversary of the event with the hopes of continuing the narrative and fostering change.

Ritchie has always admired music with a strong message. With influences like U2, Hozier, Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon, Ritchie learned to love and appreciate a good protest song. He believes that art helps drive culture and it can even go on to define a generation. He believes that artists of all genres have a duty to help fuel that culture to be more accepting and understanding. This EP is his own humble attempt to help do so.

Fans of Ritchie’s music will know of his poignant, moving lyrics delivered by his charming and intimate vocals, and they should expect nothing less here. He articulates the cascading emotions of this record with bone-chilling accuracy as he leads you on a journey from painful outrage to triumphant hopefulness all while making one thing absolutely clear: Black Lives Matter.

Ritchie’s new EP is available to pre-save now on Spotify and will be released to all music streaming platforms on June 13th 2021. Be sure to follow him on social media @joshritchiemusic because even more new music is just around the corner.

source: media release