Life & Work with Josh Ayala-Goldstein

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Josh Ayala-Goldstein.

Hi Josh, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started playing music when I was about 10. Well, earlier, if you count messing around on my brother’s Casio when he wasn’t around. I got a guitar for my birthday one year and instantly fell in love. I started learning other peoples’ songs and eventually tried my hand at writing my own. They were terrible, haha!

Eventually, I started playing with others and found that when I played WITH people, it brought something out of me that I didn’t know was there. I was able to tap into a well of creativity that I was previously blind to.

About ten years ago, I started a band called IN THE VARIANT with one of my best friends, Josh Somers. We went on to play with a few musicians and eventually came to where we are now with the band.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Smooth is not a word I’d use to describe anything associated with the music industry or dependent business in general. It’s fun and exciting, most definitely.

I think for us, initially and still to this day, the hardest thing is what’s hard for everyone out there. I learned how to manage my time by doing what I love and doing what I have to do to keep the bills paid and food in everyone’s mouths. If I had it my way, I’d do music 24/7, but I guess I gotta eat!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe you can tell us more about your work next?
So the band IN THE VARIANT has been an outlet. It’s a space where all of us come together as musicians to create something unique yet familiar to all of us.

We have a lot of different influences, but I think the main thing that sets us apart is the dichotomy of the music we play and the vocals Monica (our front woman) brings to it. We play heavier, darker songs that feel heavy not just in sound but in concept, and then Monica brings this pop/punk element that creates this beautiful juxtaposition.

Do you have any advice for those just starting?
Honestly no. I can’t tell you how much “advice” people in the music industry have tried to give that all ends up being irrelevant the next week. I guess if I had one thing to say, it would be this: do it for you; do it for what it does to your soul, your being.

Don’t do it for money or for likes or for fame because if you do that you will fail. People can tell when something is genuine and honest, and when you compromise that, you might as well be working a 9-5.

Don’t poison your peace.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.inthevariantofficial.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inthevariant/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InTheVariant?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Twitter: Twitter.com/inthevariant
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@inthevariant?si=kzR5hKX6YZsnUmS9

Image Credits
Trent Jacobs (Sinister Star)