Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Joshua Davis has released The Way Back Home, his first album in four years.

Joshua released his first post-Voice album earlier this month, two and a half years after finishing third on the show.

His patience paid off, for him and his fans.

“The Way Back Home” is an 11-song collection filled with singer-songwriter material that certainly won’t disappoint.

Highlights include “Let Me In,” “Always Going to be There,” the wonderfully uplifting “Change the Game” and the marvelous album-ending ballad “The Ballad of Lawrence Wotkyns King.”

And he just released the music video for “Just Getting By,” which you can check out below.

“I wanted to take some time and make the best album I possibly could, from the songs to the production and make the release mean something and be influenced by my time on the show,” Joshua told Voice Views. “I’m thankful for the community that’s stuck with me.”

Joshua, from Traverse City, Mich., was 37 when he auditioned for The Voice and had already released three solo albums, the most recent being 2013’s “A Miracle of Birds.” He’d also been frontman on five albums released by the roots ensemble, Steppin’ In It.

Here’s what he told Voice Views about the new album.

Joshua Davis finished third on Season 8 of The Voice. (Photo by David James Swanson)

Joshua: I think everything from the writing to the production is more focused on the vocal. I learned so much working with Trelawny Rose on the show. I used to think of my voice as just a vehicle for the words, but when I started looking at it like its own instrument, my writing changed. The theme and subject are all my most honest and personal as well. When I was younger, I don’t think I had the courage to make an album like this.

Voice Views: Why did you name the album “The Way Back Home?”

Joshua: The narrative of the album is based on my journey from my early 20s to the present. Looking back at how I found my way, learning from mistakes, falling down and getting back up. It’s an album about family, community, love, lessons learned. Home keeps evolving.

Voice Views: I have to ask about “The Ballad of Lawrence Wotkyns King.” That song is a fantastic way to end the album. It’s also one of the longest song titles I’ve seen. Can you tell me about that song?

Joshua: Hahahaha. I love that song. It’s a brilliant poem written by a friend of mine — Tom Bourginion. He allowed me to edit it a bit and put it to music. I’m grateful. I love his writing. I tear up almost every time I sing it.

Voice Views: As I recall, you said you’d never seen The Voice before the show contacted you about auditioning and had never really considered doing a singing competition. More than two years later, how do you feel about the experience?

Joshua: Overall, it was a great experience. Incredibly stressful for my family, friends and me, but worth it. It’s given me a bunch of new listeners, but I think more importantly has charged up my community and I’m happy to have been able to use the limelight to promote the beautiful roots music scene we’ve got going on here in Michigan and across the country.

Mini-reviews of all post-Voice albums and EPs released in 2017, complete with a 50-song playlist.