Joey P. Talks "Walked In," Career Beginnings, and More

Joey P. (born Joseph Pacius) is a 24-year-old Chicago native deeply entrenched in the underground RnB/Pop music scene. His discography currently consists of 24 songs across eight different projects. He also has singles out with local Chicago artists like The Ultimate Rage and Flyboy. Joey P. has been involved in music since high school, where he played acoustic guitar and acted as the leader of his school’s band, ultimately getting to perform the graduation song for his graduating class. He released his first project in August of 2021 titled STAR, which featured what is now known as his signature blend of RnB and Indie Pop thousands have gravitated towards over the years. STAR was extremely successful, garnishing over 100K streams across all platforms worldwide. Since then, Joey P. has released at least one new project every year, a true sign of a consistent artist that won’t stop until the world is listening.

With “Walked In” out now, we took some time to hear from Joey P. Read below to learn more about Joey P., the story behind “Walked In,” and what’s to come.

Hi Joey P.! Let’s start with how did you choose your artist name?

My full name is Joseph Pacius, and while those close to me call me “Pacius,” it’s not something most can pronounce correctly. “Joey P.” is down to Earth and relatable, which represents me well as a singer-songwriter.

What city are you from, and where are you based now?

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, aka the best city in the world. I will always consider myself a Chicago artist.

At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?

I decided to take music seriously my freshman year of college. I’ve been playing and performing since freshman year of high school, but I didn’t release music under “Joey P.” until college. I attribute my love of music and guitar specifically to all the time I spent playing Guitar Hero growing up.

How would you describe your sound?

I describe my sound as lo-fi astral RnB. I am a huge fan of melodies and tend to focus on complex or catchy melodies more than my lyrical content. A lot of my songs have live guitar or piano in the production that I played myself. No matter what genre I’m attempting, I’m always striving for a harmony between the melody work and the beat itself.

Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?

Outside of music, I play a lot of video games in my free time. I’ve been playing video games ever since PS2 and currently play on PS5. A few of my favorite games are Fortnite, Borderlands 2 , and Enter the Gungeon. I also listen to a lot of music. I am constantly hearing fresh sounds from new underground artists, which always motivates me to create.

Who are some of your main musical influences?

My number #1 musical influence is Eddie Vedder from the band, Pearl Jam. Eddie taught me how to convey emotion in my music without saying a word. I also take heavy influence from Michael Jackson, Brent Faiyaz, Brendon Urie and Justin Bieber. I am a big fan of male singers that can hit high notes. I spent a lot of time working on my voice, so I can have a more dynamic range.

What’s one of the proudest moments of your music career so far?

I’d say my proudest moment so far was hitting #1 on the Canadian iTunes RnB charts and #8 overall on the Canadian iTunes charts with my song, “Only One.” “Only One” followed the release of my project, DYING TO LIVE, and is regarded as my most radio-friendly song to date. My song was amongst Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen, and Olivia Dean.

What would you say are the greatest lessons that you’ve learned so far?

Always believe in yourself, no matter what. Treat and analyze everything as if you were a scientist. The worst thing you can do is not try. Push yourself everyday while remembering to celebrate every victory.

Now onto your release, “Walked In.” What inspired this song? What is “Walked In” about?

“Walked In” was inspired by early The Weeknd and Brent Faiyaz. On the surface, “Walked In” is about a pretty girl who walks into the party and instantly hooks everybody’s attention. The deeper meaning is up for interpretation, but for me it represents taking a chance on yourself every time. Don’t let the girl of your dreams slip through your fingers.

What was the inspiration behind the cover artwork for “Walked In?”

The cover artwork was hand painted by a local Chicago artist named Arianna. I then worked with a Chicago photographer that goes by Gomez Photography to capture the photo used for the cover art. I personally edited the picture. It was inspired by the idea that everybody has a “universe” behind their eyes.

What was the creative process like when making “Walked In?”

I recorded “Walked In” in my brother The Ultimate Rage’s basement at a time in my life where I wasn’t very confident in myself. My number one goal at the time was to finish my first project, and I would work for hours every day until it was finally complete. Working on music was completely new to me and took a while to get the hang of. “Walked In” is the purest example of my artistry as it was a song I made before I truly stepped into my frame as Joey.

How long did it take to complete “Walked In?”

In total, “Walked In” and its associated EP, STAR, took me a year to finish. I recorded, produced, developed and released STAR almost completely on my own.

What is your favorite lyric in “Walked In” and why?

“Girl you know I love that dress, how you flauntin’” is my favorite lyric because I love a girl that knows she looks good, I can’t lie. Empowering is empowering.

What do you hope fans take away from “Walked In” and your music in general?

I hope fans feel good about themselves. My biggest wish is that people listen to my songs and walk away in a better mood. If I can make anyone feel a little more comfortable in their own skin I’ve succeeded.

What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects, or do you have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?

My 25th birthday is at the end of the month on June 30th! I have a big photoshoot planned along with other fun media to share with people to celebrate myself. It’s crazy to think I’ve been making music for over five years now. I am also looking to collaborate with other underground artists, specifically in the Chicagoland area.

Where can we follow you on social media?

My main platforms are:
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@joeyp.
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/2a1dff70K0i5OZXBkYQOzZ
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jpacius_sm

Before you go, let’s ask a few off-topic questions:

What is your dream brand collaboration?

I’ve always wanted to be sponsored by Mountain Dew. I drank a lot of it growing up and figured it would only be right for them to sponsor me eventually.