Go wherever you wanna go. Choose anything because you can. Believe what you want without consequences. The song Common Sense by JOASH reflects on those things we often take for granted in a free society, yet they are not granted to everyone. On May 5th, JOASH will perform this song on the main stage at the Liberation Festival in Wageningen 45. For our podcast series Far Out: Freedom 45 Apeldoorn, where we explore new ways of commemorating liberation with artists from Gelderland and Canada, we recorded a special acoustic version of Common Sense.
The May 5th performance will be a milestone for JOASH. But even without it, things are going well for the band led by singer Joash, who blends country and Americana into personal, accessible pop songs. Over the past two years, they’ve released multiple singles and EPs, and have played at festivals and venues such as Reurpop, TivoliVredenburg, and the AFAS Live aftershow for Gavin DeGraw. JOASH’s music tells real-life stories, with the emotion and rawness of country music at its core—delivered in a fresh and contemporary way. This unique mix of sound and spirit makes Common Sense an ideal song to celebrate, reflect on, and question 80 years of freedom. JOASH wrote the song especially for the Songs of Freedom contest by Sonar, and Poppunt Gelderland an organization supporting emerging talent in Gelderland and Overijssel.
Joash about the song:
“The song is about the moment I realized how natural my freedom (so far) feels—being able to travel, express myself, chase dreams—while peers in oppressed countries don’t know that luxury. It came from the conviction that no one should be oppressed, and that voting, learning, and loving should not be privileges, but rights... ‘Isn’t it just common sense that everyone should be allowed to live in freedom?’ Especially now, we believe this question is more important than ever—and we feel compelled to reflect on it actively.”
For our Far Out: Freedom 45 podcast, JOASH recorded an acoustic version of Common Sense at the memorial for resistance fighters in Apeldoorn. The 19 stones of the monument bear the names of people who stood up against an oppressive force that once took their freedom away. JOASH’s song is a small tribute to them and those who stand up for freedom today.
JOASH will perform Common Sense live on May 5th in Wageningen. For more information and the full program, check the festival website.
The Far Out: Freedom 45 podcast episode, featuring further conversations with JOASH, other band members, and Canadian artists about 80 years of freedom, will be released this summer.
The Far Out: Freedom 45 podcast series is made possible by Gemeente Apeldoorn, VFonds, studio Mojo Dojo, and Gigant.
