The questions might change, but Joan Osborne is wise enough to recognize that the source remains the same.

Even after 30 years in the music industry, the Grammy-nominated artist says she still feels the resistance as an artist—that she’s still plagued by the same core doubts and fears as when she was first starting to release celebrated records like Relish and Righteous Love. The difference these days is that the questions come at her differently in 2024 than they did in 1995, creating uncertainty with queries like “Why are you still doing this?” or “Are you sure anyone still cares?”

The good news is that Osborne has learned the importance of asking some things back to the cosmos. Her latest album, Nobody Owns You, is a direct answer to the question, “What am I here for?”, a set of 12 beautiful songs marked by honest concerns and hard-earned insights that ultimately encourage the artist to remain resolute when the songs are ready. 

Given her tremendous body of work and longevity in the industry, we knew that Joan would be an exemplary guest. And on this episode of the Resistance, she was kind enough to reflect on the organic origins of her musical career and to tell us what creative advice she would give herself if she could go back to the beginning.

VISIT: Joan Osborne

Photo: Laura Crosta