Even if our lives are wildly different, there’s one thing we all have in common with singer, songwriter, and actor Joshua Bassett: an admiration for Harry Styles, whom he recently described as a cool, classy and hot man. But between his magnetic presence on “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series”, his broad repertoire of instruments and the fact that he’s lived through “5 albums worth of life circumstances in the last 12 months” (his words, not ours!) there was so much to go through as we caught up with him on a self-care Sunday in his new New York pad.

“Honesty” is a word that comes back a lot when people talk about you and your music. What does being honest mean to you?

Art and honesty are inseparable. I always say that while context and story may change in the process of making art, as long as you’re honest about how you feel, you can’t go wrong.

Working on HSMTMTS, I’ve realized the importance of being unapologetically authentic. So often people seek something outside themselves to make them like-able, good enough, etc. We forget that who we are is more than enough. Not only that, it’s who we’re supposed to be! How boring being a carbon-copy of everybody else? You are here to be YOU, so own it!

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Why did you find Ricky so relatable?

Ricky is an idiot; I am an idiot. Ricky has many blind spots; I have many blind spots. Ricky is impulsive but will stop at nothing to make things right; I am impulsive but will stop at nothing to make things right. Need I say more?

Throughout the show, he grew in confidence and into himself. What about you? How did you get your “sea legs” for stage, whether as an actor or as a musician?

I think in the same way Ricky was forced to learn through experience, I myself have learned through experience. I started doing musical theatre at a very young age, so I guess I had lots of practice with that! But no one ever really knows what they’re doing; everyone at some point faked their way through whatever they had to in order to end up where they are!

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What is your creative process?

Ha! I wish I had a better answer for you here; I’m all over the place. I write songs either in 20 minutes, or 3 months. Sometimes over a year. It’s a mystery to me still, but I’d like to get into a more disciplined routine of creativity; which sounds contradictory but in reality is something I hear from every successful creative I look up to.

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What’s the best thing about coming from a musically-inclined family?

They pick up the slack! You will never be in public with your family without at least 2 backup singers (and potentially dancers) on standby!

Do you go to them with your new pieces?

I often send my music to my sister Ashley and my Dad. My sister Ashley is always a good ear to bounce-off, and my dad appreciates music more than anyone I know!

When you’re not working (given your film and music career, that must amount to what… half an hour a week? ;-) ), what’s your go-to relaxation activity?

Honestly, it’s reading or TikTok. Reading is healthier, but I learn so much on TikTok it’s hard to put it down…

Left Coat VALENTINO, pants and shoes CELINE BY HEDI SLIMANERight Jacket and jumper CELINE BY HEDI SLIMANE — Left Coat VALENTINO, pants and shoes CELINE BY HEDI SLIMANE
Right Jacket and jumper CELINE BY HEDI SLIMANE

I also hear you’re an avid reader. What’s the latest book you read? The one you’d take on a desert island?

Ha! Genuinely had not read this question when I answered the last! Latest book I’m reading is “How to Do the Work” by Dr. Nicole LePera. Desert islander would be either “The Untethered Soul,” “Big Magic,” or “The Power of Now.”

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Interview by Lily Templeton

Photography by Hadar Pitchon

Grooming by Drew Schaefering using Cruxe

Casting and production by ImageMachine_cs

ONCE MORE WITH RICKY

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