Throughout the year, Atwood Magazine encourages individuals from the music industry to contribute essays that reflect on themes like art, identity, culture, inclusion, and more.
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Today, Salt Lake City-based singer/songwriter Josaleigh Pollett shares insights into their haunting and emotional new single “Radio Player,” inspired by Poltergeist.
In 2023, Josaleigh Pollett’s beautiful album ‘In the Garden, By the Weeds,’ a collaboration with Jordan Watko (Crowd Shy), stood out as one of Atwood Magazine’s top albums. This LP was impressively atmospheric, emotionally resonant, and layered, blending Pop, Electronic, and Indie Rock elements.
Since then, circumstances have shifted, with Jordan, Josaleigh’s long-time musical collaborator, moving to Japan. “Radio Player” marks their first joint effort since the relocation, showcasing their creativity, determination, and friendship, as they navigated distance and time zones to create something special.
Released through Audio Antihero (Frog / Avery Friedman / Tiberius / CIAO MALZ / Magana), “Radio Player” signifies a true evolution from the previous album, featuring a poignant slow burn and carefully crafted pop melodies. Influenced by the film ‘Poltergeist,’ the single carries a brooding, eerie vibe perfect for the season, and Atwood Magazine is excited to have Josaleigh explain its creation process.
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by Josaleigh Pollett
Describing what “Radio Player” is about and how we created it without delving into years of family history and personal details will be challenging, but I will do my best!
In December 2023, I was feeling quite unwell. For several months, I felt disconnected from my mind and body. A loved one was experiencing a relapse after several years of sobriety, a close friend had recently entered rehab for alcoholism, and I was grappling with the imminent loss of my best friend moving abroad in the spring. The stress was overwhelming, leading to sleepless nights and constant anxiety. My long-standing contemplation of quitting drinking was feeling more urgent as I sought ways to manage stress.
Amid this turmoil, I began writing “Radio Player.” I reflected on the safe spaces of my childhood, how music and the adults who created it served as comforts during difficult times. I also considered how young people, particularly musicians and creatives, are vulnerable to addiction and depression. Many of my childhood memories of safety and comfort were intertwined with the remnants of spilled beer and cigarette butts, late nights, and intense emotions of fear and sadness. I wanted to explore how addiction—whether to substances or sadness—can sometimes masquerade as safety and comfort depending on context, yet hinder self-discovery and true sources of comfort.
I noticed that whenever I sat down to work on the song, I envisioned the memories it referenced bathed in a pink, glowing light. After several revisions of the lyrics, I recognized that the song occupied a space between actual memories, scenes from impactful films I had watched as a child, and different perspectives from those who shared my upbringing.
‘Poltergeist’ is a beautifully crafted film that explores parental love. It’s among my favorites, and I watched it at a young age. The parents, though flawed, show tremendous love and would cross any obstacle to protect their children from danger. “Radio Player” encapsulates themes of protection, memory, addiction, and the lengths we go to safeguard ourselves and find solace.
Josaleigh Pollett © PJ Guinto
Jordan Watko (Crowd Shy) and I have been close friends and collaborators since early 2019. Like many of our projects, “Radio Player” started as a piece I composed on my acoustic guitar. Once the structure and lyrics felt completed, I shared it with Jordan. It was Christmas of 2023, and he was still in Salt Lake before his move to Japan. I laid on the floor of his house while he experimented with a drum machine on the couch. He kept playing the same loop, insisting it conveyed the spirit of the song. Although I didn’t immediately see the vision, I trusted his instincts.
We didn’t revisit “Radio Player” until about a year later. Jordan relocated to Japan with his partner in the spring of 2024, and we temporarily put music on hold. Our conversations mostly revolved around our friendship and navigating the challenges of change and new experiences. Once Jordan settled into his new home, our regular video calls shifted back towards songwriting. We couldn’t resist the pull of creating music together.
By early 2025, we had finalized the first demo, altering the outro multiple times before landing on the current lyrics. It took time to reach the right emotional depth, but once I fully embraced the imagery of the TV light and the Poltergeist-like ambiance, we both felt we had captured the essence with the lyrics. Happy with the demo, we initially planned to mix and release
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Singer/songwriter Josaleigh Pollett, based in Salt Lake City, shares insights about their haunting and emotional new single “Radio Player,” which is inspired by Poltergeist.