Joshua Burnside New Single & Album: It’s Not Going to be Okay

Joshua Burnside Faces the Unthinkable in New Single, “It’s Not Going to be Okay”

Joshua Burnside has never been one for surface-level pop, but his latest announcement feels different. It’s heavier, more grounded, and carries a weight that hits immediately. His new single and upcoming album, ironically titled “It’s Not Going to be Okay” isn’t just a creative shift—it’s a public reckoning with profound personal loss.

Written and recorded following the death of one of his closest friends, Dean Jendoubi, the project is a raw tribute to a person Joshua describes simply as “incredible.”

A Record Born from Grief

We often expect artists to “process” their pain and turn it into something polished or hopeful. Burnside is doing the opposite. By naming the album It’s Not Going to be Okay, he’s skipping the platitudes and leaning into the messy, stagnant reality of missing someone every single day.

The songs deal directly with Dean’s passing, moving away from the sprawling, experimental folk narratives Joshua is known for and into something much more intimate. It sounds like a man in a room, trying to make sense of a world that suddenly looks very different.

What the New Music Feels Like

If you’ve followed Joshua’s career through records like Into the Wild, you know he has a knack for using “found sounds” and unique textures. Here, those elements feel less like stylistic choices and more like the quiet echoes of a house that’s too still.

• Stripped-Back Production: There’s a sense that these songs were captured in the moment, prioritizing the feeling over “perfect” studio polish.

• Brutal Honesty: The lyrics don’t hide behind metaphors. They address the void left behind by a friend who was a constant presence.

• The “Cheery” Irony: In true Burnside fashion, the bleak title is delivered with a dry wit that only makes the underlying sadness feel more real.

Why We Need This Album Right Now

There’s a lot of pressure to “find the silver lining” when things go wrong. Joshua isn’t interested in that here. By creating a space where it’s okay to admit that things aren’t okay, he’s offering something much more valuable to his listeners: permission to just feel the loss.

This album is a celebration of Dean Jendoubi’s life, but it’s also a lifeline for anyone else navigating the quiet, exhausting aftermath of grief.