Josh Orange Returns With Bold New Single "Believers & Dreamers (What Have We Become)" and Connects With Us on the Fire, Fury, and Vision Behind the Release
- STAFF
- Jun 26, 2025
- 9 min read
By: Staff
Epic, unflinching, and emotionally charged, “Believers & Dreamers (What Have We Become)” is a career-defining masterstroke from Josh Orange.
Renowned songwriter behind “Believers & Dreamers (What Have We Become)” connects with us to share the fire behind the new release and the journey that led there.
There’s a certain kind of artist who doesn’t just write songs but crafts emotional landscapes, pulling threads from the world around us and stitching them into something raw, urgent, and unforgettable. With a voice sharpened by decades of experience and a creative team that reads like a hall of fame lineup, this latest release isn’t just a track, it’s a challenge, a reflection, and a call to attention.
Blending grit, grace, and moments of unexpected beauty, “Believers & Dreamers (What Have We Become)” arrives with a sound that pulls you in and a message that refuses to let go. What began in a Sydney studio with unexpected collaborations, world-class production, and a burning need to say something real has become one of the most powerful entries in the artist’s catalog to date.
We connected with the mind behind the music to talk about the creative process, cultural legacy, and the message that demanded to be heard. Dive into the full interview below.
Here’s how it went:
Begin Interview:
Hello Josh Orange, we’re thrilled to have you here for this interview! We've had an amazing time exploring your music and diving into your creative journey. Now, we’re even more intrigued to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
The Cage Interview Questions are answered by Gordon Burke from Josh Orange.
Q. What inspired you to choose the name Josh Orange as your artist persona? Is it your given name, or does it carry a deeper story?
A. A drunken night in Sydney, an orange box with some high-quality tobacco and the name was born. It’s a story but that’s the gist.
Q. Was there a specific moment or incident that triggered the message behind “Believers & Dreamers (What Have We Become)”? What pushed you to speak out through song?
A. If you can’t say it, sing it. That is the beauty about songwriting lyrics. The lyric is driven by a sense of outrage that I have experienced watching the world around me. It also stems from my own interaction with that and what I can do to make a small difference. We live in very strange times, fuelled by power and greed. What is the Grand Design?
Q. This team you’ve assembled feels like the all-stars of all stars. Having lived through the release of Pearl Jam’s “Ten,” it’s truly jaw-dropping to see Tim Palmer involved—an album that will be remembered for generations as one of the most prolific in music history. What does it feel like to be considered worthy of collaboration at that level, and what was the experience like working with him?
A. Well it’s an absolute honour. Tim loved what we sent him and he spent a week playing with the mix and adding some texture himself as co producer. I got to see Pearl Jam live in Sydney a few years back and they just blew me away. I also love that Eddie Vedder shares a love of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who I think was the greatest singer of our generation. It’s nice to have a song of ours get that kind of treatment, and we are super happy with the end result.
Q. Your producer, Andrew Wass, who is also the guitarist for Josh Orange, truly brought the vision to life in the studio. The world he helped create on this track is incredible. What do you feel were the magic moments during production, and can you describe one that felt pivotal in shaping this song into what it ultimately became?
A. The pivotal moment was when Andy suggested we go up in the middle and not down as we did on the album version. That single change really impacted the song. Andy has an incredible musical ear and he pushed me to the wall to get that vocal out of me. We are very lucky to have him in Josh Orange.
Q. Ben Worsey, the engineer and owner of Everland Studios, played a major role in capturing the sound of this record. The music video features stunning shots of this beautiful studio space. How did you come to build that relationship, and how did you gain access to what seems like such an exclusive and elite creative environment?
A. We have worked with Ben on two albums now, and as a band we have a great repour with him. I was introduced to Ben by another songwriter that I was producing an album for at the time, and we just clicked. When Josh Orange decided to try and record a session with Ben back in 2020, we just clicked. Ben is an amazing engineer and mixer; he is super-fast and super chill. We love working with him.
Q. Was your move to Sydney driven by your music career, or were there personal reasons behind the decision. What was the impact this had on your career overall?
A. What a question. I got a green card to the states, I was pissed off with Ireland and the way the industry worked over there in the late 90’s, and I felt like I needed to get away from it. Every move was about music, it’s been pulling me since a young teenager. I spent a month in the states and came back to Dublin, it didn’t feel right to me at the time. I decided to try one year in Australia, and the rest is history. Josh Orange celebrates 21 years and five albums together in 2025.
Q. Your musical style has a blend of rock, folk, and deeper storytelling. Do you naturally gravitate toward this fusion, or do you also explore more traditional or thematic genres, like love songs or more rock driven party style storylines?
A. Everything is natural in the way we create. If an idea wants to come through then it come through. We don’t try and shape a song to any particular style. I admire writers that can write the lyric and then the melody. When it is one of my songs in the JO catalogue it will always have a melody first. I also think songwriting is an artform, and is always developing.
Q. How do you typically approach the early stages of production? Do you begin with demos at home or go straight into collaboration with your production team?
A. Depends on the song or the album. We always try and change it up each time. Birds For The Bayou the current album was done mostly in the smaller studio. We decided to come at that album with demo’s and then build on them in the studio. The album before that “Midnight Lights” was all done in rehearsal fashion and all recorded in the big studio. Who knows how the next one will come together, but we enjoyed the process of recording the new release.
Q. When writing or recording emotionally charged songs like “Believers & Dreamers,” do you feel a sense of catharsis, or do those emotions resurface with more intensity during live performances?
A. Live performances is where it truly shines, that’s where it is at its most raw and expressive. I love to perform and I do tend to just float above it all when the audience and the sound and the smells all combine. It is the most cathartic thing in the world.
Q. Outside of music, who or what has had the greatest impact on your artistic perspective or personal growth?
A. You know that’s a great question and it is part of what Believers & Dreamers is about. Who do we look up to today? Who do we follow? Who do we believe? Or believe in? I have to admit I am struggling with that. My father was a great musician and he played guitar in The Royal Showband, which were huge. I used to get to go to sound checks as a kid, I loved it. The lights were always what got me the most. The lights on stage. Since my father passed away nine years ago, a lot has happened in my life. I can’t complain, I have a passion in life that is quite a gift. Today I look up to no one.
Q. Is there a song from your younger years, one you haven't recorded yet, that feels like it represents your core as an artist and you’d love to reinterpret today and show how the cultural relevance of music can make a difference?
A. I have recorded well over 100 songs along the way, there are a few that stand out. There are songs that stay with us over the years. With Josh orange that would be the song “Coming Undone” from our very first album. It would be very cool to rerecord that one day.
Q. There were two unique and standout additions to the musical accompaniment: the full-size harp performed by Kaela Phillips and the spontaneous saxophone hook, which we heard was played by your drummer’s daughter. Both elements truly elevated the track. How did these collaborations come about?
A. Kaela is a friend of ours that we met at a show last year. The idea was very throw away. We simply asked her to come in and have a jam on the song. To be honest we didn’t think she would be interested, as she is a highly accomplished classical musician. But she said she would love to and she did. She is such a beautiful presence and we were so lucky to have her talent on the recording. Alex brought his daughter in to the studio and asked if she could have a blow on the sax, it was completely unplanned. She blew us away, literally.
Q. What do you hope listeners take away after hearing “Believers & Dreamers”? Not just musically, but emotionally or ideologically?
A. Well, it’s definitely a protest song. Don’t be afraid to speak up, or get angry about the way our leaders are behaving. Everyone of us has a part to play in the world today, what is yours? The songs asks that of ourselves first then of others. It would also be nice if it made people want to sing along out loud in their car.
Q. This song feels like it’s really going to have an impact with listeners. If you could only have one or the other — massive financial success with the ability to give that wealth away to help others, or the song becoming an enduring cultural anthem like “Imagine” or “Fortunate Son” — which path would you choose, and why?
A. The song is what we created, and we are very proud of it. It is out in the world now, a living breathing piece of art. Personally I am hanging to perform it live at our Sydney show on August 28 at Lazybones (plug). We have been together for 21 years without either financial success or a hit song. We do what we do because we are compelled to do it. The gift for us is right there. We get to create and release music and perform live. No expectations thank you.
Q. Not counting ticket sales or size, describe your Favorite style of venue for performing?
A. We will perform to about 200 people at a Sydney show, which is quite intimate and close up. That is a very special experience. We have also played on huge stages to thousands of people and that is an entirely different experience, also quite special in its own way. It really is the crowd that make a show, and I would play in the next door neighbours shed no problem.
Q. There is a lot of technology available today. Some artists have described it as “overwhelming” or “too much.” The current climate of music is growing with computers being more prominently used for both creation and correction. Do you feel this has a positive or negative impact on the end result for music?
A. I think it is positive, and we are seeing more music created today than ever before. Music is ever evolving, and it is in very good hands today with the younger generation.
Q. We can’t thank you enough for opening up and sharing so much with us. What’s next for Josh Orange? Can you give fans a sneak peek at what’s on the horizon: new recordings, tour dates, or any exciting projects in the works?
A. We close off the promotion on the current album with a show in Sydney on August 28, which I mentioned earlier. We will keep a close eye on the progress on Believers & Dreamers, and keep writing. There is plenty more to come from Josh Orange. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me today and for giving our band a chance to shine. Gordon
Josh Orange, thank you so much, we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview
We’re happy to have shared Josh Orange’s exciting journey with you and uncovered such inspiring insights about their creative process.
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