Guam artist josh anthony enters a new era with singles ‘matcha’ and ‘badmouth’

By Ron Rocky Coloma

josh anthony, who goes by Joshua Arroyo outside the music scene, still remembers the long nights spent in his room, guitar in hand, trying to make sense of emotions too big for words. Music became his way of processing heartbreak, love and everything in between. Now, with the release of two new singles, "matcha" and "badmouth," the 24-year-old artist is stepping into a new era of creativity and self-expression.

josh anthony describes "matcha" as a love song that uses the process of making a matcha drink as a metaphor for falling in love. The concept came to him two years ago and it has finally materialized into a track reflecting his evolving artistry.

"The music I made back in 2018 to 2020 was me trying to tackle indie," josh anthony said. "But the music I work on now is experimental and definitely not for everyone."

His second release, "badmouth," stands apart as a song he wants listeners to interpret in their own way. Unlike "matcha," which was written and developed solely by josh anthony, "badmouth" is his first major collaborative release. He worked alongside fellow musicians CRUX, Rand Anakin, Xahier and Chris Legaspi to bring the track to life.

"There weren’t really any hurdles in the process, which was nice," he said.

josh anthony’s musical influences range from Harry Styles and Dominic Fike to Zayn and Brockhampton. He credits these artists with shaping his sound while acknowledging that his work is deeply personal.

"My old songs have been about the same thing—getting heartbroken and falling in love," he said. "Now, my songwriting process is inspired by the events that make me ‘josh anthony.’"

Growing up on Guam, his exposure to music was diverse, but his father’s old CDs, filled with tracks from The Smiths and Depeche Mode, left a lasting impression. Despite the island's rich CHamoru musical traditions, josh anthony admits his style hasn’t been heavily influenced by local cultural music.

"I think that has to do with me not listening to reggae as much as I did other genres," he explained.

For josh anthony, music is about vulnerability. "My intent to share vulnerability is still the same as when I started making music four years ago," he said. "I want the listener to feel comfortable with showing emotions."

He recalled a moment when a fan told him that his music made them cry—a moment that reaffirmed his connection to his audience.

While he currently has no live performances planned, josh anthony believes many of his songs are well-suited for the stage. His focus now is on continuing to refine his sound, with a debut album in the works.

"These releases are the start of my rebranding as an artist," he said. "I will always continue to grow as an artist and cringe when I hear old projects, but everything after these releases will make me cringe less."

His philosophy toward music remains simple: keep creating and avoid overthinking. "A song will never be perfect,'" he said. "I’ve found myself stressing and nitpicking tiny details that don’t matter in hindsight. Now,  I don’t spend too much time on songs."

josh anthony encourages young musicians to focus on passion rather than external validation. "Keep doing it. You aren’t going to be amazing at music overnight," he said. "It took me years to get to where I am musically, and I still have so much growing to do. Don’t do it for fame, money or approval—do it because you want to."

With "matcha" and "badmouth" setting the tone for this new phase in his career, josh anthony is embracing his evolution as an artist, staying true to his emotions and letting his music speak for itself.

And maybe, just maybe, there’s another listener out there, hearing one of his songs for the first time, feeling a lump in their throat as the music hits home.

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