Sound Advice: Joyce Wrice

Join Joyce on Sound Advice, the weekly interview series covering artists’ journeys and their creative process. In this episode, powered by Xfinity, we discuss Joyce’s forthcoming second album and creative journey, live from the SoundCloud office in New York City.

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Welcome to Sound Advice, the series spotlighting artists’ creative process and their SoundCloud journey. We’ll get the inside knowledge straight from the source on how musicians, producers and creatives are leaning into everything SoundCloud offers to elevate their sound, get heard and catapult their careers. Sound Advice is now available in audio format on the SoundCloud Stories profile.

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On this special episode of Sound Advice, powered by Xfinity, we’re catching up with R&B artist Joyce Wrice, whose silky finesse and steamy bops have made her a fan favorite, even before the release of her 2021 debut album, ‘Overgrown.’ Joyce gives us some exclusive info on her upcoming second album, touches on the role of technology in her creative process, and talks about her work with collaborators like Freddie Gibbs, SiR, Mndsgn and D’Mile. 

We also find out more about the influence of her Japanese heritage and some of the milestones along her artist journey, which has taken her from her high school bedroom in San Diego to stages and studios around the world. Elsewhere throughout our conversation, Joyce gives some advice about finding your voice and finishing your music, as well as shares more about how she’s used SoundCloud to get her music out there, find new sounds and connect with collaborators.

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LISTEN TO THE AUDIO EPISODE OF SOUND ADVICE FEATURING JOYCE WRICE

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LISTEN TO ‘OVERGROWN’ BY JOYCE WRICE ON SOUNDCLOUD

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Things We Talked About In This Episode of Sound Advice

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The Collaborative, 100-Song Process of Making of Joyce Wrice’s Forthcoming Second Album

• We begin the conversation by talking about Joyce Wrice’s forthcoming sophomore album. Following on from her 2021 debut, ‘Overgrown,’ Joyce’s second full-length project has been years in the making — and is almost finished. As she comes closer to the release date, Joyce tells SoundCloud that she’s feeling more connected to herself than ever before, and that she has a more fully realized sense of what she wants to share artistically. “It feels like my most honest work,” she says, of her second album. “I feel like it’s a rebirth.” 
• To get to the final, finished record, Joyce has made over 100 songs in the last few years;  working with a variety of writers, producers and engineers to hone in on her contemporary sound. Making a cohesive record out of all of those ideas, she says, is an important end point to that creative process. 
• Going into more detail, she talks about the writing camp that she took part in in 2025 in Los Angeles, and how working across multiple rooms, with multiple writers, helped her forthcoming album take shape.

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How Joyce Wrice’s Collaborations Boosted Her Confidence and Songwriting Skills 

• In tandem with her album-making process, Joyce has continued to collaborate with others. She’s released tracks with artists like KAYTRANADA and Freddie Gibbs, and worked with producers like Malik Ninety Five and D’Mile. Looking back on those collaborations, Joyce shares what she thinks makes for a magical moment in the studio with others. “It can be intimidating and nerve-wracking going into a session and working with someone for the first time,” she says. “You don’t know how you’re going to vibe.” 
• Diving more into her background, Joyce talks more about being a San Diego native who moved to Los Angeles to pursue music. In those early days, she reflects on how she threw herself into collaboration with a curiosity about how others create. Here, she goes into more detail about how being an independent artist — and being able to befriend and work with likeminded artists of her own choosing — has allowed her to develop confidence around session work. 
• One of the collaborations that comes to mind is “On One,” her track with Freddie Gibbs. Here, she goes into the story of how the collaboration came to be, and how being brave enough to just send that DM — to rappers, producers and songwriters — can really pay off.
• Looking back, what have been the important milestones in her journey so far? Here, Joyce reflects on her upbringing and education, her love of the arts, and how she started to build up a fanbase with her early music endeavors. Here, she goes into more detail about her journey with left-field hip-hop producer Mndsgn who was regularly uploading music to SoundCloud that caught Joyce’s ear — an introduction that led to her creating her first EP, 2016’s ‘Stay Around,’ with him, which debuted on SoundCloud.
• Reflecting on her early days in LA, while balancing working day jobs and navigating a new chapter, she shares, “It was really nice to go after what my heart was desiring.” What she’s taken from that time is that “staying the course, even when you know it’s not always going to be smooth sailing” is crucial.

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Using SoundCloud to Build Joyce Wrice’s Audience and Express Her Authentic Self

• Throughout her career, Joyce has used SoundCloud to share her music and connect with her growing fanbase. As an artist who likes to make music at home, Joyce uses SoundCloud to upload cover versions and remixes of songs she loves, and to find exciting new producers online. Here, she talks about how uploading an acapella of hers to SoundCloud led to myriad remix versions of her track, which helped to spread her sound. 
• “I feel so indebted to SoundCloud because it’s really allowed me to tell my story as authentically as possible,” she says. “When I’m creating, I’m just expressing myself; I didn’t know that it was going to get me to where I am. I can naturally go at my pace and my flow.” When it comes to working largely from home and connecting with others through online platforms, she adds, “It was easy to do that because I had that accessibility and that outlet.” 

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Joyce Wrice on Finding Her Voice Through R&B and Soul, and Working with Hip-Hop Producers

• Growing up, Joyce gradually forged her identity as a singer through her parents’ love of soul, R&B and reggae music. Hearing voices like Luther Vandross, Minnie Ripperton and Brandy at home, she came to realize that she “wanted to emulate all of my favorite artists as perfectly as possible.” And that by absorbing those soulful R&B voices, she was already developing her palette of influences. 
• Going into more detail, Joyce talks about performing cover versions of songs as a way to build her confidence and voice, and how that led to her taking hip-hop and R&B beats from SoundCloud to write her own lyrics to. Looking back, Joyce explains how, for some time, she struggled to translate the power and confidence that she felt in her voice when recording cover songs into her original material — but when she connected with producers like Mndsgn in LA, it all started to click into place.
• As her singing and writing developed, she landed on her sound: a blend of “sultry, warm, organic sounds;” where gritty hip-hop production meets “lush and sweet melodies and textures.” Alongside these musical discoveries, what really helped Joyce to find and develop her voice was posting her original tracks, covers and remixes online. 
• When she saw the comments and likes rolling in on her SoundCloud uploads, she felt emboldened to keep creating and experimenting. “It’s very encouraging and tells you to keep going, to keep trying new things,” she says. 

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Advice for Fellow Artists on The Album-Making Process and Creative Direction

• As Joyce is getting ready to release her sophomore album, what lessons did she learn and what advice would she share to other artists who are embarking on the same journey? Most importantly, she says, take your time. The sheer volume of music that’s released online, every single day, can engender a pressured atmosphere; making you think that your time to break through, or make that brilliant record, has passed you by. But as Joyce explains, while momentum is important, trusting your timing and being honest with yourself is even more important.
• Another piece of advice from Joyce is to “really work with people where it feels safe; a judgement-free zone that leaves room for play and a childlike spirit.” Through that safety, you can take creative risks that pay off and really produce music that speaks to who you are. You might not have all the answers, but by listening to your intuition and trying to keep a clear mindset, you can enjoy and appreciate the process. 

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How Joyce Wrice’s Japanese Heritage Inspired Her Artistry, and What’s Next

• As a Japanese-American, Joyce has long been inspired by both sides of her identity. Here, she goes into more detail about how close she keeps her Japanese side: traveling to Japan with family, speaking Japanese, and absorbing Japanese music and culture, including gravitating towards artists who come from similar backgrounds like Crystal Kay and UMI. 
• Bringing her heritage into her music is an important part of how Joyce presents herself as an artist. Here, she talks about working with UMI on a Japanese remix of her track “That’s On You,” which features on her debut album ‘Overgrown,’ and a forthcoming song with dance-pop vocalist and songwriter MNEK.
• Of her upcoming collaboration with MNEK, she shares that it’s “a fun, uptempo, feel-good record” that’s sung mostly in Japanese, and is “an anthem for everyone who wants to be who they truly are,” even if they’ve struggled with their identity. Alongside this sonic exploration, she also talks about working with a Japanese choreographer for her upcoming tours, as a way to bring her love of Japanese performance and hip-hop dance together.
• Moving into 2026, we ask Joyce what’s on her mind as the possible next sound or style to explore. Here, she talks about her interests in soul, jazz and a style of Japanese singing called Enka. “I’m so open to playing with whatever feels right for me,” she says. “I’ll try anything and everything.”

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Links and Extras 

Follow Joyce Wrice’s journey on SoundCloud.
Press play on Joyce Wrice’s 2021 album, ‘Overgrown.’
Listen to Joyce Wrice’s latest track, “Break Me In.”
Follow Freddie Gibbs on SoundCloud, who features on Joyce Wrice’s track, “On One.”
Hit play on Joyce Wrice’s collaboration with KAYTRANADA, titled “Ice Tea.”
Follow Mndsgn, a hip-hop producer who Joyce Wrice first connected with through SoundCloud.
Explore some of Joyce Wrice’s wide-ranging influences, including Brandy, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, to name a few. 
Listen to the Soul’s New Era playlist on SoundCloud.
Never miss an episode and follow the official Sound Advice playlist on SoundCloud.

Getting The Most Out of SoundCloud

Learn more about using DMs to connect with fellow artists and potential collaborators.
Learn more about how to make a custom playlist on SoundCloud.
Learn more about unlimited uploads, available with an Artist Pro subscription.
Learn more unlocking access to unlimited distribution, available with Artist Pro.
Learn more about getting heard with SoundCloud’s updated algorithm, available to Artist and Artist Pro subscribers.

To discover additional features a SoundCloud Artist or Artist Pro subscription offers, visit here. To catch up on past installments of Sound Advice and make sure you don’t miss out on future episodes, visit here.

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_{CREDITS Host: Vivian Host; Executive Producer: Mike Spinella; Director, Post-Production Supervisor: Steve Muelz; Production Company (Editor, Colorist, BTS): House of Muelz; Creative Director, Set Design, Art Director, Editor: Rosie Fiore; DOP, Gaffer, Cam Op: Jose Alfonseca; 1st AC / PA: Tiffany “Hazel” Nolasco; Mixing & Mastering: Dom Martin at Mansion Studios NYC; Audio Engineer: David “DibS” Shackney; Producer: KC Orcutt; Project Manager, Account Lead: Katy Garcia; Editorial Associate: Lauren Martin; Coordinator: Trevor McGee}