Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Raley.
Hi Joshua, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I didn’t set out to become an artist. Life pushed me here. I joined the Navy young, chasing purpose, but the collision aboard the USS Fitzgerald changed everything. It left scars you can’t see… PTSD, survivor’s guilt, the kind of weight that rewrites a man’s soul. When I came home, I felt like a ghost walking through my own life.
Music became my compass. Late nights, headphones on, I poured all the pain, the questions, and the flickers of hope into sound. Over time, that became TECHNICIAN, a project that doesn’t shy away from the darkness but also doesn’t let it win. The music is a mix of Rock, Pop, Electronic, Hip-Hop, and cinematic energy. Because I needed it to breathe and to sound like the chaos and clarity of healing.
I found filmmaking and acting along the way, telling deeply personal stories like Blood Box that dive into veteran mental health and resilience. Still unreleased. I’m in the process of submitting it to festivals. So now, I’m building a universe; animation, graphic novels/design, video games, and AI art. I want to create worlds where people feel seen, even in their brokenness.
As far as roles, I appeared on Robert Rodriguez’s Netflix film, We Can Be Heroes, as a Heroic Headquarters guard. The parking lot and headquarters scenes were my five seconds of fame for a time. Then I got into commercial work and modeling to stay even slightly relevant. Performing as a Texas Ranger in the now canceled Walker series and various music videos as love interests.
But my most important role? Fatherhood. My kids taught me there’s still light worth reaching for, even when the darkness whispers louder. As well as my wife, who keeps me grounded in those difficult moments.
My message: to those that face demons, words are powerful tools. They can build walls, or they can carve doorways out of the fire. I choose the latter, and my work is for anyone who needs to know they’re not fighting alone.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has not been smooth. It has been jagged, heavy, and at times it felt impossible to keep moving forward. After the Navy I came home carrying PTSD and survivor’s guilt like an invisible rucksack I could not set down. I lost friends at sea and later to their own battles. I lost grandparents who had been anchors in my life. I lost beloved animals that had been silent companions through the storms. It felt like everywhere I turned there was another empty space where someone or something I loved used to be. And I nearly lost myself a few times too.
There were days when the music would not come, when even picking up a guitar felt like holding a weapon I did not know how to use. There were nights when my mind was so loud I could not hear anything else. And all of this was happening while I was going to school full time and taking care of my kids full time. I was trying to be a father, a husband, and a student, all while carrying the weight of everything I had lost. At times it almost broke me.
Even building TECHNICIAN has not been easy. There has been rejection, self-doubt, and the constant uphill grind of being an independent artist trying to create something honest in a world that often rewards the opposite. But the struggle shaped the sound. It made the stories richer.
What I have learned is this. Scars are not proof of weakness. They are maps. They show where you have been and if you are willing they will point you toward where you need to go next.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Right now my focus is on my upcoming album I AM TECHNICIAN, set to release on Christmas. It is not just an album. It is a declaration. A mirror held up to the storms I have walked through and the man I have become because of them. Each track carries a pulse like a beating heart, weaving rock, electronic, and cinematic textures into something raw, haunting, and alive.
This album feels like standing at the edge of a city in ruins, staring into the horizon as ash falls like snow, and realizing you are still breathing. Songs I’ve released like RIDE THIS STORM and DARKLANDS live in that space between despair and defiance, the place where you yearn to hold a hand through the darkness, but know it’s ultimately up to you to keep moving. They are available on all music streaming platforms.
The release date for the album was intentional. Christmas is a time when light and shadow coexist. Joy for some. Loneliness for others. I AM TECHNICIAN is for those standing in the in-between.
What sets this work apart is its honesty. It does not pretend. It bleeds. It aches. It rises. And it lives in a larger world of visuals and stories; dystopian anime-inspired art and cinematic narratives that carry the same emotional weight as the music itself.
What I am most proud of is that I never stopped creating. Through loss, through PTSD, through nights that felt endless, I kept building. Not because it was easy but because it mattered. Because someone out there might need to hear these songs the same way I once needed to write them.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
For me networking has never been about shaking the right hands or being in the loudest rooms. It has been about consistency. My consistency has been in continuing to create music, film, and art. Stories that carry weight and speak to the people who feel unseen. That is my way of staying present in the conversation without ever chasing trends or approval.
What has worked well is leading with the work itself. When you are honest in your art people notice. The right mentors and collaborators are often drawn to that authenticity because it is rare. I did not set out to impress anyone. I set out to tell the stories I needed to tell. The connections came as a byproduct of that.
I am also taking practical steps to expand my reach. I now have a manager through Indie Roadmap who is helping me build momentum, connect with more fans, and start booking live shows. It is about pairing the emotional work with a strategy that brings it into the hands of those who need it most.
My advice is this. Stay faithful to your craft. Keep building even when no one is watching. When you create from a place of truth the right people will recognize it and want to be part of what you are building. It is not about asking who can open doors for you. It is about becoming undeniable by doing the work only you can do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.iamtechnician.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/technician.music/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaraley?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TECHNICIAN.OFFICIAL
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/TECHNICIANOFFICIAL
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@technician_official
Image Credits
Joshua Raley
