Josie Langhorst: Diary of a Minnesota Musician, Chapter 8
This is a year-long series following Josie Langhorst, a Minnesota artist new to the Twin Cities, as she shares her experiences entering the scene and making music in a new environment.
March to mid-April 2026
There’s a subtle but significant shift that happens when an artist stops feeling like they’re passing through a scene and starts realizing they’re part of it. For Josie Langhorst, that shift didn’t arrive with a grand announcement, it’s showed up quietly over the course of the past eight months and realized in the glow of stage lights at the Pilllar Forum in Minneapolis, across two nights that marked both celebration and arrival.
The first night was all about community. Flutes & Low’s album release brought together familiar faces, evolving collaborations, and a kind of warmth that only exists when music is built in shared spaces like living rooms and late-night writing sessions. Josie joined fellow opener Halle Hanson back onstage to sing harmonies for “Armistice.”
One of the most meaningful moments came not from the crowd, but from behind the drum kit. A last-minute change brought Ivar Kasberg onto drums for his first-time-ever live performance. What could have been a logistical hiccup instead became a full-circle moment. Josie and Ivor had spent countless hours playing together in informal settings. His presence there, joining Amri Gilbertson on keys and Soren Hansen on bass, surrounded her with comfort.
Becoming Local
If the first show was about community, the second show on April 10th, opening for national touring artist Lisa Curtis, was about perspective.
Mid-set, Josie caught a glimpse of something every songwriter hopes for but never expects: someone singing along. Not just recording, not just watching, but mouthing the words back to her for the songs “RU” and “Great Poet.” That moment lingered more than anything else—proof that her music had begun to travel beyond her own voice.
There’s a difference between playing in a scene and witnessing it from a wider lens. Watching Lisa perform, Josie noticed the polish, the precision, the sense of control that comes from repetition and experience. Everything felt really dialed in. It revealed a version of the future, one where performance becomes second nature and where nerves are replaced by muscle memory. Lisa also played “Come Around,” which has been saved on Josie’s playlist long before she got the gig.
That night brought other small, quietly meaningful victories. Watching other artists like IAM JOY bring pure presence and radiance to the stage. Being surrounded not just by performers, but by a network of people all chasing something similar, each in their own way.
But it was something she noticed in the show advance that struck her most of all: Josie was listed as a “local act.” Not “Duluth artist.” Just local. It’s a small shift, but it carries weight and, to Josie, means belonging. It means the city you’ve claimed has started to claim you back.
Offstage, that sense of belonging is showing up in her songwriting too. A recent writing session with her friend and collaborator Lee (part of the project Parties with Strangers) resulted in a new demo titled “Screenager.” The process was simple but transformative. They sat on the floor for hours, traded ideas, and built something from scratch without overthinking it. Where Josie once leaned heavily on metaphor and distance in her lyrics, she’s starting to push herself toward something more direct. More honest.
She describes her past self as an “unreliable narrator,” someone who would tweak details, reshape stories, and soften truths. Now, there’s a growing desire to strip that back. To say what she actually means, even when it feels exposed.
Even the way she responds to booking emails has changed. What once felt overwhelming now feels manageable, almost natural. When she was asked to open for Lisa Curtis, recommended by anni xo, her reaction wasn’t panic. It was a simple yes.
There are still challenges, of course.
Josie is struggling on balancing a full work week with creative energy. There’s a push and pull to holding onto the identity of “musician” in the middle of everyday life. These are the quieter struggles, the ones that don’t show up on stage but shape everything behind it. But even those feel different now. Less like obstacles, more like part of the rhythm she’s learning to navigate.
If the early chapters of Josie’s story were about arrival, and the last was about grounding, this one feels like mid-transition. Not quite settled, not quite fully formed, but undeniably moving forward.
Josie’s writing more and continuing to collaborate with others, and learning to say yes more easily. And maybe most importantly, she’s starting to believe that she belongs here.
The next chapter, she hopes, is about confidence and continuing to feed that internal voice of being good enough. It’s about stepping into songs she’s not quite ready to share yet, and choosing to share them anyway at shows.
Because somewhere in a crowd at Pilllar Forum, someone already knows the words.
The next performance on her calendar carries a lot of importance as the celebration for the ICE OUT! compilation album happens on May 14th at the legendary Turf Club. Joined by The Soo Line Loons with Molly Brandt, Sophie Hiroko, Faith Boblett, Vinnie Donatelle, Teague Alexy, Ross Thorn, The Penny Peaches, and John Louis, it’s a chance to see many of her Duluth friends all in one space, singing their songs. Josie’s contribution, entitled “Blind Eye” is sure to enhance an already loaded night of songs.
Then on April 25th, another intriguing opportunity lands on Josie’s plate. She’s traveling back up to Duluth to take part in a podcast called “Gag Me With a Spoon.” The recording will feature three of her songs mixed with poetry readings and different artistic acts. Look for the full release of that in the coming month!
Stay tuned for chapter 9 in May!
About the Author & Photographer
Tom Smouse. Photo Credit: Chris Taylor.
Tom Smouse is an innovative collaborator with 20 years of experience in the Minnesota music industry. As a professional photographer, podcaster, and music journalist, sharing stories from the community remains his core passion. When not at a show you can find him at a record store.
