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Josh Ross Levels Up with Later Tonight
The Canadian country star follows up his Gold-certified debut with a heartfelt collection three years in the making.
By Adriel Smiley
Photo by Nick Leonard
- Published on
Just over a year ago, Josh Ross went from small-town dreamer to Canada’s next country superstar. His debut LP, Complicated, hit Gold status and spawned back-to-back chart-topping singles. Suddenly the kid from small town Waterdown, Ontario, was a household name. Now, with his sophomore album Later Tonight, Ross is ready to show an even more personal side of himself.
He answers some questions from RANGE Magazine while en route to visit radio stations, eager to share a project that digs deeper into his own life and experiences. “I just always pull from real inspiration,” he says. “This record has tons of that and speaks to things that have happened and are happening in my life currently. I finally have some of my first ‘life’ style songs.”
Ross’s rise to the top has been anything but overnight. In 2017, he entered the Boots & Hearts Emerging Artist Showcase on a whim. He may not have won that year, but the experience proved formative. “It’s crazy to look back at photos and videos of the terrified guy on stage and to see what it’s grown into with confidence and a lot of practice.”
After that, Ross moved to Nashville to pursue music full-time — a leap of faith that led to many nights sleeping in his car. Those struggles shaped his perspective and fuel the gratitude that runs through Later Tonight.
Three years in the making, his new album features tracks like “Songs You Gave Me,” which was recorded before the release of Complicated but still sound fresh. Ross’s partnership with producer Matt Geroux continues to define his sound. “That’s why it works,” Ross says. “He understands me since the first song we did together and we both push each other to get better with each song.”
The record also features “Drunk Right Now (Na Na Na),” a reimagining of Akon’s 2008 hit “Right Now (Na Na Na).” Ross grew up listening to Akon, so landing the feature felt especially meaningful. “Eventually we were able to send it to him and his team,” he says. “It was amazing to hear he wanted to be a part of it and write his own verse. Such a full-circle moment for me.”
Themes of small-town grit and emotional honesty run throughout Later Tonight, especially on tracks like “Nobody from Nowhere” and “Scared of Getting Sober.” Ross’s storytelling also hits new heights with “Mad at Me,” a standout narrative song that turns heartbreak into a sing-along. The entire album has the polish and consistency of a project where nearly every track could be a single.
When asked about dream collaborations, Ross points to pop music, hinting that more crossovers like his Akon collab might be on the way. As for touring, he has one name top of mind: “Touring with Morgan Wallen in the country world would be cool.”
Nearly a decade after that first fateful performance at Boots & Hearts, Ross is only just getting started. “I’ve always looked at my music as a worldwide thing and we have done so much great work but have still so much to do,” he says.
And with Later Tonight, Ross is proving that the best chapters of his story are still ahead — just waiting for the lights to come up.
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