When we speak of a jack of all trades, Joe Human takes the cup. As a creative, Joe Human has earned his place among the growing cohort of world-class music geniuses and a branding lizard. Describing himself as the heart between brands and the people, Joe Human speaks to Nounouche about how he got into branding and his new venture into music. 

Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and now residing in Johannesburg, Joe Human describes himself as a creative entrepreneur and brand identity developer. Coming from a Christian background, he’s been creative from a very young age and his curiosity on how people connect led him to explore what that could mean for him as a creative. His years in the industry have made him insightful about what it takes to make a brand, whether it’s personal or business, a success. Speaking to Nounouche about how he got into the branding and music industry, I was in awe of how passionate he spoke of his work and life in general! “Producing great work requires working on yourself too,” Joe Human said.

ON BRANDING

In 2019 Joe made the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 list under the creative category and received a Presidential Award before being selected as one of GQ South Africa’s Best Dressed for 2020. He co-founded Creative Mind Space with Elliot Sithole, a multidisciplinary ideation agency where they’ve developed brands such as NuWave Communications, Running With Tumi Sole and more. He spoke forthrightly about why he started getting into branding, “We wanted to help people own their stories. South Africa has rich and nourished brands but it’s not a matter of how well your brand is known, it’s about whether or not it’s connecting to people. Own your narrative, people buy into people.”

At the core of it, Joe Human wants to be able to create experiences for human beings whether it’s through music or visual experience. On his social media, he’s constantly sharing insights on how people can grow their clientele, personal brands and his timeless fashion! He took to Twitter to say, “Building a ‘premium brand’ doesn’t mean you’re forced to be expensive, be inaccessible or niche. Coca-Cola has a premium brand but you could travel to the deepest village and you’d find a bottle. Being premium is about execution, messaging and identity.”

And his boundless enthusiasm quickly earned stunning results. His accolades are endless as his formidable skills have earned him a brand ambassador seat with Jameson Irish Whiskey in South Africa. As a creative, he partners with some of the country’s leading brands and individuals to deliver unique, stylish & bespoke creative experiences for their businesses. “My approach to brand partnerships is fueled by my life, people at large, experiences and distinctive taste, which continually come to the fore in every brand I work with.” Joe’s particular field of expertise lies in the creation and roll-out of brands across a variety of visualising and reworking designs to fit their intended purpose ensuring consistency and relatability of that particular brand.

STORIES FROM OUR VILLAGE

It hasn’t been that long since Joe Human ventured into music even though he says music has always been a part of his life. Inspired by his multi-cultural music background, in 2023 he launched his show Stories From Our Village. He spoke candidly about how he came up with the name for his show, “A part of me believes that all of us come from a village. It really doesn’t matter where you grew up or where you are now in life, a part of us stays connected to villages. I love being able to bring people into one space more than anything.”

While almost every artist in South Africa is venturing into Amapiano, Joe Human describes his sound as Afro-Electronic and explains why he didn’t jump onto trends and decided to stand out.

“I’ve been a curator of music and have been playing instruments for the longest time. I saw a gap in the music industry and said to myself this is the kind of music I want to share and want people to experience. I am a fan of Amapiano and love how we’re putting it like a fingerprint out there in the world but I’m absolutely passionate about Afro-Tech right now and believe the music pie is big enough for everyone in Africa. Also, just because everyone is doing it, doesn’t mean everyone should do it.”

SO, WHAT’S NEXT?

Joe Human has been working on his music and is planning to release an official EP later this year. He also wants to work with more brands and help them expand their visibility in every corner of the country and globally because he believes that, “without a narrative, you cannot keep a brand together.”

Connect With Joe Human On Socials: 

Instagram: @joe_human

Twitter: @joe_human_