“Navigating the public side of [fame] has been

a challenge for potentially obvious reasons.

Sometimes I’m like, followed home in my car, and

I have to dodge or speed around corners to lose

them. There are some different safety things that

can be scary. [The past couple of years] have

been the darkest time of my life, hands down.

It’s been hard. I can’t really sugarcoat it. But

ultimately, it’s making me and has made me who

I am so far. So I try to focus more on that and

how I can grow instead of falling down the rabbit

 hole of shame and fear. It is a lot, but I think I’m

just getting my bearings and feet back on the

ground and learning how to stand up. And it’s

beyond worthwhile when I have somebody at

one of my shows holding up a sign saying,

‘You saved my life.’ I don’t take responsibility

for that, but the idea that something I said or

put out or did was able to give someone hope

for a minute is ultimately far, far, far more

worthwhile than worrying about some trolls on Twitter.”

Joshua Bassett’s induction as an international

celebrity has been testing, to say the least.

However, the High School Musical: The Musical:

The Series star is reclaiming his narrative via

music. Covering our Winter 2022 issue, he talks

channelling honesty into his work, his fourth

season on the Disney+ show, living life impulsively,

and embracing the messiness of TikTok.

Joshua wears Shirt by ISNURH and Jacket by Braydon Alexander

Photography by Juan Veloz

Fashion by Toni-Blaze Ibekwe
Words by Andrew Wright

Grooming by Christine Nelli at Kalpana

Editorial Director Huw Gwyther

Editor Ella Bardsley

Production Director Ben Crank

Production Assistant Isabella Coleman
Fashion Assistants Yasmin Willams, Tazhae Stanley, Frankie Benkovic