The mysterious nothing,nowhere. is the project of Vermont-based musician Joe Mulherin, a singer, rapper, and songwriter who mixes cathartic emo-rap, trap, and indie rock styles in equal measure. After building up his profile with a handful of small independent releases, he made a splash with 2017's Reaper, his critically lauded second album and debut for Pete Wentz 's DCD2 label. His bloodlust EP, a collaboration with blink-182 's Travis Barker , was released in 2019, followed by the album Trauma Factory in 2021.
A native of Foxborough, Massachusetts, Mulherin began playing acoustic guitar at the age of 12, first attempting emo-style versions of popular rap songs. After devoting time to a series of short-lived bands throughout his teens and twenties, he decided to work solo. Again merging elements of hip-hop with guitar-based instrumentation, and citing songwriters such as Sufjan Stevens , Owen , and (Sandy) Alex G among his inspirations, he started using the moniker nothing,nowhere. in April 2015. At first, Mulherin kept his identity hidden, covering his face in promotional photos and making a habit of wearing hoods while performing. His first album, the nothing,nowhere. lp, appeared in June 2015, followed by the EP Bummer later the same year. Working on some of the tracks with producers he'd met on music-sharing sites, the latter was recorded in his parents' basement in Vermont around the time he committed to pursuing music full-time. The EP Who Are You? followed on Synergy Records in early 2016, and in 2017, the album Reaper arrived on DCD2 and Equal Vision Records . It featured appearances by Dashboard Confessional and Lil West and raised Mulherin's profile significantly.
After signing with Fueled by Ramen , nothing,nowhere. released his third full-length, 2018's Ruiner. He returned the following year with bloodlust, a collaborative EP with drummer Travis Barker that included a featured spot by blackbear . In early 2020, nothing, nowhere. issued the single "Nightmare" just prior to kicking off a lengthy world tour. A longtime vegan, straight edge, and conservationist, Mulherin used the shows to promote green touring and partnered with local environmental charities along the way. That July, DCD2 and Fueled by Ramen issued One Takes, Vol. 1, a collection of stripped-down versions of his songs that he had been sharing on social media. Vol. 1 selections included a second version of "Nightmare" and a cover of American Football 's "Never Meant." Later that month, the new song "Lights (4444)" appeared, and by the end of 2020, multiple songs had been shared from his upcoming long-player Trauma Factory. The album was released in February of 2021. ~ Marcy Donelson, Rovi