For many creators, COVID was the defining moment when folks took their first leap into trying to be online. The world shut down, and there was social media after binging Tiger King, napping, and making sourdough got old. New Orleans musician Joshua Starkman just wanted to make people happy. Now, almost 80,000 people watch Joshua’s infectious videos, rooted in nothing but sharing joy with people interested in New Orleans music.
Every week, live from his living room, a smiling Starkman strums his guitar, jamming with musicians of every type. He shows why New Orleans remains a cultural powerhouse, no matter what happens in the world. The videos are simple: spread happiness through the power of music. And that’s it.
From Side Hustles to Serious Jams
After gigging around town for a decade, Starkman played in various bands, recorded on other people’s albums, hit festival stages, and toured nationally and internationally as a sideman. (He’s even been lucky enough to play with the legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band, which led to playing with Hozier and Robert Plant. It’s no big deal.) While his professional life thrived in the city he loved, Starkman used social media to connect while his personal life fell apart.
“I started making these videos on the internet, kind of from a sad place. I got a divorce. I decided that the best way to kind of snap out of it from day to day was to sit in front of my phone and, play something on my guitar, and smile. So I guess I was sort of giving myself a sanity rope from day to day by using social media.”
New Orleans: The Real Influencer
Initially, his goal in getting on camera was to entertain his friends. Given the city’s “live in the moment” ethos, he never thought people would share and like his videos in a town that’s not notorious for being online.
“I’ve always enjoyed entertaining, making my friends laugh. And then I realized that I could get in touch with any of the musicians in New Orleans, and from there, the ideas blossomed.” Now, Starkman sees himself as an ambassador for New Orleans culture. Sure, he’s had many of the city’s prominent musicians — like Bounce Queen Big Freedia — on his platform, but he wants to expand what he’s doing to keep the creative flame of The Big Easy alive. “I also interview people, so for the past seven years, I’ve been making content, and I’ve grown a business out of it, a lot of which is tied to opportunities in the city.”
New Orleans is a major tourist destination — almost 20 million people visit the city annually — and Starkman takes pride in helping people discover its offerings. Whether it’s music, food, or culture, his Instagram and TikToks offer a small slice of New Orleans life that people across the globe crave.
And as far as Starkman is concerned, he’s just getting started.
Instagram’s Chaos vs. YouTube’s Long Game
To grow his reach, Starkman has had to expand his thinking. Like many creators, he’s focusing on moving to YouTube to take advantage of its endless possibilities with longer-form content.
“There’s just a lot I can do over there [on YouTube], talking about what I can do with musicians and folks from all over the city, but more long-form.” Starkman was candid when asked about making a living in a hustler-first economy, especially in an arts-driven city like New Orleans: “Social media is the engine for my multiple streams of income. I have a diverse sort of network of income, whether live gigs as a musician, as a backing musician, or a show that pays at one rate to put together a band. But I also monetize the best I can.”
He continued about creating in a world that can sometimes feel like standing on quicksand:
“I want to do things on my terms. You play the game to an extent, but if it’s not aligned with you feeling calm or being productive and doing your damn thing, then I would just say don’t do it because they’re always changing the goalpost anyway. Just make great sh*t.”
Burnout, Algorithms, and Staying Sane
Being constantly online requires massive mental and emotional energy, and creators like Starkman are not immune to burnout. According to a 2023 Adobe study, 62% of creators report feeling burned out by the relentless pressure to post consistently and chase algorithmic approval.
For creators who depend on social media for their livelihood, this cycle can feel like an exhausting race with no finish line. Starkman knows this grind too well but refuses to let it consume him. Instead, he sees social media as a tool — not a trap.
“I credit it to people power-posting consistently. You learn tips and tricks. I have friends that are mega accounts, like millions of followers, and it’s great. But there’s a certain level of neurosis that they have about technique and getting the post up at certain times and making sure that it’s perfect. And for me, I’m interested in living out in the world too. I don’t like to get lost in the box. I think that makes people pretty fight-or-flighty.”
The pressure isn’t just about perfection; it’s about constantly staying ahead. Social media algorithms can feel like quicksand, rewarding viral success one day and burying content the next. According to a 2023 Hootsuite report, only 32% of social media users actively engage on both TikTok and Instagram, meaning creators often face the challenge of catering to vastly different audiences on separate platforms.
For Starkman, the solution lies in leaning into what feels real, not chasing fleeting trends. “There’s no formula for this stuff. The goalposts are always changing anyway. You just have to make great sh*t and let the chips fall where they may.”
Faking It Won’t Fly (Especially in New Orleans)
If there’s one thing Starkman has learned from this experience, it’s to stay true to his mission: to create music, to be a beacon for New Orleans culture, and to remain authentic as a creator.
“Being online requires the knowledge that not everything is what it appears to be. Just because you’ve got a bunch of followers doesn’t mean they’re legit. Some people don’t have an actual fan base. They’re just paying however much per month to boost their posts and create an image of being famous. And I don’t have respect for willful inauthenticity. Sometimes those videos are fun [the ones that go crazy viral]. You can tell by looking if you’ve been on social media long enough. You can tell, like, ‘Oh, it’s not a million fire emojis from the same account 10 times.’ You know, you can tell when someone’s authentic.”
And for a city like New Orleans and Joshua Starkman, you can’t fake being real. Even if you try, you’ll get sniffed out like lousy food. If there’s one thing New Orleans can’t truck with, it’s a bad plate.