Josie McCoy

## Background

### 2002 - Present: Josie McCoy

Josephine, or Josie for short, is the daughter of Mayor Sierra McCoy & professional Jazz player Miles McCoy. Her parents divorced when she was six, leading to Josie's mother being primarily raised by her mother & her father constantly away on business. With her mother as the mayor, the two of them had to endure the hate mail & slanderous messages people were sending to them.

As an outlet, Josie fell in love with music which is quite ironic as her father named her after the late singer Josephine Baker. Because of this, she often struggles to gain his approval while also trying to impress him. Unlike her father, Josie's mother is far more encouraging of her talents, especially where her band & music are concerned. They both enforce "black excellence," especially when the choice of the band members are concerned.

She began song-writing & singing, participating in many talent shows throughout her adolescence. At the age of thirteen, she formed formed a musical group that would later become known as Josie & the Pussycats alongside her best friends Valerie & Melody. The three of them spent their time practicing in the stock room at Power Records where they worked. With her goals in sight, she plans on making it big; winning the Rockland County's Battle of the Bands the prior year was only the beginning.

During her sophomore year, Josie was approached by Archie, who insisted that she take a look at his song for the town's anniversary show. Though she was fairly impressed, she had to deny him but did tell him they could work in the future. A mutual bond of music soon turned into a short romance between the two but it ended after a disagreement. She went on to then date Chuck Clayton despite him being a "chauvinist, misogynistic, harasser of woman," but that did not last either. Then there was Reggie Mantle for longer than the two previous & a summer fling with Sweet Pea from the Southside.

Like her former relationships, Josie & the Pussycats disbanded after Josie embarked on a solo career. Josie then reformed the group with Veronica Lodge & Cheryl Blossom for a short time before she decided to go solo.

After graduating, Josie became more determined than ever to break into the music scene as the next Diana Ross. She then moved herself to Capital City to begin her solo career & become the star she was destined to be.

## Romantic Relationships

* Archie Andrews: Dated (2017)
* Chuck Clayton: Dated (2017)
* Reggie Mantle: Boyfriend (2018)
* Edward Peabody: Lover (2020)

## Personality

Josie is both zealous & talented. She is the lead singer as well as the guitarist for Josie & the Pussycats. She thrives to exceed & be the best, especially with both parents watching over her shoulders at every turn. Her mother always encouraged her to succeed & embrace herself as a powerful & successful woman of color. Her father, on the other hand, shows very little interest in her musical aspirations, looking to it as nothing more than "pop music" & child's play. Because of this, she tries even harder to impress him & gain his approval.

Josie is also a very loving and caring person to the people she loves and cares about. At times she's not perfect & when she gets frustrated, she tends to take it out on others. Josie can also be very soft and caring towards those she cares about.

### Ratings

* **Intelligence:** Unknown
* **Strength:** Unknown
* **Speed:** Unknown
* **Occult:** Unknown
* **Weapons:** Unknown
* **Range:** Unknown
* **Strategy:** Unknown
* **Combat:** Unknown
* **TOTAL:** Unknown

## Trivia

* Josie is named after the famous French singer Josephine Baker.
* She has defied her mother's wishes multiple times despite being constantly reminded to not forget their branding; divas of color.
* She did not have to audition for a position on the River Vixens, as Cheryl introduced her as a new member almost immediately.
* Josie's mother & Kevin's father got married shortly before she left for Capital City.
* She is best friends with Cheryl Blossom. They always care for each other & have shown that they'd do anything for each other. They refer to the other as "my girl" due to their close friendship, always ready to do favors for the other.
* She is also close friends with Katy Keene & Pepper Smith, frenemies with Veronica Lodge & former friends with Valerie Brown & Melody Valentine.

## Notes

* Josie McCoy is a character from the Archie Comics & its related media.
* Her middle name is a nod to Ashleigh Murray, the actress that portrays her on television.