Josie McCoy

"Let me just stop you right there. You're staring at our pussycat ears, which is rude, but let me break it, and then, down for you. The Pussycats are building a brand, creating a signature look, okay? We're telling a story. Last year, we won Rockland County's Battle of the Bands... This year, we'd like to build on that success, continue telling our story with songs we write."

- Josie to Archie

Josephine "Josie" McCoy is a main character on Riverdale. She is portrayed by Ashleigh Murray.

Josie is a student at Riverdale High School and the lead singer of her band, Josie and the Pussycats.

Character Description
''A snooty and ambitious teen. She’s the lead singer of Josie and the Pussycats and has no interest in recording any songs written by Archie.''

Early life
Josie grew up in Riverdale. She was primarily raised by her mother, as her father was often away on business. In Josie's early years, her mother became the mayor of Riverdale, and consequently, she and her mother had to endure the hate mail and slanderous things people were sending to them. Sometime prior to her introduction into the series, she formed a musical band, that would later become known as Josie and the Pussycats. Josie, Valerie, and Melody, worked at Power Records, they spent their time practicing in the stock room. One day, Josie came to rehearsal with a bag of cheap cat ears from the Halloween store. With her goals in sight, she plans on making it big; winning the Rockland County's Battle of the Bands the prior year was the beginning.

Season 1
As Josie, Valerie, and Melody rehearsed for their upcoming performance, they were interrupted by Archie Andrews, who was interested in writing for the group. However, Josie swiftly declined his offer, explaining that the Pussycats were building a brand for themselves, creating a look and telling a story in the process. She planned to continue telling their story through the songs they write. She made her stance on the topic clear, telling Archie that it was never going to happen. That night, Josie and the Pussycats performed a cover of "All Through the Night" during the back-to-school semi-formal, at Cheryl Blossom's behest.

Josie and the Pussycats performed on stage at the school pep rally, following an introduction by Josie's mother. They sang "Candy Girl (Sugar Sugar)" as the River Vixens danced in front of them. Afterward, she gave Cheryl a big hug. Things were good until Cheryl raced off stage in tears, leaving Josie, as well as everyone else, in a state of confusion.

As a favor to Cheryl, Josie agreed to assist Archie with his music. The Pussycats would be performing at the Taste of Riverdale, so they would be rehearsing every night that week in preparation. She invited Archie to quietly sit in on their rehearsals, in hopes that he might learn something. The night of their first rehearsal, she was inclined to ask what it is that Archie expected to achieve. He just wanted to write for them. Josie questioned if he thought that he was qualified enough to write for the Pussycats and divas of color. She reminded him that they didn't live in the big city, and although people's minds were opening up there were still people out there who are very close minded, such as those who sent her mother hate mail following her victory as Mayor.

They were called the Pussycats because they had to claw their way into the same rooms that someone like Archie could just walk into, so she refused to believe that he could write her experience, as he couldn't possibly relate. However, her feelings towards his abilities may have shifted once he displayed a minor amount of his songwriting capabilities. During the Taste of Riverdale, Josie and the Pussycats took the stage, and effortlessly performed "All For Me".

Josie found herself amused by Archie's failed audition for the 75th annual Variety Show, in which the pressure became too much for Archie. and he choked. Josie's diva tendencies were at an all time high during the Pussycats rehearsal for the variety show, where she accused both Valerie and Melody of failing to secure their parts. She informed her fellow Pussycats that they are to always perform at 150%, regardless of where they are performing, whether it be Madison Square Garden or Aces Bowling Alley. This led to a massive fight between her and Valerie, which ultimately ended in Valerie leaving the group, as Josie gave Val a choice between her and the Pussycats or Archie. Josie approached her mother with the dilemma involving Valerie's exit from the Pussycats, and that they couldn't just replace her as she wrote their songs.

However, Sierra informed Josie that she was the only one that was irreplaceable, everyone else was disposable as far as Josie's mother was concerned. Her mother explained that a new sound could have been good for the Pussycats, as Josie knows how much her father hated Pop music, she was then cut off as she attempted to explain that the Pussycats weren't Pop. Josie's father was missing two concerts to be at her upcoming performance, so both Josie and her mother would hate to disappoint him. Sierra suggested that she quickly find a new member, someone skinny and beautiful, but not more skinny and beautiful than her, and Josie's mother also reminded her about their branding, that being women of color. The next day at school, Josie and Melody's search for a new Pussycat would soon come to an end, as they were joined by Veronica, who wanted a source to channel her aggression.

The three of them then proceeded to strut down the hallway in front of everyone, including Archie and Valerie. During their first rehearsal without Valerie, a problem arose as Veronica was unfocused, which Josie called her on. She wondered what problem a rich girl like Veronica could really have to go through, seeing as Josie saw her problem as top priority since her father was missing Jazz fest to see her perform. Veronica felt bad that Josie had daddy issues, but she should be grateful that she could at least be in the same room as her father because Veronica didn't have that luxury, having not seen her dad in three months, after she realized that Veronica had it far worse, Josie apologized. That night, Josie attended a dinner proposal at Hermione Lodge's home, which was being hosted by Fred Andrews.

At the dinner, she informed her father that Valerie quit the Pussycats, and that their new member was Veronica, who she claimed was really talented. Following the dinner proposal, Josie met up with Veronica at Pop's shoppe, where they two of them shared sob stories, for Josie, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't impress her father. Veronica's sob story was the discovery that her mother was in a relationship with Fred Andrews, which Josie didn't approve of, but she suggested that there may be another side of the story that's worth hearing. The night of the Variety Show had finally come, Josie was approached by Valerie, who she informed that her spot had already been filled, despite the fact that Valerie was no longer performing with Archie. After thinking it over for a moment, Josie allowed Valerie back into the Pussycats, saying "I suppose there's always room for one more kitty in my litter-box."

The two of them made up, but under a new arrangement where Val would be allowed to sing as well. Moments later, the Pussycats took the stage and put on a wonderful performance, which everyone seemed to enjoy, but her father. He left half way through the Pussycats performance, and while Josie put on a brave face for the crowd, it left her in tears afterwards, as she cried her eyes out in the bathroom, while her mother comforted her.

Josie assisted in the search for Polly Cooper throughout Eversgreen Forest, where they headed East, towards Sweetwater River, as that's the route Polly would have taken if she wanted to leave Riverdale undiscovered. She branched off into a small group with Archie, Betty, Jughead, Valerie, and Melody, unfortunately, they had no success in finding Polly. That night, she accompanied Veronica, Kevin, and Reggie to a night club called the Roving Eye, where they danced the night away. Upon tiring themselves out, the four of them found a booth to cool down in, Josie told Veronica to finish her drink, as she practically left her body on the floor, something that Veronica wished she could actually do at times. Veronica explained that the lawyers and police took everything from them when her father was arrested, and despite her mother telling her that no one could ever take her name, that's exactly what Hermione did, like it was nothing.

The club manager then returned with Veronica's credit card, he claimed it had been reported stolen, and that he was suppose to call the police, Josie explained to him that he was more than welcome to do that, but then she would call her mother, Sierra McCoy, the mayor of Riverdale.

Physical Appearance
Josie is an attractive young woman with brown skin, dark brown eyes, and curly hair. She has a naturally slim figure. Besides the obvious Pussycat ears and feline patterned spandex, she has more of a rock star type wardrobe, often wearing leather jackets.

Relationships

 * Josie and Sierra
 * Josie and Myles
 * Josie and Cheryl
 * Josie and Archie
 * Josie and Valerie
 * Josie and Veronica
 * Josie and Melody