In his upcoming EP, “Confessions of a Fallen Angel,” HeIsTheArtist masterfully weaves the narrative of addiction recovery with a Christian lens, creating a transformative musical journey. Through reinterpreted classics like Erykah Badu’s “Out My Mind, Just In Time” and Billie Holiday’s “God Bless the Child,” alongside original tracks, he delves into the complexities of faith, redemption, and personal accountability. In this candid interview, he opens up about his inspiration, the symbolism behind the EP, and his mission to address addiction within the music industry—all while staying true to his Christian roots and artistic vision.
“Out My Mind, Just in Time 2.0” is an intriguing take on Erykah Badu’s original. What inspired you to reinterpret this song, and how does it reflect the Maintenance stage of addiction recovery in your EP?
Erykah Badu is definitely an artist that I look to musically. The inspiration behind the reinterpretation of the song was the level of accountability that it showcases lyrically. Accountability ultimately is what the maintenance stage of addiction recovery is all about. Holding yourself accountable for your poor choices so you don’t relapse.
Your upcoming EP, “Confessions of a Fallen Angel,” uses music to metaphorically explore the stages of addiction recovery. What led you to take this approach, and why do you think music is a powerful medium for this message?
Addiction has taken the lives of so many iconic entertainers over the years, that I felt it was necessary to address it in song (almost like a prayer for the industry as a whole). My goal for this EP is to change the energy of the industry and to one day hopefully rid the industry of addiction for good.
The title of your EP is drawn from the biblical story of Lucifer as a fallen angel. How does this theme of redemption and restoration tie into your Christian mission and your personal journey?**
We all make mistakes, even as Christians; the EP is more of a reminder of God’s grace. The EP is most importantly about my Christian mission to educate the public that God will help you up when you fall if you ask him for assistance.
Several tracks on your EP, like “God Bless the Child 2.0” and “Sometimes 2.0,” are reinterpretations of iconic songs. How do these covers complement your original music and the narrative arc of addiction recovery?
In order to truly understand the connection you would have to listen to the EP in order on the album, because each song plays a complex metaphorical part on the EP.
The list below briefly sums up each track’s symbolism in the addiction recovery cycle:
Track 1 – Sympathy Sonata (Rock Rhapsody) Corresponding Addiction Recovery Stage – Stage 1 Pre-contemplation Stage
Track 2 – God Bless the Child 2.0 (Billie Holiday Cover) Corresponding Addiction Recovery Stage – Stage 2 Contemplation Stage
Track 3 – Parted Waves Corresponding Addiction Recovery Stage Stage 3 Preparation Stage
Track 4 – Sometimes 2.0 (Britney Spears Cover) Corresponding Addiction Recovery Stage Stage 4 Action Stage
Track 5 – Out My Mind, Just In Time (Erykah Badu Cover) Corresponding Addiction Recovery Stage Stage 5 Maintenance Stage
As a former neo-soul artist, how has your transition to Christian music influenced your songwriting process, particularly for “Confessions of a Fallen Angel”?
It was definitely an easy transition, especially because Neo-Soul singers tend to discuss spiritual topics in their music anyway. Neo-soul is a very introspective genre, and I used this approach in songwriting for the EP, which enabled me to get the root feelings involved in addiction recovery.
Addiction recovery is a deeply personal and emotional journey. How do you hope listeners will connect with the EP, and what message do you want them to take away?
I hope listeners connect with it in an empathetic way and as a motivational tool for those struggling with addiction. I hope the listeners take away from EP the knowledge that we all have struggles; it just matters that we strive every day to improve our lives.
Your career has seen remarkable success, including chart-topping singles across genres. How does your faith influence your artistic direction, and where do you see your music taking you next after this EP?
My faith guides me in my artistry, which in effect makes my artistic direction always encompass making God first in all my choices. My next release after this EP will be a Christian cover of “Crazy for You” by Madonna (giving a true Christian rebirth to an artist’s song who was at one time boycotted by John Paul II).
