Serpentwithfeet
Serpentwithfeet | |
|---|---|
 Serpentwithfeet performing in Minneapolis in 2017 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Josiah Wise |
| Born | July 9, 1988 |
| Origin | Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2014–present |
| Labels | |
Josiah Wise (born July 9, 1988), known professionally as Serpentwithfeet (stylized as serpentwithfeet), is an experimental musician based in Brooklyn, New York.[1] Wise released the EP blisters in 2016 and his debut studio album soil in 2018.
Early life
Wise was raised in Baltimore, Maryland. He grew up amongst a religious family; his father owned a Christian bookstore and his mother was a choir director.[2] Wise joined the church choir as a child and grew up with classical and gospel music as a primary influence. He later moved to Philadelphia, where he attended the University of the Arts. Although Wise was initially interested in becoming a classical singer, he was rejected from conservatories he applied to.
Career
After leaving the University of the Arts, Wise spent time in Paris and in Philadelphia's neo-soul scene. However, the landscape didn't suit him properly,[clarification needed] as his voice was closer in tone to opera than to his peers in neo-soul.[3] Wise then moved to New York, where he released his first single "Curiosity of Other Men" in 2014. The song led to Wise's eventual signing with Tri Angle records in 2015 and the release of Wise's debut EP, blisters, in 2016. The EP featured production from The Haxan Cloak, who has worked with artists including Björk and The Body. Blisters debuted to extremely positive reviews from critics.[4][5][6] Wise began work on his debut studio album in 2017 with producers including Clams Casino, Katie Gately, and Adele collaborator Paul Epworth. The album was released on June 8, 2018 to rave reviews from critics.[7][8][9]
Personal life
Wise is openly gay and from a young age used gospel music to express his sexuality.[10]
Discography
Studio albums
- soil (2018)
EPs
- blisters (2016)
References
- ^ https://twitter.com/serpentwithfeet/status/1016407222413168640
- ^ Phares, Heather. "serpentwithfeet". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- ^ Schnipper, Matthew (21 July 2016). "serpentwithfeet: The Ecstasy of Exorcism". Pitchfork. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- ^ Lozano, Kevin (2 September 2016). "blisters". Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- ^ "serpentwithfeet - blisters". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- ^ Henderson, Nick. "serpentwithfeet blisters". Tiny Mixtapes. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- ^ Geffen, Sasha (14 July 2018). "blisters". Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- ^ Empire, Kitty (10 June 2017). "Serpentwithfeet: Soil review – raptures of a former choirboy". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- ^ St. Asaph, Katherine (19 June 2018). "serpentwithfeet's Mystic soil Is a Triumph". Spin. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- ^ Bychawski, Adam (9 September 2016). "Serpentwithfeet: the tattooed occultist who's reinventing gospel for 2016". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 July 2018.