When all is said and done, what will be said about you? This is a question that has long stuck in the minds of all human beings since the dawn of our existence — only in passing on will your story be fully told, and the core of this concept, unfortunately, revolves around you not being here to witness whatever legacy you leave behind. It’s a tricky and unforgiving epilogue, a final chapter the narrator never gets to see or have any command over. For some in the Christian faith, legacy bears a distinct weight in the form of biblical books and sermons. One such book dictates what some believe to be the life story of Mary Magdalene, and though it is not necessarily seen as a canonical gospel within Christianity, there is a widespread following still willing to give the book the attention and time it deserves. One such follower comes in the form of New York’s Heistheartist (He Is The Artist), a newcomer musician who has gone the extra mile to release an EP paying further homage to the story under the title The Book of Mary.
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/signedlovetheartist/
Giving attention to a book less popular within the church is a bold step to take with your first EP under the Christian music umbrella, but upon hearing the six-song album it was a step crucial to getting Heistheartist up and running. LeeMann Bassey is not the typical spitting image one might assume when told to conjure up a gospel singer, and this very detail is what elevates his music beyond the expected and commonplace. He segued from his career in soul music and reinvented himself in a new image as the eccentric and offbeat Heistheartist. With this new name and new direction, he jumped headfirst into pursuing a career as a man of God once he heard the sermons of TD Jakes. Beginning in 2021 with the release of “The Snake Charmer” and “The Exodus,” it wasn’t long before Heistheartist was off to the races. Next came “What Did I Do?” and not soon after, “Virgin” and “Summertime” saw releases before “The Exodus” got re-released in the form of a “Prosperity Ballad Instrumental.” The two next singles, “If I Were a Virgin Again” and “Childish,” would soon find themselves on the Book of Mary EP with “Virgin” and “What Did I Do?” closing out the four original pieces pooled together for the release. In addition to the four tracks came two dance-centric remixes of “Childish,” both centered on genres less obvious to the Christian music slate.
PRE-ORDER: https://ffm.to/thebookofmary
The project works well for Heistheartist’s first complete outing as a Christian act; the concept of releasing every song on the EP before the EP itself (if you exclude the remixes) is a daring choice but one that might ultimately play out better, and for keeps, in the current streaming landscape. Otherwise, the EP mostly serves as a platter for two remixes for a song fans will already know, and while this might be the most streamlined way to get the music to new listeners, it might also confuse them. Still, the material will certainly speak for itself and do far more good than it will do to the audience regarding the confusion. Heistheartist is confident in his legacy, and will do what he can to further pay tribute to the gospel of Mary.
Troy Johnstone