Биография

Like only the most gifted storytellers, Matisyahu spins the rare kind of stories that simultaneously enlighten and enthrall and expand the audience’s sense of possibility. On his eponymous new album, the Grammy Award-nominated singer/songwriter/rapper shares his most autobiographical work to date, merging that personal revelation with a shapeshifting collision of reggae and hip-hop and boldly inventive pop. Produced by Salt Cathedral (a Brooklyn-based duo comprised of Colombian musicians Juliana Ronderos and Nicolas Losada), the result is an undeniably transformative album, one that invites both intense introspection and unbridled celebration. Rooted in a lushly detailed yet minimalist sound, Matisyahu sheds light on the shadowy complexities of his psyche while endlessly radiating a euphoric energy. On the album’s dancehall-infused lead single “Chameleon,” for instance, he presents a potent piece of self-reflection spiked with equal parts idiosyncratic wordplay and warmly expressed wisdom (“Turn an evil eye inverted to let the light in/Illuminate the evil till dem heart get sizzlin’”). “There are some people who are like a rock, who never change, but I’ve always been able to shed my skin to fit with whatever I wanted to be part of,” says Matisyahu of the song’s origins. In a perfect counterpart to its kaleidoscopic rhythms and otherworldly textures, “Chameleon” also features a spellbinding guest verse from Ronderos, who adds her own rapturous perspective.