During his run on The Voice in 2022, runner-up Bodie Kuljian, known simply by bodie, delivered some of the most moving performances during season 22, from his soulful cover of The Fray’s “You Found Me” during his Blind Audition to reimagining the Proclaimers‘ 1988 hit, “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) into an alt ballad, pushing the limits of Jvke’s hip hop and R&B ballad, “Golden Hour.” Bodie also made former coach Blake Shelton near-speechless with his rendition of Christian singer Brandon Lake’s 2020 hit “Gratitude.”
Early on, Shelton called the Southern California native a “visionary” for his choice of songs and unconventional executions. Though bodie ultimately lost the Voice to fellow Team Blake contestant Bryce Leatherwood, he continued writing and releasing singles that became parts of his debut EP, Happy to Be Here.
The album delivers six recollections of life, love, renewal, and how everything orbits around his Christian faith, opening on the hip-hop-pop bent “RIP,” and its message of rebirth and finding faith—Part ways with the old days / And the old spaces turn into warm ones / Pour one out for the old me and my homies. The hyped rocker “GOD DID” and radio single “whisper and the wind” are more reminders of the artist’s religious pull.
“I wrote this song just as a reminder to myself and a reminder to you that God doesn’t always have to look one certain way,” shared bodie of “whisper and the wind” in an Instagram video. “I think so often we might see him move in a miraculous, mind-blowing mountain-shaking way. And that’s so awesome and I’m so grateful that we get to see him move in those ways.”
He continued, “But sometimes he’s there in the whisper. Sometimes he’s there in the earthquake, in the fire. But oftentimes, more often than not, he’s right there in the spirit, in the whisper of our hearts, in the prayer room, in the moments where we feel most alone.”
Videos by American Songwriter
[RELATED: Bodie Transforms The Proclaimers’ 1988 Hit “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”]
“Liar Liar” and “Know” set a more R&B tone before closing on a quieter ballad “smile.”
American Songwriter caught up with bodie on writing his debut, life two years after The Voice, and how he wanted to present himself as a “Christian artist.”
American Songwriter: You recently wrapped up your first co-headlining tour with rapper Gio. How did the initial line of shows go for you?
Bodie: The tour was incredible. Van life is no joke, but what an honor it was to hang out with such incredible people in so many different cities. From the stage catching on fire to dangerous weather, we collected our fair share of memories.
AS: How did Happy to Be Here start coming together for you within the two years since you were on The Voice?
B: Four of the five songs on the EP were written over the past year in Nashville. “RIP” was actually the first song I wrote while visiting my record label for the first time. I don’t think I was even signed at the time of writing it. My song “know” was the only song on the project to have not been written in Nashville, but was actually written in my house with my buddy Aaron and produced solely by me. This song lived in a demo’s folder for a couple of years and I figured it would never actually be released. It makes it extra special that it ended up coming out on my debut EP.
AS: What is the overall vibe between the five tracks for you?
B: All five of these songs, although some are more upbeat and fun while others are more intimate and emotional, are consistent in regard to my worldview and testimony. All five songs speak from a place of freedom and joy found in God, conviction and purpose found in His word, and healing found in His presence.
AS: Is there a song (or songs) that you gravitated to more on the EP?
B: I’ve fallen more in love with “whisper and the wind,” “KNOW”, and “smile, after performing them live on tour. It’s humbling, and such an honor to see how these three songs specifically have made such an impact on people’s lives. I found it even harder to get through singing these songs live when I’d look out into the crowd and see people crying in response to the song. So special—what an honor.
AS: Faith is always something you’ve woven into some of the songs you chose on The Voice and your music, including “whisper and the wind.” How does the song fit into the theme or bigger picture of the EP?
B: This song falls right in line with the others in depicting how I see God and my relationship with our creator.
[RELATED: Blake Shelton Nearly Speechless After Bodie’s “Gratitude” Cover on ‘The Voice’]
AS: Sonically, what did you want to capture on this EP?
B: When debuting as a “Christian artist” the last thing I wanted to do was add to what’s already being done. I wanted to create something fresh, that represented me in an authentic way. I took inspiration from rock and alternative sounds while still staying (somewhat) true to my previous pop and hip-hop influences. Something else that I really wanted to capture on this EP was emotion and ballad-type songs in which I could truly showcase my vocal ability.
AS: Thinking back to your earlier singles like “I Think I Like You” and “Moonlight” (both from 2017), how has songwriting changed for you since then?
B: I love this question. Thank you for asking. I think there are two things that have changed since my early writing. I’m finally falling into my “sound” for this season of my life; leaning more toward alternative yet melodic. I’ve learned how to write and produce with other writers and producers, and that’s been a massively life-changing experience for me. I’m really excited to keep building and growing with other talented people. Collaboration and honesty are the secret sauce.
AS: What’s next for you?
B: Lots and lots of new music, more shows, more multimedia content. That’s all I can say for now, but expect many surprises and some really exciting things in the works.
Photos: Royale Kuljian
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.