MASSEY's Debut is Full of Infinite Possibilities

Every once in a while, an artist doesn’t just release music. They emerge, seemingly out of nowhere, fully realized, electric and strange in the best way.

That’s MASSEY.

Towering in black with a silver pompadour that glints like starlight and always those shades, MASSEY looks like a character you dreamed once and never quite forgot. But this is no gimmick. Behind the surreal swagger is a storyteller with a heart, a message and, perhaps most excitingly, a sound that refuses to sit still.

MASSEY’s debut arrives in the form of not one, but three strikingly different singles: "(Never) 2 Hot" a psychedelic climate anthem disguised as a disco funk banger, "Box of Rain" , a reverent re-imagining of The Grateful Dead's classic, and "Tattoo My Heart", a soul stung ballad.

Together, they paint a portrait of an artist unconcerned with genre lines and entirely focused on impact.

Listen to all three singles here:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4bUvxz11s8pFCzOj78XXCQ

“Box of Rain” might be sacred ground for Deadheads, but MASSEY doesn’t tiptoe around it - he walks right in and makes it his own. Released in honor of the GRAMMYs' MusiCares Person of the Year celebration for The Grateful Dead, the track is both a tribute and a declaration.

Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon lends his earthy, lived-in vocals to the arrangement, anchoring the piece with deep Americana soul while MASSEY's delivery brings a kind of theatrical reverence.

Produced by JoeBaby Michaels - who is a legend in his own right with credits that include The Rolling Stones, James Brown and Lynyrd Skynyrd - the cover is more than just a nod to the past.

It feels timely, spiritual, and deeply human. "We miss Phil, we miss Jerry," MASSEY says, “but they’re with us in this music.” You feel that. There's grief in the track, but also celebration. It's music as remembrance, as ritual.

From sacred to scandalously funky, MASSEY pivots hard on “(Never) 2 Hot,” a disco-drenched climate action anthem that proves you can boogie while the world burns. And maybe even save it.

MASSEY’s vocals are on full display here, switching from soulful growl to falsetto glide, while guest vocalist Xochi - a Chicago-based writer and performer - brings a sleek counterpoint with her sensual vocal and rap verses.

Lines like “We all know the sun’ll burn out someday / But that’s 10 billion years away… Our Earth is burning today,” hits with satirical bite, and yet the mood never dips into despair. Instead, it’s a kind of radical optimism. A reminder that joy and justice aren’t opposites.

The track was recorded at the legendary Dockside Studio in Louisiana, where greats like B.B. King, Rod Stewar and Dr. John have left their mark. Featuring New Orleans bassist Charlie Wooton and Atlanta’s Daniel Groover on guitar, the track grooves with deep Southern soul and a modern, clean production edge.

If the first two singles show MASSEY as the philosopher and MASSEY as the preacher, “Tattoo My Heart” gives us MASSEY the romantic. It’s a slow-burn stunner: part torch song, part confessional, and entirely captivating.

His voice drops into a Morrison-esque croon, stretching into tender vulnerability.

What makes this track land so hard is the contrast - after all the world-saving bravado and cosmic reach, MASSEY brings it all back down to a single point. The arrangement is sparse but lush, full of soft synths and guitar lines that move like smoke. It’s proof that behind the spectacle is a beating heart.

About MASSEY

So who is MASSEY?

MASSEY doesn’t play instruments, but writes in full vocal arrangements, beatboxing parts and scatting ideas in the studio. His method, reminiscent of James Brown or George Clinton, is pure vocal orchestration. It’s a deeply collaborative process. But the vision is all his.

During the pandemic, MASSEY started opening the vault. Years of writing became dozens of songs. JoeBaby Michaels discovered him at just the right time, offering a deal through his boutique label Bent River Records. And the result? A flurry of recording and producing.

And as MASSEY is just getting started, we are in for a real treat. His debut singles show an artist full of rare scope and control - someone who can move from cosmic funk to soul in the blink of an eye.

And, much more than that, MASSEY delivers it all with conviction, mystery and lots of style.

Stay up to date with everything MASSEY on the Website.