Without a doubt, it can be difficult to sustain a career in the music industry.
As anyone who is a fan of music knows, there are plenty of artists who get popular for a minute only to be totally forgotten about the next. The curse of the one hit wonder. No artist wants to be remembered as such!
Though there are countless examples of this throughout history, you don’t have to go too far back to find a problem.
Even so, the internet and the prevalence of viral culture has allowed for a new window of opportunity to countless artists.
And the video we’re talking about today is just one great example.
For those who can remember back to 2004-2006, they may also remember Matisyahu.
For anyone who doesn’t know, Matisyahu is a Jewish-American reggae musician who raps, sings and beatboxes.
In 2006, Matisyahu said,
“All of my songs are influenced and inspired by the teachings that inspire me. I want my music to have meaning, to be able to touch people and make them think. Chassidus teaches that music is ‘the quill of the soul.’ Music taps into a very deep place and speaks to us in a way that regular words can’t.”
Come 2009, he commented on his new album,
“I think the vast majority of people that respect what I do are willing to move with me. I think it’s not so much about genres or styles of music as it is about expressing the emotion or the idea. … Whatever allows you to do that, whatever style, as long as it’s authentic.”
His birth name is Matthew Paul Miller, and when he first emerged on the music scene, he made all kinds of news.
Though his music drew on traditional Orthodox Judaism, he mixed those tendencies with a modern sound and captured the ears of many young listeners. He had the idea, and while certainly unique, it wasn’t enough to sustain his fame.
Like many other popular musicians, however, he failed to maintain a high profile over the years.
As it turns out, Matisyahu has still been active in the music scene and the world at large—and the video we’re talking about today is just one example.
The clip in question was originally posted to YouTube in August 2016.
It was uploaded by a user named Stu Brooks, and it begins with a man at a coffee shop playing the ukulele and playing a song.
As it turns out, the song is “One Day” by Matisyahu, a song that originally came out in 2009 and was a big hit at the time.
From the very beginning, the man strums his instrument and sings soulfully.
Before long, the camera zooms out and another person can be seen in the frame.
Upon closer inspection, it’s a man wearing flip-flops and a flannel shirt who sings along with the music.
When it gets to the chorus, the man even joins in singing—and he has a pretty impressive voice of his own as well.
The man keeps playing and before long, the two are essentially singing a duet!
The energy that the two men have together is palpable, and before long they’re uplifting the entire coffee shop.
When it’s over, the crowd claps and the two men clasp hands.
Still, the biggest surprise is yet to come.
When it’s over, the man in the flannel asks him if he knows who wrote the song.
The man replies that Matisyahu wrote it… to which the other man replies that he is Matisyahu!
Needless to say, the person singing can’t believe what he’s seeing. Sure enough, he was playing a song that his idol was sitting in the entire time!
Since the clip was loaded online, it has been viewed some three and a half million times—and it’s not hard to see why.
Although he’s been away from the scene for a little bit, it’s clear that Matisyahu’s music is still inspiring generations of people to get out there and sing. And even if he’s not as famous as he once was, he’s still active!
Congratulations to this singer on meeting one of his idols—and on the great performance! Be sure to watch the whole thing in the link below:
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