Agent: Mike Leahy
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“One of America’s best-kept secrets.” — The Times (London)
“Solid, unimpeachable songwriting.” —Afropunk
“What a voice.” —The New York Times
Bhi Bhiman (pronounced Bee-mun) is an acclaimed American singer, songwriter, and producer, whose unforgettable voice has been compared to Nina Simone by NPR, and described by the Washington Post as “a keening, gender-neutral yawp that’s as earthy as it is ethereal.” Along with three studio albums BHIMAN (2012), Rhythm & Reason (2015), and the innovative Peace of Mind (2019), released as a podcast, Bhiman has collaborated with a diverse list of creatives including comedian/actor Keegan-Michael Key, author Dave Eggers, rapper / director Boots Riley, and late iconic musician Chris Cornell.
Bhiman’s upcoming album I’ll Sleep When I’m Famous (July 2022) is his most personal release to date. Co-produced by Sam Kassirer (who worked on the critically acclaimed BHIMAN and Rhythm & Reason albums), the nine-song album sports a world-weary, but wide-eyed positivity. Recorded entirely at his home studio, these songs were inspired by the pop sensibility of the rock music Bhi grew up on in the 90s, and is a call back to the more acoustic sound found on his debut. “These songs deal with the ever-increasing presence of death in our lives,” Bhiman explains, connecting to both the Covid pandemic and personal loss. “I hope that it can be cathartic to those who’ve experienced loss, not as a downer but as a reality check. The reason we create art to begin with, is that we don’t see enough beauty in the world. And his record is meant to replace some of the beauty that’s been taken from us.”
Other career highlights include a lauded performance at New York’s Carnegie Hall in tribute to late recording artist Prince. Among acts like D’Angelo, Chris Rock, Elvis Costello, and The Roots, Bhi’s rendition of When Doves Cry was hailed by critics from Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly as “the most memorable performance of the night” noting that “his vocals giving off a haunted air that left the crowd speechless.” In 2015, Bhiman released his sophomore album, Rhythm & Reason. The single Moving to Brussels debuted on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim with a music video parody of the film Whiplash, starring Keegan-Michael Key of Comedy Central’s Key & Peele. In 2019, Bhiman took an entirely new approach and released his album Peace of Mind as a podcast. It was innovative, the first of its kind at the time as noted in a profile by the Wall Street Journal. Each episode featured discussions with artists, activists, scientists, and policy makers about the issues coming to a head in Trump’s America and across the globe, all the while set to a backdrop of his new music. In addition to critical acclaim, Bhiman has found consistent success in the world of sync licensing. His cover of “Walk of Life” by Dire Straits from 2013’s covers EP Substitute Preacher has been featured in an Apple Watch ad starring Alice Cooper, as well as a series of commercials for xFinity. His original music has also been used in multiple TV shows as well the Ted Melfi film, El Camino Christmas starring Vincent D’onofrio, Dax Shepard, and Tim Allen. Bhiman’s quirky murder ballad, “Ballerina” is used throughout the film, including a scene where Donofrio’s character, shot and lying on the floor, sings the lyric, “we got married in a Walmart, down by the Wrangler jeans.” Bhiman’s knack for reinterpreting popular songs has also led to an unexpected relationship w/ Atlantic Records. The label has tapped Bhi to arrange and perform on acoustic versions of hit singles from artists like Galantis, Wiz Khalifa, Kiiara, Steve Aoki, and Mr. Probz. Over the past ten years, Bhiman has honed his multiple skills and cemented his place as singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer. Nevertheless, as The Times put it, he remains “one of America’s best kept secrets.”
Podcast Link: https://fanlink.to/PeaceofMind
