| Biography | Josiah Wise, best known by the stage name serpentwithfeet, is an experimental musician based in Brooklyn, New York. Wise released the EP blisters in 2016 and his debut studio album soil in 2018.
Wise was raised in Baltimore, Maryland. He grew up amongst a religious family; his father owned a Christian bookstore and his mother was a choir director. Wise joined the church choir as a child and grew up with classical and gospel music as a primary influence. He later moved to Philadelphia, where he attended the University of the Arts. Although Wise was initially interested in becoming a classical singer, he was rejected from conservatories he applied to.
After leaving the University of the Arts, Wise spent time in Paris and in Philadelphia's neo-soul scene. However, the landscape didn't suit him properly, as his voice was closer in tone to opera than to his peers in neo-soul. Wise then moved to New York, where he released his first single "Curiosity of Other Men" in 2014. The song led to Wise's eventual signing with Tri Angle records in 2015 and the release of Wise's debut EP, blisters, in 2016. The EP featured production from The Haxan Cloak, who has worked with artists including Björk and The Body. Blisters debuted to extremely positive reviews from critics. Wise began work on his debut studio album in 2017 with producers including Clams Casino, Katie Gately, and Adele collaborator Paul Epworth. The album was released on June 8, 2018 to rave reviews from critics. |