Blending Philly Soul with Faith: An Interview with Eddy Mann on His Latest Single and Musical Journey
*In an ever-evolving music career that spans over two decades and more than 20 albums, Eddy Mann has seamlessly woven a rich tapestry of musical influences, from gospel and folk to the unmistakable grooves of Philly Soul. His latest single, “Just Like Jesus,” encapsulates this journey, merging a soulful R&B and americana feel with a deeply spiritual message. Growing up in Philadelphia, Mann absorbed the city’s iconic sound, and he brings that authenticity to his work, letting each song guide its own stylistic path. In this interview, Mann opens up about the inspirations behind his music, his approach to genre-blending, and how faith and creativity intertwine in his unique sound.
Q: Your latest single, “Just Like Jesus,” mixes contemporary Christian music with Philly Soul and R&B vibes. Can you tell us about the musical influences that shaped this particular track?
A: I grew up in Philadelphia, PA so I was surrounded by Philly Soul and R&B as a young musician. It’s a part of my fabric, so it naturally surfaces now and again as I’m writing or when I’m in the studio. This track from the get-go just felt like a groove song, and I allowed it to go where it wanted. I tend to create that way as much as possible so as to not derail the inspiration.
Q: With a career spanning over 20 albums, your sound draws from a wide range of genres. Who are some of the artists or musical movements that have inspired you the most over the years?
A: The house I grew up in was a pretty diverse place when it came to art in general. Everything was on the table, nothing was out-of-bounds. So I heard jazz, classical, rock country and folk music on a regular basis. It’s made me a tough artist to categorize.
Q: Philly Soul has a rich history of emotional depth and smooth grooves. How do you incorporate those elements into your music, especially when delivering a spiritual message?
A: The business has created a worship and praise sound, and also a CCM sound, both of which I don’t subscribe to …I have a message within each song, and it’s the most important thing to get across. If the Spirit leans one way or the other, I want to follow its leading. God doesn’t need me to sound like anyone else, the world doesn’t need that, I just need to be an honest representation of myself.
Q: In your work, we can hear elements of gospel, folk, and even pop. How do you decide which musical styles to bring into a new song, and what role do those influences play in shaping your message?
A: Hopefully I’m not determining the style. Hopefully the song itself it flowing in a certain direction. I just want to guide it to it’s fruition.
Q: Given your unique blend of genres, do you find that different influences emerge more prominently depending on the theme of the song, or is it more intuitive?
A: Certainly the message, the lyric, the text, will have a mood about it, and that’ll always influence the feel, but sometimes you happen upon a groove that speaks loudly in a scriptural way, and if that’s the case you just run with it.
Q: From “The Humble Cottage by the Sea” to “Just Like Jesus,” your songs vary stylistically. How do your musical influences guide the tone and feel of each project you work on?
A: My projects are written and produced over a period of time, and they reflect what it is that I’m living through. So it’s natural for the hills and valleys of life to appear through the album as a whole. That being the case, it’s usually inevitable that there’s a cohesive quality that binds the songs together.
Q: Having achieved success in Christian music charts and beyond, do you think your musical influences have helped you connect with a wider audience outside of Christian music?
A: Well I hope so, I mean that’s a big part of the Christian journey …to spread the Good News. I try not to get into the numbers game. I want to produce what God expects from me so that he can use it for that one person that needs to hear it. If that happens, then its a win!
Q: If you could collaborate with any artist—past or present—who has inspired you musically, who would it be, and why?
A: Today, as I answer this question, how cool would it be to write with Jesus? I guess he’d definitely be coming up with the majority of lyrical ideas. I meant writing with the Creator’s son …I’d like to believe that I could handle that.
