In an era where music streaming algorithms often push artists toward narrow genre categories, one Charleston, West Virginia native has built his career on refusing to be confined to a single sound or story. Stephen Thomas, the five-time Grammy-considered artist recently named an “Artist to Watch in 2025” by The Source, has unveiled his most ambitious project yet with “The Universal Me,” a 5-track EP that seamlessly blends R&B, country, pop, hip-hop, and alt-rock in what he calls a fearless exploration of love, heartbreak, resilience, and self-discovery. Following his viral success with singles like “Back Home,” which reached the Top 60 on Active Rock Radio and garnered over 500,000 TikTok views in 24 hours, and “Stay Strong,” a heartfelt tribute to military personnel and autoimmune warriors, Thomas has established himself as a pioneering voice in what he terms the “Universal genre”—an ever-evolving sonic palette that reflects his belief that music isn’t about fitting in but about being free enough to tell your story your way. From his early signing with SkeeloMusik/Sony RED in 2013 to his current home at Creative Hearts Entertainment, Thomas has consistently demonstrated that authenticity trumps industry expectations, earning global exposure through MTV, Revolt TV, Vibe, and major editorial playlists across Spotify, Amazon Music, and Tidal while building a national touring career that has seen him perform alongside iconic names and walk red carpets at major events including the BET Live Experience.
“The Universal Me” represents what you call your “most ambitious project yet,” blending R&B, country, pop, hip-hop, and alt-rock across five tracks. You’ve said this project is you saying out loud “I’m not just one thing.” As a five-time Grammy-considered artist who has successfully crossed from hip-hop to rock radio, what specific experiences or artistic revelations led you to fully embrace this genre-fluid approach rather than staying within established musical lanes?
Stephen Thomas: Yes, this project is definitely my most ambitious yet and it’s my first to hit over 130,000 streams just hours after its release, with momentum building toward the millions. Honestly, it came from realizing I was cutting off parts of myself by staying in one lane. Early on, I felt pressured to stick to hip-hop, but once I started creating without worrying about expectations, I found freedom. Songs like “Back Home” and “Stay Strong” showed me that listeners connect most when I’m authentic. The Universal Me is me owning every side of who I am—hip-hop, R&B, rock, country, pop—and proving that music has no limits when it comes from the heart.
The EP spans deeply personal themes from the raw breakup anthem “Breaking Hearts” to your foray into country with “Come Home to Me,” which weaves Nashville storytelling with soulful R&B undertones. How do you approach writing and producing songs that maintain your authentic voice while adapting to such different musical traditions, and what role does your Charleston, West Virginia background play in connecting these diverse sounds?
Stephen Thomas: I approach every song by starting with my truth—the story or emotion I need to express—then let the production follow that feeling. Whether it’s the raw emotion of “Breaking Hearts” or the Nashville-inspired soul of “Come Home to Me,” I make sure the core message stays authentically me.
Growing up in Charleston, West Virginia—the “wild and wonderful” mountain state—country music was always around me. My dad loved Randy Travis, so I grew up on him and other country legends. That influence, combined with doing remixes of Carrie Underwood and Darius Rucker records, helped me find my lane in country storytelling. Blending that Nashville style with my R&B vibe just felt natural, and now it’s a part of who I am as an artist.
Your collaboration with DJ Unk on “Outstanding” pays tribute to The Gap Band’s classic R&B while adding modern swagger, and “Strange Love” explores the complexities of modern relationships. As someone who draws comparisons to artists as varied as MGK, Jelly Roll, Carrie Underwood, and Shaboozey, how do you balance honoring the legacy of the genres you’re working in while bringing your own contemporary perspective and experiences to each musical style?
Stephen Thomas: For me, it’s about respecting the roots while rewriting the chapter. With “Outstanding,” I wanted to honor that classic Gap Band energy but flip it with a modern swagger that reflects who I am today. And with “Strange Love,” it’s the same approach—taking timeless themes of love and heartbreak but telling them through my lens, with my generation’s perspective.
Being compared to artists like MGK, Jelly Roll, Carrie Underwood, and Shaboozey just reminds me that crossing genres works when you’re authentic. I study the DNA of each style, but I never copy it—I let my own story and my own voice shape the sound so it feels both familiar and fresh. I was always told, don’t be so original that you’re not relatable, and I carry that with me. My goal is to always be both—relatable and unique—while bringing a different sound and style every time.
You’ve achieved remarkable viral success with “Back Home” hitting 500,000 TikTok views in 24 hours and “Stay Strong” earning major editorial playlist placement for its tribute to military personnel and autoimmune warriors. How do you maintain the emotional authenticity that drives these viral moments while strategically building a career that spans rock radio, R&B charts, and country storytelling, and what role does social media play in connecting your diverse musical expressions with the right audiences?
Stephen Thomas: I maintain emotional authenticity by understanding that music heals and speaks when words fail. Music pulls on the heartstrings of so many, and we all need something to help us get through this journey we call life. When you’re genuine, authentic, and unapologetically different, it allows listeners—even people who’ve never heard of you before—to connect with you in a way they’ve never connected with someone else. That’s why, even with viral records, staying emotionally real makes those moments so powerful and refreshing, especially coming from an artist who moves across seven different genres of music.
Social media just amplifies that. It gives me a way to share the stories behind the songs and let people see the heart behind the music, no matter what genre they came for.
Having been named “Artist to Watch in 2025” by The Source and featured across MTV, Revolt TV, and major music publications, you’ve said you didn’t create “The Universal Me” just to be heard but to connect with people across different musical preferences. As you continue to pioneer this Universal genre concept, what do you see as the future of genre-blending artistry in the music industry, and how do you advise other artists who feel pressured to stay within traditional category boundaries?
Stephen Thomas: I think the future of music is limitless. Listeners don’t care about boxes the way the industry used to—they just want to feel something real. That’s what “The Universal Me” represents for me: creating without borders so the music can meet people wherever they are, no matter what they normally listen to.
For other artists, my advice is simple: don’t let fear of the unknown keep you in a lane that doesn’t feel true to you. Respect the roots of every genre you touch, but don’t be afraid to make it your own. When you’re authentic and intentional, people will connect—because real music always finds its audience.
Conclusion
Stephen Thomas’s “The Universal Me” represents more than a genre-bending EP—it embodies a bold artistic philosophy that challenges both industry conventions and listener expectations about what contemporary music can be. His success in seamlessly moving from viral TikTok moments to Active Rock Radio top 60 placements, while earning Grammy considerations and major media coverage, demonstrates that authenticity and artistic courage can indeed create broad, sustainable appeal across diverse audiences. Through his willingness to explore everything from hip-hop swagger to country storytelling within a single project, Thomas has proven that the future of music may belong to artists who refuse to be categorized, instead choosing to reflect the full complexity of human experience through their art. As he continues to pioneer his Universal genre concept and inspire the next generation of boundary-pushing artists, his journey from Charleston to national recognition offers a compelling roadmap for how staying true to oneself—rather than conforming to industry expectations—can create lasting impact and genuine connection with audiences seeking authenticity in an increasingly algorithmic musical landscape.
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