Fast-rising Texas artist Empty Heaven searches his personal history to find meaning in his artistic pursuits on the deeply-personal “Ozzy.”

It is said that we carry within us the same extraordinary things that we seek in our lives. Artists, for example, are always searching for the next truth about life and art and existence. They roam the world, engaging anyone who will listen, picking up parts of the bigger picture that is life on this chaotic planet. They are hoping to unlock the secrets of the universe. Regardless of how long it takes, they all inevitably come to understand that the universe is a part of them, and they are a part of it. The two things are the same, and the fact that air is filling their lungs is no more or less exceptional than the way sunlight dances off morning frost as spring begins to break.

For Empty Heaven, one of the most exciting new voices of 2021, the truth about the interconnectivity of all things came together when he encountered a fellow musician at a pivotal point in his creative development. The man that he and we call “Ozzy” showed him the power of songs by pursuing the same truths we are all seeking in our lives.

That man’s influence on Empty Heaven and the fleeting nature of all relationships is the focus of “Ozzy,” a largely spoken-word track that combines reflections on existence and catharsis in a captivating manner. It’s storytelling at its musical best, and today, Substream is excited to premiere the lyric video for “Ozzy” with you. Check it out:

The video itself is purposefully simple. Partnering with illustrator Saúl Garza to create beautiful hand drawn art, the clip pans over handwritten lyrics whose presentation emphasizes the importance of the story.

Speaking on “Ozzy,” Empty Heaven tells us:

“No matter how far gone from the present, some people will be specters in your life whether you like it or not. If we believe that a person at any given moment is a collection of experiences and interactions, it is worth exploring the gray area between positive and negative ones to appreciate a person’s complexity. Not every story can be binarily categorized, and “Ozzy” is a song about someone who lived, and undoubtedly still in, that liminal space. It’s about a friend who was an objectively bad influence but ended up being instrumental in how I think, act and make art as an adult. “Good” friend or “bad” friend is not enough. “Friend” is where it stops.”

Empty Heaven has big plans for 2021. “Ozzy” is a standalone single in nearly every sense of the word, but more music exists on the horizon. We swore ourselves to secrecy, but you can follow Empty Heaven on Twitter and Instagram to ensure you hear everything he has planned.