Multi-hyphenated creatives aren’t necessarily anything new in today’s entertainment landscape. Some individuals use films or television to make headway into music and vice versa. It’s a way for artists to express every angle of themselves through various mediums. For Erica McCauley, a.k.a. TheARTI$T, the Newark, New Jersey R&B crooner/painter, uses sight and sound to tell her ever-evolving story. Most importantly, it’s earned her a huge following with 144,000 followers on Instagram alone. 

“I feel like art manifests in my work just with everything,” TheARTI$T explained. “Art is just who I am on the inside and outside; in front of the camera and off the camera. When I wake up, I’m doing some artsy shit like paintaing, I’m getting dressed in something creative or listening to musc.”

TheARTI$T had her breakout moment last Summer due to the release of her debut album Artchives. She described the nine-track project as “a kind of art gallery depicting events from my life and inviting others to join me.” The album’s lead single, “Sober,” was boosted by a major stage performance that garnered nearly a million views on TikTok. 

Even her fashion sense is inspired by the art of thrifting. TheARTI$T’s mother introduced her to the idea of getting vintage clothes for a unique look and possibly getting something timeless. 

“Just being able to piece it all together yourself, express yourself, and do whatever you want to do,” said TheARTI$T. When it comes to getting dressed, I just love it so much. I could thrift for days and not have a worry in this world.” 

It’s easy to see why a song describing the aftermath of a breakup was so appealing with lyrics like “I'll be damned if I just let you try to walk all on me / Rather be alone than be with you and still feel lonely / If I could do this all again you would remain the homie / I gave up chances after chances and you still don't know me.” According to TheARTI$T, the album showcased what she could do vocally and production-wise. 

“I feel like that project definitely introduced who I am, what I’m capable of doing fully, and why I still don't feel like I’m my best self,” explained TheARTI$T. That project definitely opened a lot of doors for me. People continuously reach out to me, sending me messages and connecting with me through that project as we slowly get into the one-year anniversary.” 

Between “Sober” alongside “Love Outloud” making Spotify’s “Fresh Finds R&B Best of 2023,” performing at Tank’s R&B Money Grammy showcase, and being selected this year as one of South By Southwest Music Festival’s official artists, TheARTI$T feels more motivated than ever in 2024. It also doesn’t hurt that she’s been embraced by some musical heavy hitters. Some of the names include K Camp, in which she was recently featured on Float 2 London track “Love In The Middle,” IDK, and Summer Walker, among others.

“People are watching, and they’re seeing what we're doing,” said TheARTI$T. “It definitely motivates me to work even harder because where else can we go if we continue to work hard?” 

For her first release of 2014, she drops the sensually romantic “You For Me.” The track features her collaborating with celebrated R&B hitmaker Troy Taylor, who is known for helping put together tracks from Tyrese’s “Sweet Lady” to Trey Songz's “Neighbors Know My Name,” among others. “You For Me also features TheARTI$T tapping into her painting bag through the music video, featuring various paintings. 

“My paintings were inspired by a lot of love, the things I went through when it came to tears and holding hands,” explained TheARTI$T. “I was able to showcase that through a music video. At this point, they’re hand-in-hand.”

TheARTI$T mentioned more music down the pipeline this year alongside a deluxe edition of as well Artchives and possibly a follow-up project to be released around her birthday. Inspired by everything around her, she’s filled with influences. This includes artists like SZA, Victoria Monet, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, who have shaped her. Vulnerable art like that is a foundational reflection of her philosophy and identity. Expressing those through music or visual art is about bringing out every ounce of evolving emotions.

“I have feelings too, real feelings,” she said. “Also, I'm a woman at the end of the day and I always make sure to make that known too. I'm a woman and I'm proud to be a woman. And when it comes to art, I just feel like I'm still working on that part of myself. It is a work in progress for me on the art side, because that was something that was always just my thing. That was nothing that I felt that I thought, okay, maybe I could do this for real one day. Maybe I could sell this one day.”