Carpetman — the Mysterious Ukrainian Artist Taking Soul to Incredible Places

There are different directions artists can take with their music. They can embrace the theatrical, the aesthetic, building a look and a vibe into the very core of their music — think Prince, Elton John, Lady Gaga.

Or they can opt to let their music do the talking, removing the pageantry and ostentatiousness in favor of something a little more everyday. People like Buddy Holly, Bob Dylan, and Adele have lived extraordinary lives, but they have always maintained a semblance of the ordinary.

For Carpetman, however, it’s a little different. This is an artist who certainly leaves a visual impression from the very first moment you see him, with a unique attire that sets him apart from the crowd. But with his music, he’s doing something more understated, more understated, more restrained, more human. He’s building a sonic world for us — a world we can all lose ourselves in.

Carpetman’s Background

His background is something of a mystery, and the artist would prefer to keep it that way. In an age of celebrity obsession, and fans poring over every aspect of an artist’s life, Carpetman wants to inspire profound connections with this work. And so his identity remains a secret.

It’s no surprise that the few details he has shared about his life all revolve around music. He has said that he has been passionate about music since his earliest years. And — though the Carpetman project only began in the middle of 2023 — it was during his childhood that he first began to develop his trademark style.

As well as the sonic beauty, there are distinct visual elements to Carpetman’s work. The patterned carpet that he uses to disguise his face represents the tradition and culture of his Ukrainian homeland. It enables the musician to take center stage during his remarkable video and live performances, without giving anything away.

Witnessing Carpetman’s performances, it’s clear that dancing and movement are such big parts of his music. Accompanying the remarkable beauty of his vocals are poses and contortions that become part of the artistry itself. You can listen and appreciate the music without the visuals, but the artist seems intent on creating multimedia works that transcend traditional musical forms.

Music

So what are these musical forms exactly? Well, Carpetman is certainly tuned in to a long and rich musical history. His work is largely produced in the English language and takes up the mantle of the blues and soul musicians who have gone before him. His vocals are truly something to behold and manage to conjure up images of gospel choirs and delta bluesmen almost simultaneously.

Blues and soul, as modes of musical expression, have taken elements of age-old African and Caribbean music and turned these elements into something that is unmistakably American. Carpetman has certainly taken these influences on board while staying true to his own musical heritage.

He’s also teased some of his influences. Icelandic blues rock band Kaleo, California hip-hop and chillwave outfit Hippie Sabotage, and British electro-house artist Elderbrook have all provided inspiration for Carpetman, as has the Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi, famous for his film and television soundtracks, as well as his standalone compositions.