Jamie Campbell Bower has released his declarative new solo single called “I Am.” It marks the first music from the Stranger Things 4 actor since the conclusion of the popular Netflix series’ latest season.
Though he’s most recently gained widespread notoriety for his three-faced portrayal of antagonist Vecna/Henry Creel/One in the tentpole sci-fi show, Bower has had a musically-inclined career since his screen debut in the 2007 musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. On “I Am,” Bower now assumes the role of himself in a similarly duplicitous fashion. With his imposingly deep, rumbling voice, the singer unleashes an impassioned sermon of conflicting confessions like “I’m an angel/ I’m a demon/ I’m a newborn fawn.” Despite the clash of light and dark throughout the verses, Bower comes in clear-headed for the chorus’ final, menacing warning: “Before the devil comes for you/ Make sure that you have paid your dues.”
The accompanying music video, directed by Vicente Cordero, finds Bower commanding the pulpit of an empty church by brandishing the Bible, pouring wine on the altar, and eventually succumbing to the theatric stomps and claps of his background choir. Though he may seem possessed by some type of higher power at certain points of the visual, Bower still appears every bit himself staring dead-straight into the camera. Watch the video for “I Am” below.
Bower returned to his music roots in 2022 with “Run On,” a collaboration with King Sugar that re-imagined Johnny Cash’s “God’s Gonna Cut You Down,” along with additional loosies like “Devil in Me” and “Crow.” He also fronted the British punk group Counterfeit until their dissolution in 2020. Hear Bower discuss his role on Stranger Things, including how Placebo inspired his demonic portrayal of Vecna, as well as his future music career endeavors in his interview on Kyle Meredith With…
“I Am” Single Artwork: