Henrik Shows Us the Bravery of Honesty in "You & your eyes"
A positive mindset is a blessing—one to be cherished, one to be defended bravely against all forces seeking to tear it down. Henrik Hoeldtke, more popularly known as Henrik, knows this best. At just 22 years old, Henrik has taken up the mantle of Christian music, a genre now finding its place in the halls of TikTok and other short-form content platforms. It is here that Henrik devotes himself to his craft, and in doing so, propels himself toward greater heights.
Henrik's latest single, "You & your eyes," is emblematic of his genre-defying style. Poetic tap-tap verses ride the twangy chords and rich arpeggios of acoustic guitars and bass lines, coming together in an alt-folk-like song about common human fault lines—a sharp contrast to his previous pop-punk and rap releases. It is this three-dimensional approach to music that carries his messages home and positions him at the forefront of what can be classified as nouvelle Christian music.
Often characterized by hymns and power chords, the genre has been stagnant—intentionally so—to remain easily identifiable and consumed. Henrik breaks that stillness like a skipping stone on a lake, creating ripples with each hit of the mirrored surface. In "You & your eyes," the lyrics reveal a human wrestling with impulses and wrong decisions, finding ways to forgive and be forgiven. “Pick fights to win / ’Cause you know I’ll spin back again / I’m not perfect / No one is / Lord knows I try,” sets the chorus into motion to unveil a message of resilience and understanding.
These themes of sincere regret and commitment to betterment are brave, for it takes courage to admit wrongdoings—and even more to accept those of others. Through his music, Henrik creates an atmosphere of positivity and growth, inviting listeners to reflect inward through conflict and heal wounds by first healing others. This makes for quite a different kind of breakup song. With each resounding chorus, Henrik is making faith-based music accessible, unrecognizable perhaps, but in the best of way, providing it the only avenue it should take—through human experience.
“South Jersey music” is what Henrik calls his style of song, and like him, it has traversed that terrain and more. Compounding the experiences of this young artist into songs that feel like a soothing chat with a friend, his music carries serene melodies and folk sensibilities that become more like bonfires of communion. Henrik’s trajectory is bright, and in songs like "You & your eyes," his honesty reigns supreme, opening the door for a generation to be more self-aware, more in tune with others, and more protective of what is good in both the “you” and the “I.”
Watch the "You and your eyes" lyric video below:
