The Oh Hellos, a band from Texas, has steadily grown over the years to make quite a name for themselves in the independent music scene. With poetic lyrics that go deep into what it means to have regrets and find redemption, many have wondered about the faith of the band members, especially siblings Maggie and Tyler Heath, the original founders of the band. How much does faith influence their writing?
Are the Oh Hellos a Religious Band?
The Oh Hellos have mostly done concept albums that tell a story. The themes of these stories could be considered religious by some.
In their first official album, “Through the Deep Dark Valley”, the songs are often told from the point of view of someone telling their story of walking away from and back towards God. There are many references to the parable of the prodigal son as told by Jesus in the Bible. “Second Child, Restless Child” and “Wishing Well” especially seem to be told from the perspective of the younger, wayward brother in the parable.
Their second album, which they consider to be a sequel to their first, draws inspiration from The Screwtape Letters, a book by C.S. Lewis with many religious themes. In the book, demons are trying to turn one particular man away from following what is right. In interviews, they have called this album “essentially fanfiction” of this novel.
Their last few albums are each named after one of the four Greek gods of the four winds. In brief descriptions with each album on their Bandcamp, the band describes this series as a story of reflecting on where our ideas come from and deciphering where to go once you have begun to plumb the depths of what you thought you believed. Many different religions have sought clear answers to these kinds of questions and feelings, so it’s only natural that the band would draw on a lot of religious and spiritual imagery in order to express this topic.
What Kind of Music are the Oh Hellos?
The Oh Hellos have been labeled as folk rock, as well as indie folk.
Folk rock is a combination of rock and folk music. Folk music, while hard to pin down an exact definition, is named from the word folklore and typically takes a more narrative approach to lyrics, with songs telling a story. The Oh Hellos tend to utilize this way of writing by telling unified stories that span across multiple albums.
Indie folk arose in the ‘90s from independent rock artists who were inspired by folk music. Indie folk musicians use an acoustic guitar for most of their songs, though other instruments, such as the banjo or the violin, may accompany them. It is a very unique style that has grown in popularity in the past few years, especially among unsigned musicians.
Are the Oh Hellos a Christian Band?
Many people have wondered if The Oh Hellos are actually a Christian band, due to certain themes are woven throughout their music, as well as Scriptural references and the fact that they are influenced by Christian writers such as C.S. Lewis.
The two founders of the band, Maggie and Tyler Heath do not hide the fact that they are Christians. When asked in an interview if faith is something that comes up consciously in their music, Maggie responded, “It’s definitely intentional, yes.” She explained that she and her brother Tyler grew up in the church and had their own period of time where they questioned their faith upbringing before coming around to “an understanding of what it is we truly believe.” They both want to write music that is sincere, and a part of this sincerity comes from being influenced by their faith and their religious upbringing.
They are quick to say that they are not a Christian band, however, as they view specifically Christian music as “music written by Christians that is just for Christians.”
Tyler also states that they are trying “not to be so overt about it that it scares people away.” Though they have no problem talking about faith, they are trying to reach as wide an audience as possible, and want anyone who listens to them no matter what their beliefs are to be able to relate to and understand their music.
The Oh Hellos Christian Songs
The Oh Hellos have quite a few songs that could be considered Christian in theme, weaving Scriptural references all throughout their albums. One of the most easily recognizable ones is “Soldier Poet King,” which alludes to Christ’s second coming as described in Revelations. “The Valley” includes the line “we came down to the water and we begged for forgiveness,” referencing baptism. “The Valley (Reprise)” ends with instrumentals of the hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” “Like the Dawn” describes the meeting of Adam and Eve after Eve is created, including the delayed warning of the coming fall: “and you will surely be the death of me/but how could I have known?”
The Oh Hellos also have a Christmas album, made up of folk versions of several different classical Christmas hymns, including a song that is a mash-up of “O Come O Come Emmanuel”, “Coventry Carol”, and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”
Are The Oh Hellos a Satanic Band?
The Oh Hellos have four albums named after ancient Greek gods, which some may consider a sign of satanic influence on the band. Whether to appreciate the existence of ancient mythology as an art form or to have nothing to do with it because of its origins has been a long-standing debate within Christianity, and this is unlikely to change anytime soon.
However, even throughout these albums, Scriptural references and Christian themes are woven throughout. Besides this, throughout their first two albums, the devil is sometimes mentioned, but not sympathetically, with the first album expressing regret over caving into temptation from the devil, and the second one about turning away from this temptation for good.
Conclusion
While The Oh Hellos are not a Christian band, they reference their faith in a beautiful, deep way and invite others into the story that we can all share—one of sorrow leading to redemption, peace, and hope for the future.