Today’s indie music scene follows a lot of the same patterns: a hot new artist discovered on social media throws out a couple of singles followed by an album and struggles to break out of the sound that threw them in the spotlight. But indie soul collective Oh He Dead flips the narrative—beneath their third EP “Ugly”, a bluesy, lyrically gritty, and sometimes surf-rocking project, lies frontwoman CJ Johnson, an unmatched vocal gem backed by groovy guitar chops and spacey drums.

As Johnson gears up for the “Ugly” tour, including a show at The Middle East club on Saturday, she talked about her journey from stage manager to professional singer, and the process of creating “Ugly.”

Johnson started working musicals in 9th grade, despite being understaffed and nonchalant, because her friends did.  

“I wasn’t super attached to musicals, but musicals and the way the music sounds, the way they’re presented through the showmanship of it all, it’s very different [than other forms of music],” said Johnson.  

Johnson learned music from her high school theater director, Claire Newbegin, who encouraged her to pursue a career in music. 

Newbegin now serves as Johnson’s manager—and three albums later, their relationship is more than just manager and artist. 

“It’s a great trust[ful] relationship already, it’s already been built in [from high school],” said Johnson. 

Johnson was full of laughter recalling how Newbegin knew her when she was 16, and now she’s 28. Newbeign acts “momma-like,” she said

“She’s like, ‘hey, did you eat anything? Do you need something to drink? What do you need?’ And I’m just like, ‘Hey, I’m good!’” Johnson said giggling. 

Johnson noted their relationship is filled with “family vibes,” and that also includes the band. 

“Even with the whole band in general, it’s just a lot of love. We all care for each other,” Johnson said. 

The family has been building steadily over time.

“It wasn’t like I just met them all at once. I’ve met them through various other bands that we’ve played with,” Johnson said.

Johnson recalls a time they found lead guitarist, Alex Salser, playing with another group. 

“[When we] heard him playing, [we went], ‘yeah, we’re stealing him,’” said Johnson. “We’re going to get that dude to play music with us.”

The members of Oh He Dead are an eclectic ensemble, spanning various musical backgrounds

“A lot of them are teachers. The drummer, [Adam Ashforth], does lessons. Our guitarist is a professor at American University,” Johnson said. 

While Johnson’s voice is what makes Oh He Dead unique, the band is what makes it special, and Johnson doubled down on that.

“We all like some of the same music, and sometimes we’re introducing each other to new music, and we just kind of make it work,” Johnson said. “It fits. I don’t know how, but it does.”

“Compatible” would be a humble way to say it. “Ugly” is not only a dynamic demonstration of Johnson’s vocals—it transcends genre, spanning ballads and surf rock too.

Their most popular song, “Is it My Love,” is the perfect example—after she sings, “is it my love,” in the chorus, she gets met with blues guitar licks and tight bass fills before returning to the verse—”that took you off the shelf now?” The lead single paints Johnson as a modern blues crooner. 

Another standout—“Artemis,” begins with a foreboding instrumental intro with a hypnotic synth leading the charge into delicate drum beats and guitar riffs. Johnson slips into the track 30 seconds in, never overpowering the tender instrumentation—as she follows her bandmates’ groove. This track is a great introduction to “Oh He Dead,” and the energy they provide in “Ugly.” 

Ugly’s sound is special, and while “Ugly” is mixed and mastered by engineer and producer, Jimmy Mansfeild, what’s even more compelling is that the album is produced by the band themselves.    

“The rewarding part is that we get to say, ‘hey, we did this ourselves,’” said Johnson. “Nothing feels greater than being able to do anything by yourself”

Johnson says other producers might make artists sing a take 30-something times, but the band makes these executive decisions themselves. 

While those moments in the studio create the final product, Oh He Dead advertises themselves as “giving you one hell of a live show.” When it comes to live performances, Johnson emphasizes consistency.  

“If you’re doing something that makes your show great, continue to do it,” said Johnson. “If you’re consistent with every show that you do, people are expecting to see what they’ve seen you do, and [I’m] not saying it’s a bad thing but you just keep getting better and better at what you do because it’s consistent.”