Musician Eric Himan has always wanted to sing a duet with Natalie Merchant.

“I loved listening to 10,000 Maniacs as a kid,” he says.

Himan, who just turned 26, has been called the “gay Kurt Cobain,” even though he is far less fatalistic. He also has been compared to Prince, Ani DiFranco, Tracy Chapman and Rufus Wainwright.

On his new album “Dark Horses,” Himan sings of faith, love and trying to connect, especially when he achingly cries, “You’re my habit; I’m your curse.”

On the bittersweet “Clyde,” Himan is accompanied only by a piano, and the effect is breathtaking. He doesn’t just elect to craft songs that reach into the soul and set up residence; he simply has no choice.

“When I write, the lyrics come first. I craft the melody around them,” he says. “I don’t want to come off as sounding like I am bragging, but for me, it’s easy.”

Himan's sexy, tattoo-covered physical image and the contrasting poet underneath have built a huge following among indie music fans, including an Atlanta following from multiple local shows and an appearance at Atlanta Pride. He returns to town next week at a CD signing at Outwrite Books, followed by a concert at Smith's Olde Bar.

Himan continuously crisscrosses the country on tour. It's just him in his Dodge van with his equipment, his CDs and a huge smile. Life, it seems, is good.

We caught up with him by telephone from the road.

Southern Voice: People may not know that your own label is called Thumbcrown Records, so named for the crown tattoo on your thumb?
Eric Himan: That’s right. My best friend in college, Cassandra Buncie, and I are basically Thumbcrown. But after managing the production of my own four albums, we certainly want to get to a place where we can develop other artists. As I travel across the country, I recognize performers who are so talented, and I wish I had more time. It’ll happen.

SoVo: What song by another artist do you wish you had written?
Himan: I did my first cover song on this CD, Simply Red’s ‘Holding Back the Years,’ so I guess I’ll go with that one. That song has always held special meaning to me. ‘Strangled by the wishes of pater. Hoping for the arms of mater.’

SoVo: This album is really different from your first three. The production is more lush, and you offer more piano accompaniment. Was it a conscious decision to make it stand out from the others?
Himan: I wanted to make an album like ones I used to listen to growing up, not just a promotional tool for my touring, an album you can listen to over and over again. Like Sarah McLachlan’s “Fumbling Towards Ecstasy” or Melissa’s “Yes I Am.”

SoVo: You often sing about faith and searching for answers. What are your spiritual beliefs?
Himan: My spiritual beliefs are simple and stem from the idea that everything happens for a reason, and that we are all guided by a combination of faith and our determination.

SoVo: What’s in your CD player right now in the van?
Himan: Tori Amos' ‘Little Earthquakes’ and Ani DiFranco's ‘Not A Pretty Girl.’

SoVo: What don’t most people know about you?
Himan: That I’m generally a nice guy. Just because I have tattoos and I get this bad boy image, you know. But my tattoos are like cartoons. I’m very inviting.