by Mike Scarfo
Rising Worcester, Massachusetts singer and vocalist Faybee has proven her resilience in 2022; she first hit the stage in March opening for Timi O and l.ucas at The Rockwell, and followed up with another promising performance at Spicket River Brewery in June. With only a mere handful of singles out on streaming services at the time over the span of two years (“lil bit”, “Coast”, & “Lonely Girl”), Faybee has doubled her catalog just this year alone. Starting with the light and eclectic “She a Star”, Faybee softly layers gorgeous vocals that command attention; there’s a confidence about this song that is unlike the rest she’s released. The contrast of her seemingly innocent, subdued vocal delivery and atmospheric melody blended with trap drums make for a captivating listen.
Faybee’s late-July release “Come My Way” featuring friend and fellow MA-native hip-hop artist Timi O is another elevation of her sound. “Come My Way” features a smooth and catchy hook and bridge that takes the narrative of the promiscuous male who consistently plays his female counterpart, and flips it on its head; instead its Faybee’s portrayal of a woman who has this man “wrapped around her finger” and takes control of the apparent power struggle with full force. There’s an undeniable swagger in her vocals that are slightly toned down to provide a darker, more ominous aesthetic. Timi O enters in the back half of the quick-hitting track; the disparity of his character’s perspective paints a vivid picture of a man who thinks he’s in the driver’s seat, only for Faybee to abruptly cut him off with her smooth, confident delivery of “can you come my way? Let’s see can you make my day? Let’s see, can you make me stay?”. Lyrically simplistic but thoroughly complex in its message of breaking the barriers of misogyny, “Come My Way” is far more thought-provoking than it initially appears to be on its surface.
Most recently, Faybee just released her latest offering titled “Pat Down”, which is certainly the most hypnotic and dynamic of the three from an instrumental standpoint (all of which were produced by the talented producer, engineer, and musician l.ucas). But Faybee’s performance is nothing short of brilliant, making “Pat Down” the most likely candidate in her catalog to have serious replayability and range. Faybee’s vocal inflections and flow patterns over this bright and bouncy beat is entrancing; her delivery sounds effortless and captures a brash confidence I’ve yet heard on any other of her songs. Faybee even showcases some rap-style bars in the final minute of the track, a welcomed surprise in this otherwise sexy, lustful pop banger that is sure to be the cherry on top of a strong summer of local Massachusetts music.
If you aren’t hip to Faybee and her music yet, these three songs are a necessary starting point in getting on board early in her career, because she’s only just beginning to blossom into an artist worth keeping an ear to. To hear all of these songs and keep up to date with all things Faybee, check out the links below.