Exposed Vocals Interviews FAIYA
A Brooklyn born Indonesian/Puertorican/
Sicilian lyricist on a mission to help Hip-Hop reclaim it’s identity. My music borders on pop, conscious, street, R&B and sometimes even Metal … but it all comes from the same place. I lay out my experiences in the hopes that somebody can relate, and in the end I am sure that many will.
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
FAIYA:
I grew up in Flatbush, Brooklyn. I have been heavily influenced by Hip-Hop my entire childhood to be honest, but it wasn’t until Tupac hit the scene that I truly fell in love with the genre. The gangster rap era went hand in hand with my neighborhood at the time and my experiences, and so I really took to the whole west coast movement.
Actually didn’t start pursuing rap until 2006. I wanted to become an actor and spent about two years prior pursuing acting through a talent agency … and one day it just hit me. I really can’t say what did it, but a switch went off and I locked myself indoors and wrote 25 songs back to back in a one month timespan. The rest is history.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
FAIYA:
A close friend came up with the name. Back in high school when we used to hang out and pen out tags like the vandals we were, he just turned my name into FAIYA and it stuck. My nickname throughout my younger years was FUZ, but FAIYA represented everything I wanted to bring to the table when it came to music. It has since evolved into an acronym: Find Answers If You Ask.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
FAIYA:
I often give music away though I am not the biggest fan of free music. I feel that anyone who does something for a living should make a living off of it. Very tough to do that if your craft is non-profit. We have to roll with the punches and stay relevant, however, and so what I do is give fans some of my pre-professional material as gifts. It serves to help them better understand where I came from and will also work to develop a deeper relationship with my music and myself as an artist. I also create freestyles to popular songs and give those out as a thank you for signing up to my mailing list, purchasing music, sharing my videos, etc.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
FAIYA:
Be available. Be aggressive. Know what you bring to the table.
I am not sure whether my method of booking shows or gaining airplay is the best way to go about things, but I am a firm believer in personal relationships. Music is a very personal part of my life even though it is also a business. With that said I treat my contacts like family. This means I will go above and beyond if they need something from me, without expecting anything in return. It has helped me to develop friendships that have lasted almost a decade now … and we really look out for each other’s’ interests.
My photographer is a staple in my career, as is my former manager and a slew of producers, publicists, editors, stylists and most importantly fans that have grown with me through the years. Humility and appreciation will help you get where you need to go.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
FAIYA:
My inspiration typically comes from everyday experiences. I often tell people that music is my journal as that is what it predominantly is. There are occasional songs that come purely from my imagination, and while I would argue that there still is a lot of truth in it, the stories are fictional.
The process is simple and I have a cardinal rule that I will not break: Do not write music when I am stressed or mentally preoccupied. My mission is to inject love, compassion, understanding and truth into every project I turn out … and so I am very adamant about keeping negativity out of my music. Trust me the energy would find its way into the product.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
FAIYA:
My official website is www.FAIYA.net. I share my music mainly through Facebook (www.facebook.com/faiyazhot) and Youtube (www.youtube.com/mor3faiya85) but I am also on Reverbnation, Twitter, Soundcloud as well as streaming on various different platforms. You can also purchase my music on iTunes, Google Play or Amazon.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
FAIYA:
The money would mostly go to my family so that they can fund their dreams and give my nieces and nephews everything they want. Maybe about $50,000 would go into revamping my entire studio set up, which would include audio and video upgrades. Any leftover would be used for travel.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
FAIYA:
I’m old school. The best way for me to promote is to physically meet new people and interact. Shows have proven to give me my most loyal fan base, as I can profoundly affect new listeners with real, raw energy. Aside from that I try my best to stay consistent and keep myself on people’s radar. Plus I collaborate a lot, and that is my absolute favorite form of promotion. Promotion between artists is very genuine as you both understand the difficulties in your respective fields, and both appreciate every bit of help you can get.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
FAIYA:
I am currently hard at work on my upcoming album which will be titled “Faiya|Proof”. The introductory video to the project is currently featured on my YouTube channel and is helping me to corral more supporters to my movement. I am looking to have the album completed by late this year/early next year.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
FAIYA:
At this point in time I believe if I wasn’t making music I would be a Human Rights Activist. I have a big mouth and strong opinions, and being that my opinions are always geared towards justice and equality, it would only be right for me to move in that direction. Music allows me to do this in a sense also, and so I feel fulfilled knowing that I have the power to inspire change through this medium..
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
FAIYA:
As best I can. It is not easy by any means, and takes a lot of organizational skills. Lucky for me I used to be an office manager so I think I do alright. I don’t just write, record and release music. I direct, shoot, and edit my own videos, plan and book my photo shoots, mix and master my music, design my artwork and websites, book my own shows, negotiate my own terms, as well as market and promote as consistently as possible. That is only for the music side of my life. I am just as involved in every other aspect of my life, so it becomes stressful at times, but always worth it.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
FAIYA:
They can look forward to getting to know me a WHOLE lot better. I am diving very deep with this upcoming album … get your scuba gear ready folks!