Brent Faiyaz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brent Faiyaz
Faiyaz in 2016
Background information
Birth name	Christopher Brent Wood
Born	(1995-09-19) September 19, 1995 (age 29) Columbia, Maryland, U.S.
Genres	R&B alternative R&B
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter rapper record producer
Years active	2013–present
Labels	ISO Supremacy (current) Venice Lost Kids (former)

Christopher Brent Wood (born September 19, 1995), known as Brent Faiyaz, is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. He became well-known after singing on GoldLink's 2016 hit song "Crew." This song was very popular, reaching number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also earned a special award for selling many copies and was nominated for a Grammy Award.

In 2017, Faiyaz released his first studio album, Sonder Son. People know him for his smooth voice and calm, "slow jam" style of music. Sometimes, he also raps in his songs. He started his music journey in 2013 with his first music collection, called an EP, Black Child. He then released another EP, A.M. Paradox, in 2016. That same year, he formed an R&B music group called Sonder.

In 2020, his fourth EP became his first work to appear on the Billboard 200 chart. His second album, Wasteland (2022), reached number two on the Billboard 200. This album included popular songs like "Gravity" and "Wasting Time." His first mixtape, Larger than Life (2023), also did well on the charts. In 2023, Faiyaz started his own music company and record label called ISO Supremacy.

Brent Faiyaz's Early Life

Faiyaz attended Long Reach High School.

Christopher Brent Wood was born on September 19, 1995, in Columbia, Maryland. His father has family from the Dominican Republic, and his mother is African-American. Faiyaz shared in an interview that he received his first toy keyboard at age six. This gift made him "fall in love" with music.

He began making music at age twelve. He would sell his beats to older kids to earn some money. He first listened to hip-hop music because his brother suggested artists like Ginuwine. Later, in high school, he started listening to R&B music. Faiyaz went to Long Reach High School and finished at 17. His parents did not always understand his dream of being a musician. Faiyaz said this was fair because his love for music often made him forget about school. This caused his grades to be low.

After high school, Faiyaz and his family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. At first, Faiyaz was not sure about the move. But he soon realized it would help him work harder on his music. In 2014, Faiyaz moved to Los Angeles, California. He went there to follow his dream of a music career.

Brent Faiyaz's Music Journey

Starting His Career: 2013-2016

Before his official music career, around age twelve, Brent Faiyaz recorded music at home. He did not have much money then. He mostly recorded hip-hop music because he wanted to be a rapper. Faiyaz released his first EP, Sunset Ave., in March 2013. His second EP, Black Child, came out in December of the same year.

In 2014, Faiyaz started putting his experimental music on SoundCloud. During this time, he moved from his hometown in Maryland to North Carolina. Then he settled in Los Angeles, California, to push his music career forward. In Los Angeles, Faiyaz met his manager, Ty Baisden. Ty helped him pursue his dream of being an independent artist.

On January 19, 2015, Faiyaz released his first single, "Allure." On June 1, 2016, he released "Invite Me." This song was the first single from his official debut EP. On his 21st birthday, September 19, 2016, his EP called A.M. Paradox was released. Music critics gave it good reviews. This EP was released under Faiyaz's own independent record label, Lost Kids, LLC. He started this label with Ty Baisden's help that same year. Faiyaz also signed a deal with Pulse Music Group. In October 2016, Brent Faiyaz formed a group called Sonder with producers Dpat and Atu. The group released their first song, "Too Fast," on October 25. On December 16, 2016, Faiyaz was featured on the song "Crew" by rapper GoldLink.

Latest Music: Larger than Life (2023-Present)

Faiyaz performing live in Tokyo, Japan, 2024

In May 2023, Faiyaz started his own music label and creative company, ISO Supremacy. He partnered with United Masters for this venture. ISO Supremacy also made a deal with PULSE Records. Faiyaz explained that this platform helps artists like Tommy Richman have a creative home. He said they want to help artists grow globally while keeping creativity first.

After his new record deal, Faiyaz released "Moment of Your Life" with Coco Jones on August 23. He then released the song "WY@" on September 19. On October 26, Faiyaz shared a trailer for his mixtape Larger than Life. The mixtape was released the next day through ISO Supremacy. It debuted at number eleven on the Billboard 200 chart.

On December 8, 2023, Brent released a music video for "Upset," featuring Tommy Richman and FELIX. On December 15, 2023, a remixed version of the album was released. On January 16, 2024, Brent released the music video for "Pistachios." On February 14, he released the music video for "WY@," starring actress Lupita Nyong'o. This video was released on Valentine's Day because of the song's themes.

On January 12, 2024, Faiyaz was a guest on the song "Should've Wore a Bonnet" from 21 Savage's album, American Dream. On February 24, both artists performed the song on Saturday Night Live. Faiyaz also appeared in Billboard magazine in June 2024. He was also asked to present at Billboard's 2024 Indie Power Players event.

Brent Faiyaz's Musical Style

Who Inspired Brent Faiyaz?

Faiyaz has credited Lauryn Hill (left) and Tupac Shakur (right) as being his biggest musical influences.

Faiyaz has said that Lauryn Hill is his biggest inspiration. He told Fact magazine that Lauryn Hill inspired him to start singing early on. He remembers seeing her album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill when he was a child. He noted that the album smoothly blended R&B and Hip-Hop. This blend gave him a reason to follow a similar path. He also mentioned Aaliyah, Currensy, Curtis Mayfield, Gil Scott-Heron, Jeff Buckley, Radiohead, and Tupac Shakur as other inspirations.

How Brent Faiyaz Makes Music

His early songs from the Black Child EP were mostly Rap music. He specialized in a style called trap soul. But as he grew as an artist, he started focusing more on his R&B side. He still included elements of hip-hop in his music.

Faiyaz sees music as a form of therapy for himself. He says this is why his music feels so deep and personal. He writes a lot, including poetry, daily notes, and music lyrics. Sometimes, he can go into the studio and create without writing anything down first. In an interview, Faiyaz said he feels comfortable recording music anywhere. He can "catch a vibe just naturally." He also said he can get "stuck on records for a long period of time." This means he sometimes waits a while before releasing his music. He described his recording process as "very long and drawn-out." This is why it takes him a long time to release new music.

Faiyaz believes his writing is the most important part of making music. He feels that lyrics make a song more than just music. When asked to describe himself as an artist, Faiyaz said he simply creates what he feels is good. He focuses on telling the story he wants to share.

Brent Faiyaz's Albums

• Sonder Son (2017)
• Wasteland (2022)
• Larger Than Life (2023)

Awards and Nominations

Brent Faiyaz has been recognized for his music with several awards and nominations.

See also

In Spanish: Brent Faiyaz para niños