Brent Faiyaz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brent Faiyaz
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Faiyaz performing in Tokyo in 2024
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Christopher Brent Wood |
| Born | September 19, 1995 Columbia, Maryland, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Years active | 2013–present |
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Christopher Brent Wood (born September 19, 1995), known professionally as Brent Faiyaz, is an American R&B singer from Columbia, Maryland. He originally started out as a SoundCloud rapper in the early 2010s with his debut EP, Black Child in 2013, the EP had a blend of his signature singing style and also shows off his rapping skills, which he would came back to in his sophomore album, but he ultimately went with being a singer. He rose to prominence following his guest performance alongside Shy Glizzy on GoldLink's 2016 single "Crew." The song peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received sextuple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), as well as a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. The following year, he released his debut studio album, Sonder Son (2017).
His 2021 singles, "Wasting Time" (featuring Drake and the Neptunes), "Gravity" (with DJ Dahi featuring Tyler, the Creator), and "Mercedes" each entered the Billboard Hot 100 and preceded the release of his second album, Wasteland (2022), which peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and saw favorable critical reception. His third album, Larger than Life (2023) reached number 11 on the chart.
Contents
Early life
Faiyaz started making music at the age of 12. His parents were not always understanding of his dreams as a musician, which Faiyaz said was warranted as he was "always distracted" by his love for music.
Career
2013–2016: Early career and A.M. Paradox
Faiyaz began uploading his experimental music onto SoundCloud in 2014 and moved from his hometown Columbia, Maryland, to Charlotte, North Carolina, before settling in Los Angeles, California, to further his music career. On January 19, 2015, he released his debut single "Allure". On June 1, 2016, Faiyaz released "Invite Me", the lead single from his debut EP. On September 19, 2016, his 21st birthday, the EP entitled A.M. Paradox was released and received positive reviews from music critics.
In October 2016, Faiyaz formed a group named Sonder with record producers Dpat and Atu. The group released their debut single, "Too Fast," on October 25. On December 16, 2016, Faiyaz was featured alongside rapper Shy Glizzy on the single "Crew" by rapper GoldLink.
2023–present: Larger than Life
In May 2023, Faiyaz founded his own label and creative agency, ISO Supremacy in a joint venture deal with United Masters, rumored to be worth over $50 million. The creative company would sign a joint venture deal with PULSE Records, a subsidiary of Concord Music Group.
Following Faiyaz's new record deal, he released two singles, the Coco Jones-assisted "Moment of Your Life" on August 23, 2023, and "WY@" on September 19, 2023. The singles appeared on Faiyaz's album, Larger than Life which was released on October 27, 2023, through ISO Supremacy and distributed by UnitedMasters.
The album provides a peek into Faiyaz's life, delving into the challenges he faces navigating fame and the expectations of consistently producing music while upholding the intense industry pressure to become "Larger than Life." In response to these pressures, Faiyaz capitalizes on sharing the stories of his romantic and ..., giving listeners an intimate and personal insight into his experiences. [1]
Artistry
Influences
Faiyaz has referred to Lauryn Hill as his biggest influence. When speaking to Fact, Faiyaz stated "It was Lauryn Hill who inspired me to start singing from early on". He's also cited Jeff Buckley, Radiohead, Aaliyah, and Tupac Shakur as some of his inspirations. He has also cited artists such as Currensy, Lil Wayne, Curtis Mayfield, and Gil Scott-Heron among his inspirations.
Musical style
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Faiyaz's musical creativity comes from experiences when living in the world. When interviewed by The Angie Martinez Show, Faiyaz would say, "I'm inspired by real life".
In an interview with Complex, Faiyaz stated that he listens "to a lot of different types of genres," however, he noted that he's an R&B artist because he's "Black, I sing, and I have a soulful voice." .....
His earlier songs from his Black Child EP consisted of predominantly Rap music, in particular, Faiyaz specialized in trap soul music, however, as he grew as an artist, he began to ease into his R&B side, allowing elements of hip-hop into his music. Faiyaz stated that music is a form of therapy for him, noting that it's the main reason his music is as deep and as personal as it comes off as. He noted that he "write[s] a lot" and that his writing consists of poetry, day to day notes, and music, however, sometimes, he "can go into the studio and not write at all."
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Faiyaz stated that he's comfortable recording music wherever he is, stating that he "catch[es] a vibe just naturally". He stated that he gets "stuck on records for a long period of time", leaving him to "sit on it for a little bit". He described his recording process as "very long and drawn-out", noting that that's the primary reason why he takes as long as he does to release his music.
Faiyaz has stated that his writing is the most important part of his recording process to him, stating that, "for me, it’s something different when it comes to lyrics. I think that it touches on when a song moves past just music, in terms of the literature".I just put together what I felt was a good body of work and what I wanted to create and the story I wanted to tell When asked how he'd describe himself as an artist, Faiyaz stated that he "just put[s] together what [he feels is] a good body of work and what [he] wanted to create and the story [he] wanted to tell".
Discography
- Sonder Son (2017)
- Wasteland (2022)
- Larger Than Life (2023)
See also
In Spanish: Brent Faiyaz para niños
