Through a range of inspiring but challenging stories and experiences from his youth, despite at the tender age of 18, Favour.O, a singer/songwriter from Southampton, UK, writes music as a form of storytelling and catharsis, a skill which he acquired since the age of 12. His recent debut single "Free", released in early 2019, is a romantic plea of liberation from Favour’s past relationships which have done more harm than good, an experience which is widely related to. Favour's music is largely based on past experiences and as a socially conscious person, he often finds inspiration from things he sees and experiences on a day to day basis, as well as those experienced by others around the world. He channels in his environment, impressive spirituality aesthetic into his unique approach to music. His voice reminds me a lot like Khalid due to the stylistic articulation both artists have in common. It’s as if he’s singing in cursive. The melody and resonance Favour portrays is highly comforting for me. While listening to this song you feel a sense of freedom and relaxation. It brings peace and serenity onto your mood, regardless of the emotions you are feeling prior to listening and the emotions you are feeling during listening. “Free” by Favour was a beautiful song that was well executed and manufactured together. Due to Favour’s simplistic delivery and metaphorical way of lending his hand out to take you onto his journey of emancipation, this R&B, pop-soulful hit will be remembered for all it’s worth!
Listen to "Free" now on Spotify, and catch this artists exclusive interview below where he shares his inspirations on the latest single!
Hey Favour O! Great to chat with you! How does the music scene in UK differ from the music scene in U.S?
No doubt the music audience in the US is much larger than in the Uk... because the US has a bigger population so its often thought that if you want to make it big you need to reach into the market in the US. But as for the music coming from both countries, I think theres a lot of great artists in the scene right now and more emerging. Some of my favourites from the US this past few years have been Khalid and Daniel Caesar. As for music in the Uk, it's been great to see artists such as Rachel Chinouriri, Hamzaa, Jvck James from London gain more recognition because of the diverse range of sounds they offer. Thats one thing I feel like theres more of in the Uk music scene... a greater range of styles. Of course a big genre in the UK is Grime which is predominantly from London and led by artists like Stormzy and Skepta but theres much more music and talent which has been undiscovered as of yet but will very soon!
Tell us a little bit about “Free” and what inspired you to write it?
"Free" was written from of my past childhood experience. I found it difficult finding genuine friends growing up and it was a constant cycle of getting to know someone, getting emotionally invested in them and then getting my heart broken after finding out they didn't have the right intentions. It definitely left me with a lot of trust issues moving forward and emotional scarring from relationships that I had invested so much time and effort in. Written from a romantic perspective, "Free" talks about being in a toxic relationship with someone who doesn't treat you well. Its often hard to leave these relationships because of the emotional attachment you've had to the person, although you know leaving is the right thing to do. It then talks about finally being able to leave this relationship, and begin the process of getting over the person, healing and moving on with life. It's not easy for sure, but its definitely what is needed to feel "Free".
Did you find any challenges in the studio production of “Free” ?
Yes actually haha. I was fortunate to collaborate with French Producer Bob Andria, who is very talented, with the help of Rekinsa who is a sound engineer living in the US, and is also extremely gifted, but as you can imagine as we are all living in different countries, bringing the record into fruition and getting it to sound just right the way we wanted it to sound was quite a process and involved a lot of sending different mixes back and forth. I was also preparing for my A-Levels in college at the time of working on the record, so balancing the two took discipline, but I made it work in the end. I'm extremely happy with the way it turned out and I love the song soo much! It didn't take that long for me to write it which I think shows the creative flow that came from the song. It just felt right!
How do you use music as a pathway of expression for you?
Music is therapy for me, it helps me take better control of my emotions, whether that be in the high or low points of life. Sometimes you just need to let things out and I feel like it gives me the opportunity to do that. It also allows me to connect with others. With the music I aim to produce, I want people to be able to relate to it because we are all human and having someone else who understands what you are going through is a comforting thought... even if its coming from a song. My music is also influenced by a range of artists and music styles so it allows me to also express my individuality and personal style.
What's next for you through 2019?
Lots more music coming! Some more releases throughout the year but I'm currently working on an ep, which I hope will be able to give more insight into me as an artist, my style and more stories I wish to share through my music. I'm also hoping to do some shows this year and perform my music live so my listeners can experience it first hand and I also get the chance to meet them which is a plus! :)
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