Frayne Vibez Isn’t Here To Save You, He’s Here To Set You Free

There’s something magnetic about Frayne Vibez. It’s not just his voice, equal parts velvet and fire, or his sound, a fearless fusion of urban alternative pop that weaves together indie rock, hip-hop, and soul as if it were second nature. It’s the energy. The undeniable conviction that this Chicago artist is standing firmly in his purpose, mic in hand, ready to shift something inside you.

His new single, “Savior,” out via Hidden Beach/UMG, is a bold declaration of self-belief masked as a love song. Don’t let the title fool you. Frayne isn’t playing messiah. He’s the mirror. The push. The invitation to remember your power. Over a glossy, synth-driven beat crafted by 14-time Grammy-nominated producer Kosine, Frayne delivers the hook with cool precision:

“I’m not trying to be your savior, but I’m the one that you’ve been waiting for…”

It’s catchy, yes, but more than that, it’s charged. “Savior” feels like a musical pep talk from your most confident self. The one that shoots their shot, says what they mean, and doesn’t wait around for permission.

Raised in a lineage of musical greatness, his grandfather is jazz legend Ramsey Lewis, and his father, Frayne Lewis Sr., is a seasoned producer. Frayne Vibez could’ve followed a script. But instead, he broke it. After studying finance at Loyola, he carved out his path, blending live bedroom performances with genre-bending experimentation. His journey has already taken him from Chicago’s underground to stages at Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, and on tour with Lupe Fiasco. “Savior” is just the beginning of this new chapter.

Whether he’s crooning to a packed crowd in the rain or teasing unreleased cuts on socials, there’s no mistaking that Frayne Vibez is in it for real connection. His music doesn’t try to save you. It meets you where you are and dares you to rise higher. As his voice echoes through the hook, it’s not just a flirtation. It’s a call to action. For love. For courage. For truth.

You've said "Savior" is about empowerment. Was there a personal moment that inspired this track?

Oh, absolutely. The song is all about the situation I went through with my first high school crush during my freshman year. I had heard that she was interested in my friend, with whom I was very close, and he had let me know that he was just talking to her for a good time, not a long time, that type of thing. So, in my head, I was like, 'Okay, maybe I can show her better.' I was asking her friends about her favorite restaurants, music, and candy, all that, because Valentine'sValentine's Day was on the horizon, and I wanted to let her know that I wanted to be with her, no more being the shy guy. The day came, and I gave her a gift filled with gift cards for her favorite hobbies and spots. She agreed to go on a date with me, and we would set it up later in the day. I was so GEEKED. But later, we're snapping, and I'm on my way back to school because I played in the band. She told me that she was sorry and felt bad because she wanted to pursue things with my friend and see where that would go. It shattered me, and to make things worse, my friend was on the basketball team, so I had to play for him while I was on the sidelines playing in the band. Savior is all about this moment right here because it marks a pivotal moment in my journey, not just as an artist but as Frayne. I'm taking this emotionally damaging experience and turning it into a therapeutic journal entry that hopefully can resonate and help others the same way music helped me get out of this rough patch in high school.       

How does growing up in a family of musical legends shape the way you approach your artistry?

From the beginning, growing up in a musical family inherently seeped into me. Of course, with my grandpa being Ramsey Lewis, I was immediately put into piano lessons as soon as I developed any hand-eye coordination. But besides that, the cool thing about my family and why I'm grateful for them is that they didn't press upon me that I HAD to do music. That nurturing led me to discover my path and emotional connection with music, which I don't think I would have had if they had continued to push it on me. So, when I came to my parents and told them I wanted to pursue music, they said okay and supported me. My dad, to this day, always gives me advice and helps me in any way he can, and my grandpa simply told me to keep it all about the music. No matter all the fame, accolades, status, and noise that will happen, just keep making good music and focus on that. And that is what I push forward with to this day; I just wanna make some amazing music. 

Your sound blends so many genres. What's your process when crafting a song from scratch?

My process goes all over the place! But first and foremost, I resonate the most with music when I hear a melody, instrumentation, harmonies, etc, that grabs me. It's that spark you get when you hear something you love, and that's what I create from. Nonstop feelings, energy, and vibes, hence my name. From there, if I have a random melody or cool lyric in my head, I'll record it in Voice Memos, or I'll write it down in my notes. Then, I'll take it to the studio and create from there. My other process, which is what I find myself usually doing, is if I hear a track or loop that immediately grabs me.  As soon as that happens, I already know what I want the song to be about, what the story is, and how the rest of the track should sound. Once the track is ready for vocals, I go in and freestyle melodies. Maybe words will come out, maybe they won't, but this is when I'm the least critical of myself and let it all out. When I feel I have all the melodies I need for the song, I put lyrics to them, do all the cherries on top that I feel the song needs, and we get the song.

What's one moment from your live shows (Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, or the Lupe Fiasco tour) that changed the game for you?

It's actually a moment that consistently happened at every one of these shows, and it was seeing people resonate with my music and become fans. I make music to help people get through hard times, the same way music did for me in high school and to this day. So, to be at these shows and, in real-time, see the people I'm making music for love and resonate with it brought me so much joy. Whenever fans would come up to me telling me how much they love the music, how it reminded them of memories they had growing up, or that it's what they needed to hear, it was a sign for them that took me back.  I saw that my music was actually reaching people, and when I was at the studio, I felt like it had the potential to do that, but seeing and feeling it with my own eyes confirmed it for me. That, hands down, changed the game for me and showed me that what I set out to do was actually happening. I love my fans, and I'm so grateful for them. 

If "Savior" had to be described in one word that's not in the lyrics, what would it be, and why?

"Try." That's the whole point of the song: to take that leap and put yourself out there. And this goes outside of trying to shoot your shot at someone, but in general. Whether you want that job, take that next step in your life, dye your eyebrows orange, or send that risky text, no matter what it is, do it. If you keep biting your tongue, you're never gonna find your voice. I learned that personally. I was the brace face shy kid in the band in high school who felt like a complete outcast. 

I put myself in an unhealthy shell, and that caused me to miss out on potentially a lot of good memories and friendships. This song marks the long personal journey I took, where I'm now speaking up not only for myself but for anyone who feels the same or has gone through similar pains. There are too many situations in life where things could have gone differently if we had just spoken up or stepped in. Savior is all about fighting that norm and speaking up, no matter how small or big the situation is. We need that in the world.