* En anglais uniquement
Brent Faiyaz is a contemporary R&B singer, songwriter, and producer whose sly vocals, frequently applied to atmospheric slow jam productions, resemble a distinctive cross between
Slim (of
112) and
the Weeknd. Active since the mid-2010s as a solo artist and as one-third of
Sonder, he made a major commercial breakthrough with a featured appearance on
GoldLink's multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated "Crew" (2016). He has since issued the independent solo albums
Sonder Son (2017), Top 20 entry
Fuck the World (2020), and 2022's features-heavy Wasteland.
The Maryland native got started with SoundCloud uploads and within a couple years settled in Los Angeles to further his career. Shortly after he made his commercial debut in 2016 with the A.M. Paradox EP, he was heard on
GoldLink's "Crew." The single reached number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100, went triple platinum, was nominated for a Grammy -- in the category of Best Rap/Sung Collaboration -- and was licensed for season two of
Insecure. Just before "Crew" was released,
Faiyaz, along with producers Atu and Dpat, formed a group called
Sonder, who debuted in early 2017 with the
Into EP. Later in the year,
Faiyaz released
Sonder Son, a full-length recorded during a one-month stay in the Dominican Republic. Another solo EP, Lost, was out in 2018.
Appearances on tracks by
A$AP Ferg and
Juice WRLD preceded the February 2020 release of the singer's second album,
Fuck the World, which debuted on the Billboard 200 at number 20. Early the following year,
Faiyaz and
DJ Dahi collaborated on the single "Gravity," which also featured
Tyler, The Creator. "Wasting Time" featuring
Drake arrived a few months later. Both songs appeared on 2022's full-length Wasteland, which also included contributions from
Alicia Keys and
Raphael Saadiq. ~ Andy Kellman