Interview: London Based Singer-Songwriter FACEF8 Discusses Her New Single "Made It Out"

FACEF8 is a French born singer-songwriter based in London, United-Kingdom. Influenced by 90s RnB, Hip-Hop and Pop, her smooth voice is reminiscent of Janet Jackson’s soft style vocals. As a strong believer in fate, her music is lyrically abstract yet meaningful and deeply personal.

We connected with FACEF8 for an exclusive Q&A to discuss her DOPE new single “Made It Out”, find out whether we can expect a video for it next, learn more about her creative process for song development, and much more. After reading our interview with this talented artist, be sure to connect with her on social media and her website for all things “FACEF8”.

I am really fascinated by your moniker "FACEF8". How did this name originate?

I went through a lot of self-doubt and confidence issues when it comes to my artistry so I wanted a name that served me as a reminder of some sort.

My journey with music started as early as I can remember but as time went on and after a few setbacks I decided to quit music altogether. For anyone who has ever repressed their true callings, things can quickly get painful and unbearable. Life became empty and meaningless. At that point the only thing I was longing for was doing what I love the most. Music is what I always wanted to do so when I realised that I could not live without it, everything around me was screaming “you can’t escape it, just do it!” I told myself that it must be FATE and that I should FACE it! That’s how “FACEF8” came about. Now every time I feel like giving up, I just remind myself that I’m FACEF8 and that’s what I do, I face my fate. My song “Outside” is a good depiction of what I went through to get to this point.

Describe your creative process when it comes to developing new music. Do you have to be in a certain location to write and would you say that your surroundings in London influence the subject matter of your music?

I don’t need to be in a certain place to be hit by creativity but I would say London is a special place for any artist to take inspiration from. There’s also a big music community here so the opportunity to work with a lot of different people within the music industry is significant. My creative process is much patterned at the moment. I come up with a melody which I then write to, followed by building the music around it. Somehow great song ideas always hit me in the shower!

Congratulations on the release of your new single "Made It Out". What motivated you to write this song and who produced it? Is the song based on a personal experience?

Thanks! I wrote this song with the amazing artist Louis Vann Johnson who also produced the track with a little help from me. Please check him out as he’s onto big things! He is a musical genius so when I came up with the idea of writing a song about emotional abuse he totally knew where I wanted to take it. I would also like to credit the amazing Jordan Thomas and Jaylee Robert Hippolyte for their influences in this song. These guys are amazingly talented and I’m very excited for their own projects to be shared when the time comes!

Ok back to the song. At first it started as a “Fuck you! Can you see me now?” kind of song directed at my bullies/haters but it then took more of a deeper turn. I realised that the song was the description of how I came to realise that the relationship I was previously in was not what it seemed to be. I tried to gloss over it but this song really brought out the fact that no, there was nothing good about this relationship and that the weight of the emotional abuse endured during this time was finally shedding off. I think anyone who has gone through some kind of abuse in any sort of relationship can relate to this song.

Can we expect a visual for "Made It Out" next?

Honestly I think every song deserves great visuals to go with it but as an independent artist I have to prioritise where my budget goes to. I am very particular and I want things done properly, not rush them. I also have so many great tunes in the pipeline that I think will be strong contenders for my first music video. My vision for “Made It Out” would be a mini movie and at the moment I just don’t have the resources to make it happen but when I do I’ll make sure to make it the best it could possibly be.

With "Made It Out" now released, what are some of your goals musically this spring and summer?

My main goal at the moment is to create as much music as I can and build awareness around what I have to offer artistically. I also would love to release my first music video this summer for an upcoming banger I am currently working on.

Connect with FACEF8: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook