Brent Faiyaz

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) and the Top 20 entry Fuck the World (2020).

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 2020 release of the singer's second album, Fuck the World, which debuted on the Billboard 200 at number 20. ~ Andy Kellman