On his Comedy Tragedy Parody Tour last August, Dominic Fike, an American singer-songwriter known for his genre-fluid sound, announced his new album How to Quit Smoking, which he described as a living album. Although, at the time, it wasn’t obvious what that entailed, throughout the past couple of months, Fike hasn’t just built anticipation for his new album — he’s made its creation a part of the experience.
Over the past year, Fike’s songs “Babydoll” and “White Keys” have had a surge in popularity, with “Babydoll” recently earning him his first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
When announcing his new album, Fike mentioned that he came up with its name before having written any of the music. He added that they had only begun working on the album 30 minutes prior which makes the process seem very real.
Knowing that the song was just recently made creates a sense of connectivity and feels like we’re all experiencing something together. Fike has been making the album in real time while sharing snippets from it on tour.
He’s introduced me to new artists such as Emma Ogier and Knox Writes whom I might not have encountered otherwise. Ogier quickly became one of my most-played artists.
The rollout of Fike’s new album has been so interesting because of how unconventional it is. Fans are getting to experience the making of an album through bits and pieces shared on the tour, giving us an insight into the making of an album. Fike has even played songs that were written and produced while on the road.
In early August, when Fike suddenly launched a new Instagram account (@separatestreet) laced with random posts, it was not apparent how big of a project this would become. The account has since been making “line culture” videos, where they interview people waiting in line outside the concert, giving fans a looking glass into other people following the tour. The account has felt so personal, seeing different fans od Fike and hearing their thoughts has added another dimension to the experience.
The Instagram account later grew into Separate Street Network: a 24/7 stream of original media with original programming featuring concert films, short films and other creative projects.
Recently, Fike and his collaborators finished the album while on a livestream. It was really fascinating to see something that usually happens behind closed doors, especially the collaborative efforts that go into making an album. We got to hear from featured artists and background actors who play significant roles whom we usually don’t get to see.
Hearing from them organically, in small captured moments, broadens our appreciation and allows fans to get to know them as people, beyond their contributions to the project.
Separate Street Network creates an environment that cultivates creativity, while fans get to explore the people and experiences leading to the album’s creation and release.
Fike mentioned that he wanted to put himself in a position where he had no other choice but to step up, so, in my interpretation, he’s representing the beauty of being present in time.
In an interview with Interview Magazine, Fike describes the album as a snapshot of where he’s at currently. This shows the feeling of uncertainty which feels so bold to me, as someone who struggles with uncertainty. It’s quite exciting to see someone use that feeling as a way to express themselves and, to me, that’s really what makes this a living album.
Throughout the period of uncertainty leading up to the album release, fans speculated and looked forward to more behind-the-scenes content before getting the end product. This added to the anticipation while simultaneously creating engagement for the artist.
At the timing of writing, only three songs had been released: Wallflower, Small Towns and Pangea.
While some fans expressed concerns because of the speed at which the album has been created, others, like me, have found the spontaneity to be the best part. Fans also get to see when and where these songs have been made.
These types of projects make you wish you were a part of them, and that’s why the anticipation behind this album doesn’t feel ordinary. The way Fike is putting out his album makes you feel like you’re truly a part of it and its creation.
This rollout has been something to enjoy in its own right. It’s so fresh and raw, making this experience so captivating.