It’s Valentine’s Day, the lights are low, the ceiling is sparkling, I am standing close to someone I love. Pink and red hair, sweaters, glitter, makeup, and shoes are surrounding me in a dimly lit room, and any other color is morphed into a romantic hue by the rosy lenses I am looking through this year. When the stage lights come on and a figure appears, wielding a Harmony Stratotone Jupiter, I feel a small butterfly flutter in my chest before I rest into a soft sway to the unique and unmatched rhythms of the one, the only, Faye Webster.
24-year-old Webster has been cranking out addictive melodies since 2013, but picked up more traction this past year with her latest album, I Know I’m Funny haha. She is witty with her storytelling, depicting distaste for landlords and silent admiration of a significant other’s sisters in the album’s namesake song. The narratives in Webster’s verses are too specific to make up from nothing, while simultaneously evoking universal feelings of yearning, loneliness, and the surprise of reciprocated love. “In A Good Way” gently illustrates the overwhelming and nearly painful experience of finally receiving comfort after a long bout of feeling “Both [lonely and lonesome] All The Time.”
Drawn out string sections, smooth and twangy guitars, and a subtle, funky bass accompany Webster on the stage as she spills her heart to a crowd of heart eyes. The singer draws from the sound of her early years in Atlanta, GA to express herself. Exposure to western swing and bluegrass genres finds its way into Webster’s discography, along with more current influences from R&B, indie pop, and of course, country. Her music is a synthesis of seemingly different flavors, and yet she puts out seamless streams of sound that certainly do not lack in range. A favorite snippet of mine is the 70s-eque flute that drives the chorus of “Come to Atlanta” from Webster’s third album, Atlanta Millionaires Club.
The precision and delicacy of Webster’s songs should not mislead anyone into the notion that she is a one-dimensional character. Instead, it should do quite the opposite—not only is Webster the talented mind behind so many great tunes, she is also a passionate yo-yoer. Yes, you read that right: the singer/songwriter has been involved in the yo-yoing community for a few years, and even gives up the stage for yo-yoing fans at her shows. She is creative, she is curious, and she is full of surprises.
I now count the days down to the one I might see her on that stage again, my ears filled with something completely new and predictably wonderful. Faye Webster is on the rise, there is no doubt about it. Her success is a well-deserved reflection of the art she creates, which makes itself at home in the hearts and heartaches of her listeners.