Faye Webster seems to have struck gold with her third album Atlanta Millionaires Club, released in May via Secretly Canadian. The 22-year-old singer-songwriter is an accomplished photographer who studied for a couple of semesters at Belmont University before returning to her hometown Atlanta and building a relationship with with the hip-hop collective Awful Records. Following a pair of country-leaning albums, she signed to Secretly Canadian in 2018 and honed in on a sound that’s very familiar but also feels like she's fully in command of where it goes. It includes threads of R&B, country and even a little hip-hop, but the overall effect is strikingly pleasant — overthinking as you look for the right label to put on her work would be a shame.
Many of her intimate songs trace the contours of romantic relationships. “Right Side of My Neck” captures the dopamine rush of brand-new romance. “Jonny” examines longing for someone who’s not there, and the song’s stream-of-consciousness flow illuminates all the ways that absence can work its way into your life: “I want to be happy / Find a man with an old name / Just like me / And get over how / My dog is my best friend / And he doesn’t even know / What my name is.” The album ends with a reprise of the song, in which it feels like Webster has come to terms with not having an answer to every question.
Webster has played in Nashville and nearby a handful of times, but her first local show as a headliner is coming up on Tuesday at The High Watt. Plans to speak on the phone unfortunately got derailed by a flat tire on the way to a show in Portland, Ore., but Webster was kind enough to answer a few questions via email.
What was your experience in Nashville like? How did it help you decide how to move forward creatively?
I think Nashville served as a temporary space for me. It help me realize where and what I wanted to do, which I might have never figured out the same if I never went.
I've read that your favorite band is Asleep at the Wheel. While I don't want to put your music in a box, there are definitely some country undertones. What about country music do you identify with or draw inspiration from?
I’m definitely only drawn to the classics — Asleep at the Wheel, Glen Campbell, etc. Definitely instrumentation, chord progressions and the way the music sits in the back. It’s all about the person and their lyrics.
Were there rules you’d established for yourself as a songwriter that you had to throw out in order to write the songs on Atlanta Millionaires Club?
I just had to stop being afraid to sing about stuff. I don’t sit down and think I’m about to write — I just start singing my thoughts.
How does solitude help you creatively — or not?
You start to get stir-crazy and stuck in your thoughts. That’s where you start to find the real deep self-realizations that you wouldn’t be able to find if you didn’t spend so much time alone.
How did your time with and eventual transition from Awful Records aid you in exploring your specific sound?
I got to collaborate with a lot of my friends on Awful, which was a new concept to me — I had only ever made music by myself. So I think it aided me by surrounding me with only insanely creative people which inspired me in so many ways.
I love your use of pedal steel. How did you imagine fitting it into this album?
Putting pedal steel on the record was something not debatable. Every song I make, I just assume it’s going to be on it :)
What songs do you get the most reception from playing live?
“Room Temperature” is always a favorite. But I personally like performing “Jonny Reprise” because it feels like a [theatrical] piece instead of just a song.
You direct your own music videos. How did you come to that creative decision? What is the process of doing that like for you as an artist and director?
I’ve just always liked doing visuals! I’ve done all my album covers, videos, etc. It’s something to fill my spare time, but let me still be productive.
Does having multiple creative outlets help you balance different aspects of your career as an artist?
I think it makes me feel uncategorized as an “artist,” and able to just create whatever I want.
Fans who follow you on social media know that you’re a big fan of competitive yo-yo. How did you get into that?
I just got a yo-yo in my stocking. Then I found the yo-yo community online, and became friends with a lot of people, and starting going to contests to see them and stuff. It’s beautiful and a giant community. I would suggest looking into it. My favorite players are Iori Yamaki, Tony Šec, Remy Baskin and Betty Gallegos.
