TIB x Faith
Just watch one of Faith’s performances and you’ll see for yourself she is one to watch in the music world.
From a young age, Faith’s life has been intertwined with music. According to her mom, as a little girl, Faith would hum while eating dinner or sing in the grocery store, with music always finding a way to express itself through her.
As she grew older, her passion for singing grew with her, leading her to perform in local churches and school choirs. These early experiences laid the foundation for Faith’s musical identity, instilling in her a love for various genres and collaborations from soul, funk, and R&B.
But it’s not just her remarkable vocal ability that got us hooked, it’s her mesmerising stage presence and how she embodies the essence of beauty through her performances.
Faith brings a fresh perspective to the notion of beauty, which is what we are all about. Her charisma and authenticity inspire others to embrace a more inclusive definition of beauty that celebrates individuality and one that goes far beyond our appearances.
In this exclusive interview with TIB, we got to know Faith, her musical journey how her confidence takes flight under the spotlight, and her take on redefining beauty standards.
For those who haven’t yet had the pleasure to watch you perform, they must understand this one thing: YOUR ENERGY! The way you captivate your audience is awe-inspiring and the joy you exude is simply incredible. What’s the secret behind your performances? How do you perform like you do? It’s like this is your calling…
Wow! First of all, thank you! I love it when people tell me after a show or a performance, that they could feel something. They can feel what I was singing, feel my excitement for the song or the show. That to me, is one of the most important parts of what I do.
Why do you think the audience feels this connection from you?
I think there are a few things that go into that feeling that the audience senses.
It's a combination of how comfortable I am on stage. I love to be on stage! I see a stage and even if it's not my show, I WANT to be up there LOL. I’ll say it again…I love to be on stage! It is a happy place for me. It took years for me to realize that not everyone has that feeling. Not everyone sees a stage and wants to be on it and so because I do, I have learned to follow that feeling.
I also have the privilege to sing songs that I have a deep connection with, which allow for genuine expression. I typically sing songs that when I'm singing I'm thinking of someone or several people in my life who make me feel what I'm feeling, and make the audience feel the sincerity in the way that I'm singing. Because if I don’t have a meaningful connection with the song, the audience won’t either.
Lastly, it feels so good to me to open my mouth and hear sounds come out and just be able to release so much feeling emotion through song. Some people do it with a paintbrush, some people do it in the kitchen with the food that they prepare. Other people do it with the stories that they write. For me, it's letting this this series of sounds come out of me with such feeling, and with such a motion. It's the thing that I can give to the world. And I want to do that. I want to share that.
So yes, I think it's a combination of all of these things that make up this energy that people feel. If I didn't have that I don't think I would do it.
You need a certain level of confidence when singing, is this something that comes naturally to you or have you had to work on your confidence? If so what techniques do you do to build your confidence?
It definitely takes a lot of confidence to get on stage and do something for a group of people not knowing if they're going to like it, or like YOU. It takes a lot of confidence which is why not everyone does it, right? For me, the interesting thing is that the more people there are in the audience, the more comfortable I feel on stage. Smaller, more intimate groups, even groups of friends that I know, require a bit more confidence for me. In front of smaller groups, you can feel the eyes on you. With a larger group, it’s easier for me to get lost in the music.
The side of me that gets on stage, sings in front of people, and doesn't have a care in the world; that person exists when I'm singing. When I'm off stage and I am just my regular self, that is when I have to work on my confidence, believe it or not. Me on a regular day, is far more in my head about everything. Too many things! But when I'm on stage, it's like nothing else matters and I think that's why I like being on stage so much because nothing matters except for this song, this note, this feeling.
Still, to answer your question I would say, of course, practicing stage performing whenever and wherever you can will help you build that confidence. Also, use simple things to help you get in the zone and block out all other distractions. For me, sometimes it’s not looking directly at the audience during a song or maybe it’s spending a few minutes alone before a performance to clear my head.
Do you have any pre-performance rituals to get yourself in the zone? If so, what are they?
I had to really think about this one. Mostly because what I do to “get in the zone” doesn’t feel like a pre-show ritual per se. It all depends on what I need. If I'm hungry, I make sure I eat something so I’m not thinking about food the entire show! If I'm tired, I'll try to make sure I have time before the show to take a nap or just lay down and rest for a little bit. Something I do a lot which could be seen as a pre-show ritual is to avoid a lot of conversation. One, to rest my voice but also to save up all of that energy for the show. A lot of times the guys in the band or the audience want to laugh and talk before the show. Trust me, I LOVE to laugh and talk, however, I want to have 100% of my energy ready for the show so I tend to keep to myself before show time. Now, after a show, I will laugh and talk your ears off!
Performing can be physically, mentally and emotionally demanding, especially when coupled with late nights. How do you prioritise your well-being?
Offff, I have struggled with this one in the past and STILL have to work on this! I tend to want to say yes to everything and to do it all. So many times that has led me to experience burnout and to emotionally hit a wall, feeling as though I have nothing energy left to give to others or myself. I am learning, mostly through making a lot of mistakes(!), how to find the balance and prioritize my well-being.
There was a season when I didn't have this balance, and I didn't prioritize my well-being. I was working my online job 40 hours a week and then performing 4 to 6 shows a week. During that time, I was not sleeping enough, not eating well, and of course, there was very little time for the personal life I needed. So I learned the hard way, by having one too many emotional crashes. I had to tell myself, “OK, if you wanna do this, and do this well, you're going to have to figure out a way to scale it back so that you can sustain this life.” This meant putting up some boundaries (and sticking with them!), understanding what I needed to feel balanced, and sometimes, passing on certain opportunities.
Music has the power to people in ways that often transcend the ordinary. What song (or songs) have made their biggest impact on you and why?
This is a tough one to answer. I think for many people it's less about the song sometimes and more about where they were and what they were experiencing in their life when they heard a particular song. In that moment or during that season, that particular song hit in a way because it's what the person needed to hear and it made them feel what they needed to feel. Throughout my life, I’ve been inspired by so many different genres and artists. It would be difficult to list or credit them all! Sometimes it's been an upbeat song from Stevie Wonder. The soulful voice of someone like Kim Burrell. A groove from Little Dragon. Sometimes it's a slow song from Donnie Hathaway or Terry Reid. It all depends. I think that's why when we hear a song that’s meaningful to us, it takes us back to that place. It has the power to connect us back to where we were or what we were feeling. It’s one of the things that's so special about music, you never know what will resonate with you.
What is your favourite song to perform and why?
It's hard to give just one answer. However, I usually gravitate towards songs that vocally feel challenging for me. When I hear a song, I picture my role as the singer somewhat like a rollercoaster. Some songs feel like a rollercoaster that has steep hills and feel a bit like a thrill. Other songs have smaller or no hills at all. They’re still great songs but maybe the vocal challenge just isn’t there for me. I want to be challenged.
One of the songs I’ve enjoyed performing recently is “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys. People love to hear that one and judging by the way I get lost in the song when I sing it, I do too!
What are your go-to songs when you’re in need of a pick me up?
This depends on what I’m feeling or what I need. Sometimes I need a little Afrobeat to make me dance. Other times, I play a slower ballad on repeat while I journal my thoughts. Or maybe some songs keep me motivated during a morning jog. An interesting thing about me, I wake up most mornings with a song already stuck in my head. Maybe this is weird but it’s real! LOL. When I’m starting my day, I typically listen to whatever song is stuck in my head when I wake up and just go from there.
Let’s talk about beauty. How has singing shaped your perception of it, both aesthetically and perhaps given you a broader meaning to the word beauty?
You often hear the phrase “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, and it truly is. Musically, what determines a great song, a great singer, or a great band, sits with each individual person. What is great to me might not be so great to someone else. I think that same belief applies to beauty. What I find to be beautiful, might not be as beautiful for someone else. It’s helpful to remember this, to remind us to avoid making unrealistic comparisons. To make any comparisons.
It's a very liberating thing to remember that what you bring to this world, what you have been talented with, is not going to be received as beautiful by everyone. My sound may not be what some people want to hear and that is OK. My physical appearance might not be seen as beautiful by everyone and that is also OK. It doesn't take away from the gift that I share through music and singing. And it doesn't take away from my beauty as a person. This has been very important for me to remember.
Have you experienced moments when your singing has evoked a profound sense of beauty in yourself or others?
I used to shy away from admitting this, but there have been many moments when something I sang surprised or even impressed me, and made me think, “Wow, did I just do that?” or “I can't believe I landed that note!” I thought it was vain for me to feel that way. I think it's 100% OK for an artist, or a chef, or anyone who's giving something of themselves, to feel proud, or even impressed with yourself that you were able to do that thing, to make it happen.
As a singer, I find these moments usually come after nailing a fun riff, which is basically vocal gymnastics or singing a note that may be challenging to reach. It’s that feeling of knowing you just “nailed it.”
Other times I feel this sense of beauty when speaking to someone after a song or after a show. Hearing someone tell me what feelings they felt when I was singing a song or how my voice made them feel something special, or a song took them back to a certain place. Those remind me of the beauty in what I'm doing and what I'm sharing.
How have collaborations with artists from diverse backgrounds influenced your understanding of beauty and its expression through singing?
In the same way that travelling expands your views on the world or trying different cuisines can help expand your palette, collaborations with artists from diverse backgrounds can help to expand your experience with music.
Partnering with someone brings a new perspective and flair and this is a beautiful experience. Their distinct interpretation shaped by their personal relationship with music adds layer of richness and beauty to the creative process. I believe these moments or opportunities to expand our thinking only influence us in the best of ways.
Have you ever experienced moments of self-doubt or insecurity related to your appearance when performing? How have you overcome these challenges to embrace your own sense of beauty?
Yes, all the time! It's a constant battle! Even now I’m feeling a little imposter syndrome participating in an interview about myself. Who am I? What great thing have I done to deserve this? LOL
On a serious note, it’s very easy to think we are somehow flawed if we don't fit the mainstream idea of what is beautiful. I have often thought my appearance might affect a person’s ability to appreciate what I'm bringing as an artist. That maybe they'll be too distracted by what I'm wearing, how I look my hair, my skin, etc. Being able to think beyond this and still put yourself out there as an artist or performer is always challenging.
How I have been able to overcome this never-ending challenge to embrace my own sense of beauty is to remind myself that I will not be seen as beautiful to everyone. It's an unrealistic goal to aim for. Just as my voice is not going to be the most amazing for everyone.
I'm very blessed to be surrounded by so many supportive and loving people. I try to turn down the volume, so to speak, on the voices of self-doubt that I feel and turn up the volume on the voices that are supporting, loving, and encouraging. The self-doubt may always be there but I don’t have to tune into that.
I've also done a lot of self work over the years to help me appreciate ME, who I am. What makes me special and unique. I have learned to love myself, to have more respect for myself, and to value the gifts and talents that I bring. More and more, this shows up through my singing, and honestly, in anything that I set my mind to do.
The music industry has often been criticised for its narrow and unrealistic beauty standards. What changes would you like to see in the music industry when it comes to beauty standards?
Show us the flaws. Show us the mistakes. Share the outtakes, the photos that weren’t perfect, the moments that didn’t get picked for the Instagram post or the final product. Let us see how it truly was and how it really looked before all of the flaws were touched up and all of the mistakes were edited out. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to put out the best version of something and to strive for excellence. But let’s also remove the need to hide reality. Reality is flawed and imperfect. Life is flawed and imperfect. We are all flawed and imperfect.
I can't stress enough how important it is to remember that the standards of beauty are always changing. The standards of what is good are always changing. The goalposts are always being moved. The finish line is always being pushed back. If we only measure ourselves against these ever-changing standards, we will never arrive. We will never get to the place where we think we should be.
That being said, it is very healthy for us to have aspirations and goals, and to set our sights a little higher to keep us motivated and to encourage growth.
Perhaps the goal is not to remove any and all standards but to make the moments that aren’t so perfect more acceptable. To give our failures a moment in the spotlight alongside our successes. It’s the moments of failure that eventually lead us to our successes. Maybe the healthier more reasonable goal is to make room for both.
What advice would you give to aspiring performers who want to follow their passion but lack confidence due to society's impossible standards of beauty and pressure to conform to them?
Well, seeing as I am still one of the many aspiring performers / singers / songwriters, who wants to follow their passion, I would give a few thoughts that have kept me going and the same advice that I’ve been given by people with far more experience than me.
Define your why? Why are you even doing this?
Collaborate with others. Working in a silo will likely only slow you down.
If you try to please everyone, you will most likely satisfy no one.
When do you feel most beautiful?
It’s actually during the most simple moments. When I take care of my self and my well-being. When a stranger returns a smile. When I appreciate the beauty of something or someone else. When the focus is less on what pleases others and more on what allows me be the best version of me.
We feel like this is only just the beginning for you and your singing career, what's next for you and where can people watch you perform?
That’s such a compliment! The next challenge I’ve set for myself is to create and write more original music. I have a lot of ideas (!) and would love to share something with the world that is my own and that represents me. I still sing several times a week in beautiful Puerto Escondido, Mexico. If you ever come this way, please look me up. I would love to meet you and sing for you!
Lastly, faith what is your definition of beauty?
To me beauty is that flower that you have to stop and smell. It’s that painting that made you look at it again and again. It’s the hug from someone that makes you feel like everything is going to be okay. Or sometimes it’s the song that made you feel the emotions you couldn’t put into words.
WHATS UP NEXT …
