#weekendvibe Extremely Rare and Vulnerable Faye Fantarrow releases AWOL after diagnoses
Sunderland, U.K. singer, songwriter and rising star Faye Fantarrow, has released her new single “AWOL,” out now via Dave Stewart’s Bay Street Records. The single encapsulates Faye’s trademark sound: soulful alternative tones, her signature vocals coupled with a strummed guitar and a thumping rhythm. “AWOL” showcases Fantarrow’s eclectic folk and rhythm and blues influences, with a sound that is entirely modern with vintage undertones.
Fantarrow says: “Life very rarely goes to plan but the plan was always to write, sing and perform and I’ve been lucky to be able to do that. ‘AWOL’ is the title track from my forthcoming EP which I am so proud of and the fantastic opportunity I was given to work and record with Dave Stewart will be forever special to me.”
Signed to Eurythmics' Dave Stewart's Bay Street Records in 2021, Fantarrow’s debut comes after the heartbreaking revelation she has been diagnosed with an extremely rare and potentially fatal Glioma brain tumor.
Stewart, who discovered the 20-year-old star and has supported her as an artist, producer, co-writer, and friend, says: “Faye Fantarrow is a rare jewel from the North East. She’s from Sunderland, a city with a big heart, and there’s no bigger heart than Faye's. As a songwriter and performer, she tells stories to make you explode with joy or weep along with her at the trichotomy of the human spirit. Faye is one of a kind and I love her dearly as a sister, a daughter, and a great music partner. We had an unbelievable time together while recording this EP. Both in search of musical freedoms, two souls laughing constantly at the joy of creativity. I love Faye Fantarrow.”
Fantarrow, tipped in 2022’s BBC Introducing Ones To Watch list, and winner of (Lindisfarne founder) Alan Hull’s annual Songwriting Award in 2021, has in fact battled and beaten Leukaemia twice since she was first diagnosed at eight years old. The discovery of this new tumor as she was recording her debut album with Stewart came as a devastating shock.
After starting a Justgiving page for an expensive but highly promising and potentially life-saving experimental treatment in California, Fantarrow raised over £235,000 and visited the U.S. recently in the first of several planned trips for the groundbreaking treatment. Now, after working alongside mentor and musical partner Dave Stewart on her debut album, due to Faye’s health issues, the highly anticipated first single “AWOL” will be released early, followed by the EP on February 10th .
