Fridayy has lengthy discovered himself in a singular place: an R&B singer with a rapper’s aura. From the heartfelt storytelling on his 2023 self-titled debut to the deeper, extra refined sound of his new album, Some Days I’m Good, Some Days I’m Not, Fridayy has been all about development. “Simply elevation,” he mentioned of the distinction between tasks. “Extra studying, extra losses, extra Ws, as a result of all the pieces is only a studying expertise.”
This time, the Def Jam recording artist continues to lean into the duality of his artistry, splitting the album into two sides—one tapping into ache and reflection, the opposite embracing love and melody. Irrespective of the vibe, his objective stays the identical: making music folks can really feel. “I already know what my followers want,” he mentioned. “It was simply giving them the identical factor however elevating it to a brand new degree.”
Loaded with top-tier collaborations, Some Days I’m Good, Some Days I’m Not options acquainted faces and recent power. Chris Brown, who Fridayy calls “the primary individual that confirmed me love coming on this sport,” returns for “One Name Away,” whereas Kehlani brings her signature smoothness to a different monitor “Saving All My Love.” Teni provides the Afrobeats stamp on “Await Me.”
One of many key standout tracks is definitely the Kompa-infused “Bezwen Ou” with Joé Dwet Filé. “I feel I’m the one one which’s bringing [Kompa] to the mainstream,” he mentioned proudly. Then there’s Meek Mill, his fellow Philly native, who joins him for one of many album’s most private data. “That was the final track I really did on the album,” he revealed. “I freestyled that track… He’s one of many few who can actually match that, you realize what I’m saying?”
With this undertaking, Fridayy is proving there’s no restrict to the place he can take his sound. He’s mixing gospel-inspired harmonies, Afrobeats grooves and uncooked storytelling in a method that feels easy. And he’s able to push this album for the lengthy haul. “I wanna do a video for each track or at the least a reside efficiency or one thing,” he mentioned. “In my eyes, there are like 15 singles on this album.” Greater than something, he simply needs folks to press play. “As soon as they hear, I do know what they’ll really feel.”
EBONY: Your debut album got here out in 2023. How has it shifted from then to now, if it has in any respect?
Fridayy: Simply elevation—extra studying, extra losses, extra Ws, as a result of all the pieces is only a studying expertise.
Is there one thing from recording your final album or the way it was acquired that made you say, ‘Okay, that is one thing I discovered and wish to incorporate into this album?
I already knew what my folks needed from me. I already know what my followers want, so it was simply giving them the identical factor however elevating it to a brand new degree, you realize what I’m saying? Giving them that actual music, one thing they’ll really feel and get via life to. For positive.
The title is Some Days I’m Good, Some Days I’m Not. How do you handle that in your personal private life? How do you discover that steadiness?
Simply discovering the nice in all the pieces. It’s what I requested for, so I do know what’s going to include it. Although it may be a bit of exhausting, that’s what I requested for, and there’s magnificence in it—simply with the ability to play folks my album and the followers which can be ready for what I’m creating. All of it comes with magnificence, so I hold my head centered on the artwork. All the opposite stuff may get you down, however once you deal with the artwork and why you began and why you’re doing it, that retains me going.
You clearly went on to call the album after one of many tracks. Which one got here first? Did you hear the track, end the track, and really feel it represented the album, or was it the reverse?
As quickly as we got here up with the album title, I made that track the identical day. I freestyled that track as quickly as I knew the album title. That was in all probability the very first thing that got here out of my mouth on the monitor. I actually freestyled that: Some Days I’m good, Some Days I’m Not is the reason of the place I’m at proper now in my headspace for positive.
You and Chris Brown have labored collectively earlier than. What made you guys workforce up once more on this new track, “One Name Away?”
It was solely proper. After I’m making sure songs, there are only some folks I can hear on them, and he’s all the time one I can hear on my songs. He was the primary individual that confirmed me love coming on this sport, in order that’s my bro. It’s all the time a simple name for him, and it’s a blessing too.
You’re a producer and a songwriter, and quite a lot of your early music had you working with quite a lot of rappers, however now on this undertaking you’ve gotten Kehlani and Chris Brown. How does it give you the results you want being within the studio with one other singer, creating some magnificence out of that, in comparison with working with a rapper?
It’s the identical factor. After I work with rappers, I do know they’re on the lookout for one thing else from me—one thing that will get them via life, some ache, one thing uplifting, you realize what I’m saying? It’s simply realizing what they want. When it’s a singer, it’s realizing what I can convey to them. Even with Kehlani, I all the time needed a report together with her, so I knew our voices would match completely, and so they do. It’s simply realizing what to convey to every artist.
Whenever you have been deciding the route to go in sonically, what made you determine to separate this album up into two components? Was that intentional to showcase either side of your self on this undertaking?
I all the time do this with my music. My final undertaking was exhausting as a result of the primary 4 songs have been one thing you could possibly cry to, after which the subsequent 5 songs have been R&B you could possibly vibe with a lady to. I all the time needed to construction it so there’s one vibe after which one other.
Arising with two sides simply made excellent sense. I feel I’m one of many solely few artists who can do this, particularly singers, due to the music I create. My followers know there are two sides of me, and so they need each. I can do a love track and a special type and get the identical response. It’s excellent for what I convey.
One thing that separates you is your capacity to pivot between extra critical matters and nonetheless convey vulnerability or craving to your tracks. Is that ever one thing you weigh—how susceptible you’re keen to be on a monitor versus retaining it surface-level—or do you simply dive in along with your life experiences, trauma and even the good things?
It’s straightforward. I attempt to do it extra. My followers comprehend it’s two sides, and so they know the way I’ll come, so I deal with it as a result of that’s what sticks. There are quite a lot of love songs, however not many singers can create one thing you’ll be able to sit along with your mother and cry to or along with your brothers. A variety of my followers are in jail or come from totally different walks of life, so I lean extra into that than the love songs generally, for positive.
You speak about your religion, about God, in an informal method that doesn’t really feel preachy. It’s extra motivational and feel-good. Is that how you’re in on a regular basis life with your folks? Can you’ve gotten these moments with out folks considering it’s bizarre?
It’s the way in which folks do it that will get bizarre. For those who do it in an everyday method, it’s not bizarre. I’m regular; I simply say it in a standard method. All people believes in one thing. I wish to say it in a method the place all people thinks, ‘He’s speaking about what I’m seeking to.’ That’s how I write. I by no means go too deep; I simply wish to encourage folks to search for one thing larger than them.
“On Solar Comes Down,” there’s quite a lot of choir-like harmonization. Did you layer your personal vocals or herald a choir?
It was primarily me. I in all probability did about 16 layers. I used to be with two of my producers, and we did some chant vibes, simply yelling within the mic. Then, I did about 16 backgrounds.
With “Simply One Name Away,” there’s an Afrobeat vibe. Then you’ve gotten the monitor with Teni; it’s a Kompa vibe. You’re Haitian and communicate Creole. Was it a precedence for this undertaking to dive extra into that aspect, contemplating you’ve evenly touched on it up to now?
Yeah, it’s all about steps. Like final undertaking I in all probability simply mentioned one line in Kompa, and that shit went viral with like 100 thousand creates on TikTok. They ain’t been launched to [Kompa since] Wyclef Jean did it. As of now, like I feel I’m the one one which’s like bringing to the mainstream, you realize what I’m saying? My folks like respect that.
I feel it exhibits how world music is—no boundaries. For those who make good music that resonates, folks discover it. On the monitor with Meek Mill, you’re each writing letters to your dads. Why did you determine to have him on that track, and did it really feel therapeutic as soon as it was achieved?
That was the final track I really did on the album. I made it a couple of month and a half in the past, bro. The album was presupposed to be turned in, however I used to be ready on a easy clearance. I used to be in my basement like, “Let me make some extra music,” after which I freestyled that track. You realize, Meek Mill is my favourite rapper, particularly for Philadelphia—we’re each from Philly, proper? So, each time I make any sort of ache report the place I’m actually flowing and speaking how I would like, he’s one of many few who can actually match that, you realize what I’m saying?
With all these options and the cinematic sound, can we anticipate any extra visuals or methods to maintain the album alive?
I ain’t gonna lie. I wanna do a video for each track or at the least like a reside efficiency or one thing. [I want to push the album for] a couple of yr or two. It’s an excessive amount of music. In my eyes there are like 15 singles on this album, you realize what I’m saying?
What do you hope your followers obtain from this new album? Or what do you hope it does for you? The place do you see your self in spite of everything is claimed and achieved?
I don’t actually have an expectation of the place I’ll land. I simply need folks to hear. As soon as they hear, I do know what they’ll really feel. My objective is getting as many individuals to listen to it as doable.