Faye Webster has released her highly anticipated fifth album, ‘Underdressed at the Symphony’ via Secretly Canadian. Fans can stream the album here: fayewebster.lnk.to/underdressed-at-the-symphony
The album follows previously released singles “Feeling Good Today”, “Lego Ring (ft. Lil Yachty)”, “But Not Kiss” and “Lifetime”. The songs on the new album explore the rarely mapped territory of emotional intimacy, where desire and passion are in conflict with comfort, understanding and even platonic love. These themes are found throughout ‘Underdressed at the Symphony’, alongside hyper-specific imagery that paints a picture of Webster’s life, like her eBay Purchase history (“eBay Purchase History”) or the physical objects she covets (“Lego Ring”). All of these uniquely Faye thoughts are wrapped in the warm glow of her otherworldly vocals, ever-present pedal steel and her cinematic and sweeping string arrangements but also more unpredictable elements like vocoder can be found on the new album.
The title of Faye Webster’s new album is inspired by her occasional compulsion to lose herself amongst concertgoers at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Craving company and distraction but also leaning into the anonymity of a bustling crowd, Webster often bought a ticket to a performance at the last possible second. “Going to the symphony was almost like therapy for me,” she says. “I was quite literally underdressed at the symphony because I would just decide at the last moment that that’s what I wanted to do. I got to leave what I felt like was kind of a shitty time in my life and be in this different world for a minute. I liked that I didn’t feel like I belonged.”
Since the release of her last full-length, Faye Webster has experienced a phenomenal surge in audience brought on by TikTok and the viral popularity of her songs “Kingston” and “I Know You”. In the last year, her Spotify streams have increased 1100% and she experienced a nearly 3000% growth in her YouTube views. Faye’s Spotify monthly listeners have ballooned to over 7 million and that success has spilled over into her touring business as well.
Webster has never been more comfortable in her own skin than right now, which makes her unique ascent into the vanguard of young, independent artists even sweeter. At any given moment, Webster might be making country-tinged indie rock flecked simultaneously by pedal steel guitar and modern R&B production and songwriting techniques – a bespoke sound which has won her ardent fans and turned her into something of a stealth superstar beloved by everyone from southern hip-hop heads and alt-rock tastemakers.
‘Underdressed at the Symphony’ revels in experimentation, playfulness and adventurousness. “I think I hit a point in songwriting during this record where I was just like, man, I said a lot,” admits Webster. “The record feels like a mouthful to me, but I don’t always have to be deep. I can just sit down and sing about this ring made of crystal Lego that I really want.”
Webster isn’t providing answers in this album, nor is she on some epic journey of healing and self-care. Instead, she’s choosing to just live, to document heartbreak and ridiculous moments right next to each other until they start to blur, becoming real enough for us all to feel.
‘Underdressed at the Symphony’ will be available on CD, cassette, black vinyl and “Faye Blue” vinyl where records are sold. A limited edition Blue & White Bullseye vinyl will be available via www.fayewebster.com
