MUSICIANS TO KNOW: FIG
FIG
Fay Liew aka FIG is a Singapore-born New York City-based indie singer-songwriter. She was named a Tidal Rising Artist of the Week, a recognition for emerging artists whose music has made an impact on the platform. With 120K+ monthly listeners on Spotify, FIG’s ascent is coming quickly. She mixes her love of music with her passion for community though self-produced events in NYC. Her recent album Bud is available on most major streaming platforms.
BY: TIARA STARKS
SHEER: How did you start your career? Was it humble beginnings or kind of like a slow rise up into where you are now?
FIG: So I moved around a lot as a kid and I was interested in singing. I did choir and whatnot, but I never thought of writing music or anything like that until freshman year of college. But what kind of got me started was living in Singapore for my last three years of high school and I was really interested in Lo-Fi music. Slow, fine, steady beats or sad music. And I was really into that. I saw this person on Instagram who was singing lyrics on top of the beats, and I never thought about that. I was like, “Whoa, this is so cool.” I would try doing that myself and I had one really close friend that I would send Snapchat videos of me singing these random lyrics on top of Lo-Fi beats. That's when I started. I'm writing my own lyrics, this is very fun. Then when I moved to New York for college I tried doing that more. And then I decided, like, oh, I want to reach out to these people who are making the beats.
From there, they were able to feature and use my voice for sampling for Lo Fi beats, which is cool. My music now is totally not like Lo-Fi beats and very different. It's like an Indie Pop vibe. While I was in college, for fun, I would make these very random kind of TikToks, but before TikTok lip sync videos. And I would try to recreate music videos of artists that I really like. And that was before I did music and I realized these videos are really fun. I was like, I could maybe try making music that's similar and then maybe use that skill of me making really random videos and tie that to my own stuff. And then I started doing that and just kind of kept discovering who I was.
SHEER: It's so interesting to hear your origin story because when I first discovered you, I got that Indie Lo-Fi vibe, but then as I was listening to, I think your more recent release Bud, I was listening to singles on that and it was a little bit different than what I expected because I had listened to your older stuff first. You kind of touched upon it, but the trajectory from when you first put out your first piece of work to now, where you're kind of solidifying yourself.
FIG: I think before I released music, I really did not know what I was doing. I just loved Lo-Fi and I was like, I want to do something that I like. But then now, I think I'm starting to find my style and that I love making music and trying to find my identity in music. I’m realizing that it's not just one thing, but it can have some Lo-Fi elements. I also like making really happy music at times, too. I think now I'm still discovering, but it's definitely like from Bud I was able to see a better vision of what type of music I really like to make. I'm still discovering that, but I think it's been fun growth from the start.
SHEER: I see that coming through not just within your music, but through you as well. So that's really cool. I also saw that you were a Tidal Rising Artist of the Week. Can you talk a little bit about that and what that felt like, receiving that?
FIG: Yeah, it was cool! The person who does it, I think they've been definitely following me since the very early stages. So it was cool because we were able to kind of keep in contact. And when Bud released, which I think right now is a little more solidified and I've really grown from me just discovering music to how to make music. So it was a cool project and it was very sweet for them to support for so long and do that. So it was very cool.
SHEER: Prior to that, and just kind of like you said, finding your identity and understanding where you fit in in this music space when it comes to live performances, because I know you have experience with that. How have you grown from the first time that you've performed live to I know you're performing in the future too, in about a month. So how has it been, like kind of starting from the very beginning up to now where you're touring with somebody?
FIG: It's been super cool. The first time I ever performed live I think, was like, 2021 in October, and we opened for this artist called Evan Macintosh and I had a full five-piece band. It's interesting because I did that and since then, just because of how tours work, I've only been performing with three people, or just me and another person. But it's been interesting because after performing live I realize there's so many circumstances in touring that you kind of need to be adaptable and be able to perform your music with five people or, like, one person or two people. And I went on a tour in November, and I think, looking back, I've been able to be out of my shell more, and more confident and just be like, you're performing in your bedroom, but people are watching you. Kind of a vibe because I used to be super nervous and scared, but it's a blessing to be open because when you’re open, it's a new opportunity.
FIG (CONT’D): It's being able to see if you can get new fans. And that's the joy of opening. It's zero pressure. It's basically new for most people watching and you just kind of perform. They like it or they don't, it's okay. And you just have fun, which has been really cool. And, yeah, I've been trying to create, especially in live performances, how my personality is. Within live performances, I've been able to do, cute things, like put plushies or different themes to make it a little more like me and how to make it different from the headliner. So, yeah, it's been fun.
SHEER: Yeah, it's so cool to see. And also just through looking through your work and seeing the amazing, like you said, visual aspects of your musical persona. The album artwork is so cute. I love it. And I actually wanted to ask you about that. Is that hand drawn by someone you know? How did you get that?
FIG: Yeah, I'm from Singapore, Malaysia, and I worked with these two artists and we were all students at the time from Singapore. And that artist in Singapore, did my album art and they also did my merch drawing. So it's cool because it's like a nice, consistent theme. And yeah, they hand draw it, which is really sick and awesome.
“I went on a tour in November, and I think, looking back, I’ve been able to be out of my shell more, and more confident and just be like, you’re performing in your bedroom, but people are watching you. Kind of a vibe because I used to be super nervous and scared, but it’s a blessing to be open because when you’re open, it’s a new opportunity.”
SHEER: I really like that. I'm a very visual person, too. When I'm interviewing artists, I always ask how they see themselves represented, whether it's through music videos or social posts that they make or album artwork. So it's really interesting to see and hear about how you were able to kind of forge that and continue to forge that identity through your album artwork. Another question that I had and it kind of was kind of central to why I also really liked what you were doing. You are really good at putting an emphasis on community outreach and really going out there and interacting with people, engaging with things that you seem to like. So I know you have a community events page. Can you kind of talk about that and why you decided that?
FIG: The community event is called Cob Stand. I started doing it because as a kid I would move like every two or three years and it would be very difficult for me to find community or feel belonging in a way. I decided I wanted to create events where it would both create community, but also where anyone, just by themselves, feels comfortable going into that space. Because I think sometimes in shows or bars or parties can be kind of scary for a person to go just by themselves. It's very intimidating. I wanted to create a space where people can meet new friends and just go by themselves and feel totally fine. And I first did this through little music concerts and having these events representing different Asian creatives, using a lens that featured upcoming artists that I really like.
FIG (CONT’D): Like we're in the living room, we're like a community, just everyone sitting and watching someone in their living room. I also started doing food events where me and my mom made dinner. And I want to hopefully start community dinners where, for me, it's like I find I create a lot of connection or meaningful conversations when having family dinners. And I want to hopefully meet different aspiring cooks. It's nothing like fine dining, it's just like a family dinner where people can talk and it feels very comfortable. Yeah, we've been starting that too and it's been very fun. It's also fun because I don't perform at most of these things. It's like I'm featuring these artists but like Fig is the host which is cool because it's like now from this I've been able to create a cool community of different artists and they can meet each other and if they ever need help, they know people.
And it's been fun and it's been cool because people that come are also creators themselves and then they can connect with each other. I see a lot of people come alone but then they come out with everyone's number and they’re friends. It makes me so, so happy. So, yeah, definitely in the beginning stages of it, but it's definitely like a fun passion project that I'm doing.
SHEER: Yeah, that definitely sounds like something that helps bring people together. And music is already such a great unifier, but to have that extra aspect of community that you're facilitating is really cool. And I know you're based in New York City, so what are your experiences as a New York City based artist? Being a little bit fresher to the scene? Do you feel like you stand out in a certain way or how has your experience been?
FIG: I feel like in the New York scene, people are very nice and welcoming, which has been super cool. I've never experienced LA. I've heard LA sometimes is a different story or just people are different, but I have never experienced it, so I don't have much to say about it. There are just so many artists in New York and it feels like you do have that community in a sense. And people are most of the time very sweet. I've kind of been working with the same people since I started as a college freshman. I DM'd like a couple of people on SoundCloud and I still work with them now. And that's really cool because our music relationship has really grown since then. And New York being a place with so many shows and events happening, you can really just put yourself in genres or places that you may not necessarily be in all the time. But if you're like, oh, I want to go to a metal, or a really interesting other type of show that you'll never think about or unrelated to you. But because it's here you can just experience that, which is very cool.
“Don’t let the numbers get you down and I feel as though people get sad when it’s like, “Oh, I use this trending audio and it gets a lot of views, but when I try my own stuff, it doesn’t”, especially being an independent artist. It’s a marathon, not a race. It’s about building your foundational audience. And if you get little views, it’s okay. But if you have people that see that and follow you and want to listen to your music, that’s kind of the best.”
SHEER: I can definitely see someone who is nervous to get into the scene, whether as like a performer or an audience member. Hearing that I think is helpful because New York can kind of feel like a big beast. Nice to hear that the artists are welcoming. Do you have any dream collaborators, dream collaborations? I know when you start out, you kind of envision this life, this musical life. Do you have anyone in mind that you'd like to work with?
FIG: There's this one rapper, his name is tobi lou. So when I made these really random creative videos in freshman year of college and in high school. He was like, I think, one of the first artists that I made this video for. And it was like the first time where the artist, I think he reposted the video on his page. And it was like that moment was like, oh, this random creative thing, maybe I should try it out more. So I think he was like, a huge reason why I just started feeling okay to be creative. So I think it'd be just like a very full circle moment to do something with them. Another artist is Yuna, a Malaysian artist who I saw her perform for the first time when I was 16. It was I think the first moment where I saw a Malaysian artist perform because there aren’t that many. I was like, this is crazy. And she's definitely the Malaysian artist that was able to break into the Western music scene and she was able to move to the U.S. She's a big inspiration and the one that broke down the doors for a lot of Malaysian artists. So that would also be a very cool moment.
SHEER: Yeah, you never know! I know you are going to be performing later next month, but do you see any other collaborations or just events or anything related to the next couple of months?
FIG: Yeah, for the next couple of months I have shows, but I'm also planning on hosting a couple of music events and food events which is cool. And then yeah, music may be on the way. I'm still continuing to discover who I am musically, so it's been fun to just make a bunch of stuff and prepare things. I've been trying to find ways to tie this community aspect of what I love and also my music and also find ways to just reach out to people. I feel it's cool to have music and then create a community around it.
SHEER: Yeah, I feel positive that I think you are on the right track, especially as an emerging artist. That kind of leads into my last question. Do you have any advice for anyone who is starting out with putting out their work? I know we're in the digital age where having a huge social presence is a big thing, but in reality, I feel like the niche artists are doing pretty well. So do you have any advice for people like that.
FIG: I think sometimes, especially when starting out, perfectionism can be a huge downfall of why people are too scared to release things. But I think it’s such a journey from releasing the music to videos to marketing, and just being able to keep learning how to do that, especially when starting out, it's kind of about finding ways to have people just discover you. Don't let the numbers get you down and I feel as though people get sad when it's like, “Oh, I use this trending audio and it gets a lot of views, but when I try my own stuff, it doesn't”, especially being an independent artist. It's a marathon, not a race. It's about building your foundational audience. And if you get little views, it's okay. But if you have people that see that and follow you and want to listen to your music, that's kind of the best.
SHEER: That's awesome advice. I think it transcends not only people who are interested in music, but through other industries as well, to not be nervous, to not let the numbers get to you.
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Photography by Dana White
Nada Esmaeel’s work is alive and vibrant, rich in detail and color. In addition to paintings, illustrations and animations, she has also designed 3D gaming environments where woven rugs hang from the walls and colored lanterns are strung across an intimate courtyard. But in each of these varied mediums, the subject is almost always Palestinian people and their culture.