Faye Webster started off her musical journey in her hometown of Atlanta, performing covers at small venues and coffee shops. Now she is reaching Billboard’s top charts.

As an Atlanta native myself, it isn’t rare to randomly come across artists in public. The first time I came across Webster was last year when my friend met her at a local bar and texted me, “Oh my god, I am literally sitting next to Faye Webster.” At first, I had no idea who they were talking about until I searched her up on Google and discovered her melancholic and raw discography. Since then, Webster has been my go-to artist with almost every one of her songs across my Spotify playlists. 

Last month, she came out with her fifth studio album, released on March 1, “Underdressed at the Symphony. The album features a slightly new approach to Webster’s classic soft indie music. From longing percussion instrumentals and lyrics to harmonizing along with Lil Yatchy’s peculiar auto-tuned vocals through upbeat tunes. Across each melody, Webster vents about her vulnerability and conflict, as if listeners are inside her mind, living through every one of her thoughts. 

In some tracks on the album, Webster tends to repeat a main lyric, where the main phrase is interpreted differently for each song. In her first song, “Thinking About You,” she begins with a soft bass, instrumentals and minimal lyrics. She goes on to repeat the phrase, “I’m Thinkin’ about / Thinkin’ about you,” until the end of the song–which ends with a instrumental chime of the lyric. Representing the repetitive thoughts when we reminisce on the people who aren’t in our lives anymore. When we realize we can never recreate moments with that person, it becomes a yearning memory — all we can do is simply think of them. 

Webster goes on to employ the same lyrical style in her song “Lifetime,”. Expressing a somewhat similar perspective on a person who she cannot seem to shake from her thoughts: “Every minute / You are in it / In a lifetime / In a lifetime.” She emphasizes this near the middle of the song with the repetitive chorus of “In a lifetime.” This repetition of lyrics creates a loop in listeners’ minds as if they have been listening to the same thing forever. Throughout life, you may encounter a special person who you simply cannot forget. Someone who has taught you profound lessons about life and played a pivotal role in shaping who you are today. This person may linger in our memories, resurfacing in our minds even when we grow old. 

If we go back to the beginning of the album, Webster takes a twist in her music, adding a Lil Yachty feature and auto-tune style to up the mood in “Lego Ring” and “Feeling Good Today” — something I would never expect in her style of music. “Feeling Good Today” definitely stuck out to me compared to her other songs. Webster goes heavy on auto-tune which she does not use regularly instead relying on her raw and authentic voice. However, Webster sticks with her melodic venting through soft, but catchy lyrics, “I’m feeling good today / I ate before noon / I think that’s pretty good for me,” as if she is casually telling you what her routine for the day looks like. Adding to the authenticity of her lyrics. Webster also uses instrumentals to bring light to her daily inconveniences.

Throughout the rest of the songs on “Underdressed at the Symphony,” I found comfort through her authentic lyrics. Each track felt like a personal conversation. She melodically rants about stereotypical teenage girl problems — insecurities, overthinking, relationship troubles — indulging listeners into her thoughts through solace. 

Edited by Molly Levine | mlevine@themaneater.com

Copy edited by Sterling Sewell and Hannah Taylor | ssewell@themaneater.com 

Edited by Sophie Rentschler | srentschler@themaneater.com