Sophia Michaels
Faye Fantarrow, a singer-songwriter from Sunderland, England singer who’s been working with the Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart, has shared a new single, “AWOL.”
“AWOL” finds Fantarrow putting her spin on some classic songwriting themes — fast cars and fierce desire. Though anchored by the folky strum of an acoustic guitar, the song also incorporates thumping drums and Eighties-style synths as Fantarrow sings on the hook, “Right hand on the wheel/But my left hand’s loose/Got no mind but my body/And it’s owned by you.”
“AWOL” will appear on an upcoming EP of the same name, out Feb. 10 via Stewart’s label Bay Street Records. Bay Street decided to expedite the release of the EP because of Fantarrow’s recent health issues; after beating leukemia twice as a kid, she was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor and has been undergoing treatment in the U.S.
“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,” Fantarrow said in a statement. “‘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.”
Stewart added, “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.”
Fantarrow has released a handful of singles over the past several years, debuting in 2019 with “Lines,” dropping “Noughties” and “Kola Kiss” in 2021, then “Angels” and “Taboo” in 2022. The AWOL EP will mark her full-length project.
