Hitting streaming platforms on April 1st, award-winning artist Brooke Fair has released her latest single “First Love” off of her upcoming full-length studio album The Things We Were — distributed globally by Zojak World Wide on May 20th. A very talented young artist, this 17-year-old Memphis native was named ‘Songwriter of The Year’ by the Memphis Songwriting Competition and was a finalist in the International Songwriting Competition, as well as a current top finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest.
Having your name anywhere in the same conversation as ‘John Lennon’ definitely brings with it some clout and respect.
Plus, did we mention that this single just won the ‘Outstanding Achievement in Songwriting’ award in the Adult Contemporary category of the Great American Song Contest?? A cross between Taylor Swift and Dodie Clark, this youthful musician has embarked heavily on a journey of self discovery over the last few years, finding connections between past and present. “This album was two years in the making,” says Brooke. “It was a bridge of who I was, to who I’ve become. I wrote ‘First Love’ out of heartache and a love that was half full. Looking back, I guess you could say I was in a rebound relationship and I knew I couldn’t love that person the way they deserved. I just couldn’t let go of my first love and expressed my pain through the writing of this song.”
One of Fair’s previously released singles, “Love Songs On Loop”, accumulated over 100k plays on Spotify and, with her vast talents on display, she was able to garner the attention of some heavy-hitting music producers, not unlike Elliott Ives (producer/guitarist for a little-known former boy band member by the name of Justin Timberlake), who just so happens to also be from Memphis.
Brooke calls herself an “old soul” and it shows in the way she performs her songs.
She is able to connect with her fans based on her elegant narrative and the depth of her vocal talents, showcasing a sort of raw innocence that could be a carbon copy of a generation lost. She is able to blend seamlessly some bits of Americana, with a dash of indie pop tossed in to keep things fairly light. Wearing her heart so vulnerably on her sleeve, Brooke sings, “I end up in tears, everytime // Cuz, you were my first love, first love, and I was yours, too // I don’t want to write a love song, love song // No, if it ain’t about you.”
As a follow-up to her 2018 six-track EP titled All Queens Wear Crowns, the upcoming album was produced by Matt Tutor (Derek Trucks, Eric Gales, Kenny Wayne Shepherd) and Chris Carter (Kirk Franklin, Chrisette Miller, Marcus Miller and Jekalyn Carr). Through the entirety of the record, Brooke hopes to be a voice for those who battle with mental illness. Twisting and turning through the storms from her own life that are packed with heartache, love and loss, she openly discusses her personal battles with depression and goes on to state, “Listen, we all struggle to various degrees. If you go to a dark place, go to a doctor, a therapist, get on meds, find a creative outlet — just do what you need to do. It’s okay to not be okay, sometimes.” Boy, is that ever a statement that needs to be heard by everyone these days… it’s okay to not be okay, sometimes. “First Love” is available for streaming everywhere and Brooke Fair’s full-length album, The Things We Were, is set to be released on May 20th, with pre-saves live now!
Purchase or stream “First Love” single:
Brooke Fair – “First Love”
Pre-save ‘The Things We Were’ album:
PRE-SAVE ► Apple Music | Spotify | Deezer
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