We were lucky to catch up with Martie Faye recently and have shared our conversation below.

Martie Faye, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful project in my career so far is my third EP “Anniversary.” This project is a way for me to commemorate and reframe a deeply upsetting experience, released on the one-year anniversary of one of the life-changing medical procedures I endured after a traumatic accident.

Last May, I severely injured my leg causing me to be hospitalized for two months, with one of those months at a specialized orthopedic rehabilitation facility. Then I had to spend months re-learning how to walk, how to function, and do daily tasks. It was exhausting both physically and emotionally. Writing has been how I coped and dealt with emotions in the past, but for the first time I couldn’t find the words to express what was going on with me. It felt like there was no mental energy left in me to create. All I could do was wait and heal.

After seven months of the initial injury, I started writing again. It felt like a curtain had been raised in my brain and I felt like creating again. I think those creative blackouts were a way for my brain to subconsciously process the trauma I couldn’t do on a conscious level. Like I needed all that mental energy to just focus on healing my leg. I found that time-frame of seven months to be super specific, so on a whim I looked up how long it takes certain planets to either revolve around the sun or to rotate on its axis. It just so happens that it takes approximately seven months (243 Earth days) for Venus to complete a day. That perspective really set in motion the first song of the EP, “Yesterday on Venus,” which recounts the moments of initial pain and what I’ve been feeling and dealing with over those first seven months.

I then started crafting songs over the next few months all about the pain and process of healing. Each track reinforces the message that despite recovery being a long, uncertain road, there is a light at the end of the tunnel and one step is always enough. While “Anniversary” is a deeply personal project, I hope that anyone at any stage of the healing journey can find solace and comfort in these words and tunes.

Martie Faye, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, How did you get started in your field and what sets you apart?

My interest in music as a career was sparked when I performed at a singing showcase in Los Angeles. As an actress, I had always loved performing, and I also enjoyed writing poems and short stories. However, it wasn’t until Savvy Soundz approached me after the showcase that I realized I could combine my passions for singing and writing. While working with them on three singles, I began my journey with songwriting via toplining, which is a form of songwriting in which you write lyrics and melody on top of an instrumental track. I already knew how to play the ukulele at this point, but I started teaching myself guitar as well to help with the writing process. Over time, I also learned to produce, engineer, mix, and master my music.

As for what sets me apart, I like to introduce myself as a “Filipino-born singer, New England-raised songwriter” as this highlights two important aspects of my culture and identity. While I personally feel more in tune with my Filipino culture, artistically, I like to emphasize my songwriting side, as that’s where I express myself the most and where I tend to focus my artistic energy. I gravitate towards making music with a heavy storytelling aspect, which is why my sound can be described as folk-pop. I love how rooted folk music is in storytelling, and I also love the lush sounds of pop and symphonic music, which I incorporate into my production style to create a chamber pop vibe. My background in choral music also adds to the musical landscape I create for the backdrop of my lyrics. You can hear this blend of influences in songs like “Heart of Gold,” “Yesterday, on Venus,” and “Fountain.”

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A big thing that I’ve been unlearning is the need to push myself too hard and in turn, I’ve been learning to slow down and rest otherwise my body and life will decide to rest for me. As I say in my song “Waiting Room”: “Sometimes you gotta learn the hard way / It’s the only way I learn / It took a really bad break, so bad they couldn’t even discern / What parts of me were broken? / What part of me was whole?”

It’s a big lesson and habit to undo, the feeling that you have to keep pushing and pushing until you break down. It’s not sustainable at all and sometimes can set you back farther than where you managed to get. While I would never ask to learn that lesson this way, I am grateful for what this experience has taught me. I do believe everything happens for a reason and that every moment we go through in life has something to give us.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My passion has always been to create music that connects with people, makes them feel understood, and reminds them that they are not alone. I believe that music is powerful and universal, with the unique ability to reach people regardless of background or language, or abilities. I love the idea of making music that can be used as the soundtrack to someone’s life, whether you’re dancing, crying, or both. My goal is to spread positivity and healing through my music and to provide comfort to those who need it.  

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.martiefaye.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagr.am/smartiefaye
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MartieFayeMusic/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martie-faye-agravante/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MartieFaye
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/MartieFaye
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2gCLoaOEiivxIngutP2yqT

Image Credits
Elizabeth Bazan, Nikolai Bazan, Alithea Louise Photography