Fame Holiday – Take Me Away

By starrymag | March 29, 2021

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) My sound would fit more into the Hip-Hop and R&B genres because of the beats I use and the flow of my lyrics. My music is full of versatility, both lyrically and melodically, from club bangers, to story-telling all the way to R&B tracks. It is relatable, always has a message and most of all is always a vibe for my entire audience.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) My musical influences would definitely be Chris Brown, 50 Cent, Nipsey Hussle and Big Sean.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Take Me Away.”

 

A) “Take Me Away” is one of my most personal records. A lot of people don’t know this, but one of the main reasons I started making music was to be able to express myself without talking to a bunch of people about the way I feel about things. I’ve always been a private person when it comes to showing my emotions; it’s something I’m slowly working on as time goes on. But to get back into “Take Me Away,” this was a record that I recorded in July 2020 with zero intentions of releasing it. The reason being was because I made the song for myself, to just get my thoughts out on how I feel about “Black Lives Matter.” Not seeing any justice, seeing so many stories about black people dying from police brutality, such as George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and racism still being such a strong issue made me genuinely frustrated and sick of the word that we live in today because I know that we can all do better. In October 202, I had a studio session set up with a well-known producer from Toronto, T-Nyce. I told him I wanted to play him a few unreleased records, get some feedback and also talk about the music business because I know he has a lot of experience in the industry. As I was preparing myself at home listening to my unreleased records out loud, deciding on which ones I should show him, I started playing “Take Me Away.” Now, again, this was a very personal song to me nobody had heard at the time. So, while I was listening to it, my cousin Romeyo came into the room and said, “Wow! This song is deep, and I respect the message! I definitely think you should play this for T-Nyce at the studio tonight.” So, after he said that, I put the song into the folder of unreleased tracks I planned on playing for him and when I got to the studio T-Nyce and I had some great conversations about the music business. I played him about eight songs that night and he liked all of them, but when he heard “Take Me Away” he said, “Fame, this needs to come out ASAP! It’s super relatable and a lot of people will connect with it because they feel the same way you do!” As soon as he said that to me, I agreed 100% and everything clicked. The reason I decided to release “Take Me Away” during Black History Month is because I feel with everything that has gone on this past year, in terms of the “Black Lives Matter” movement, there would be more emphasis on the importance of my culture during this particular month. Even though black history should not be limited to just one month in the year, I feel like more people of various cultures would pay attention to the message behind my song during a time where black history and culture is being highlighted. It also adds value to what black culture means to me and how we have played a role in many milestones in history.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) I feel like the reason why a lot of people connect to the record, especially people of color, is because I’m only speaking the truth about the world we live in and what’s really going on. Nothing is fabricated, sugar-coated or fake about what I’m talking about. I wanted to be as transparent as possible about my opinions and feelings about the issues and I knew people would connect with this because I know I’m not the only one going through it. I feel like now, more than ever, people want change. So, this was just my way of addressing that.

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

A) In the music video it was very important for me to showcase unity – different colors of people coming together to support one thing and one thing only “Black Lives Matter.” In the beginning of the video, it shows a little girl asking her mom why police kill black people. Personally, I don’t feel like all police are bad people but with social media and the news, seeing/hearing all these terrible reports, that’s the picture that is being painted to the next generation. Therefore, this is one of the reasons why I feel like it’s so important to come together right now to make a change. Shooting the music video for “Take Me Away” was a great experience, seeing so many people in my community come out and support my vision. It felt very reassuring and reminded me that, even though I might not be a political person, I can still use my platform to help spread a positive message to the world. When people see the music video for “Take Me Away” I want them to get inspired and understand that their voices matter. We all want the same thing at the end of the day and coming together is the best way to make that happen.

 

Q) The song dropped Feb. 4th. How did you celebrate?

 

A) I had a really nice dinner with my friends and family. They were really proud of me for using my platform for such a great cause. I wish I could’ve done more, but due to COVID restrictions there weren’t many options to celebrate.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) When I first started making music, I used to just write and then find beats that could match the lyrics. But now that I have mastered my sound, I just go into the studio, play a bunch of beats and the one that stands out to me the most, I start writing or freestyling on the mic until I get the direction of the type of record I want to make.

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) I’m very involved! I love being in the studio with different producers while they’re creating beats and adding my ideas to create the records that you guys hear from me today. I also write all my lyrics and create all of the concepts for my music videos to bring my visions to life.

 

Q) Will there be a full album or EP coming in the near future?

 

A) Right now, I am currently focused on consistently releasing singles. I am building up the anticipation for my next project that will be coming later on in 2021.

 

Q) What advice would you give to up-and-coming musicians on the Toronto music scene?

 

A) If I had to give any advice to an upcoming Toronto artist, I’d say if you really want to do music as a career, don’t expect it to happen overnight. It’s a long journey, some longer than others but you can’t give up. Keep perfecting your craft, put in the work and stay true to yourself.

 

Q) With concerts currently on hold, what do you miss most about being on stage?

 

A) One thing I really miss about performing is engaging with my fans in person. The vibe is just different, feeling the energy in the crowd is just a feeling I could never forget. It’s inspiring to me.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) This is tough! It’s between Drake and Tory Lanez, but if I had to choose only one I’d have to say Drake because he played a very big role in the Canadian music industry. He also inspired me at a very young age to keep making music, staying true to myself and just because a few people might not rock with your music in the city, doesn’t mean the rest of the world won’t. He’s a perfect example of taking things to the next level, even when the closest people around you don’t see the vision. I feel like our sounds would complement each other very well because we are both versatile artists.

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?

 

A) Currently, I am listening to Eric Bellinger and Hitmaka’s collab album 1-800-HIT-EAZY. I have it on repeat! I connect with it because it reminds me of the early 2000’s R&B sound mixed with the current R&B music today. The project is very melodic and catchy.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) I’ve always been active on social media, but due to the times we’re in with the city being on lockdown and COVID, I’ve been on my social media a lot more. I’m actually very grateful for it because it allows me to still connect with my fans and continue to give them consistent content, even while we’re being stuck at home. Social media’s very powerful and a great tool to use if you have an outgoing personality.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) What I would like to say to my supporters is that I love every single one of you and I’m truly grateful to have you guys on a part of my journey. Without you guys motivating me every day, I wouldn’t have the work ethic and ambition that I have created over the years. We are already on a great start for the year 2021 and it’s all gas, no breaks for me! I got a lot of new music coming out for you guys, so definitely tap in and stay updated with what I got going on!