Afrobeats making a bold genre shift in the Pop dominated market and raising the bar for other African genres and super talents to cross over. 2023 saw The Grammys, American Music Award, and MTV VMAs, introduce an Afrobeat category to celebrate its dominant in the global market.

An The GREENADE Company, a film production and talent management company, owned by Abula

— the music video director signed FAYE, a Nigerian musician on our One to Watch this month, under management of GREENADE. Temitayo Olasunmade, who’s known as FAYE, is a musician on the rise in the Afropop scene, who has honed her vocal through singing other artiste’s songs and creating covers, as seen on her Instagram page (@shoutfaye).

Her last offering for the year 2023, “Denge Pose”, meaning ‘showing off’ or ‘posing’, — the singer fuses Amapiano on the record, with lyrics about love, lifestyle, and moods that leap between lonely, and being powerful again. FAYE describes the song as being personal to her, as the record is a tale of her experiences into the contemporary African womanhood in Nigeria.

Born and raised alongside one sibling in Lagos, Nigeria, FAYE’s interest in singing was co-signed by industry heavy players like Mr. P (one half of the Afrobeats music duo ‘P-Square’), and 9ice.

FAYE spoke with TurnTable about her plans for the year, her journey so far, and struggles.

How did you coin the name - FAYE?

FAYE is the acronym of my names; Funmilayo Awelewa Yetunde, and E is for Elegant

How did you get your first start in music?

I’ve always been a lover of music but never thought I’d become professional with it. Almost just like everyone else, i started from the church choir, and my bathroom was also my stage.

In 2022, after leaving a film set, Abula heard me singing Overdose by Mavin and that got him

hooked. It’s been constant encouragement since that moment after which I joined Greenade a few months after. I dropped MY RHYTHM, my first single that same year and the rest is history.

How do you describe your sound?

For me, I do good music and I do everything good music

How has your journey been so far, has it been all rosy or it has its struggles?

It’s hasn’t been rosy at all because we are still in the process of getting there. It’s a whole lot and it’s not rosy at all but have been able to meet a lot of great people along the line and am grateful to have them with me. I have been able to meet big legends doing it but the struggle is still there because I have not gotten to where I want to get to yet.

How’s it like trying to find your voice in the male dominated industry?

I feel like everyone has a voice and you will definitely get your fans people that will like you.

As your music continues to attract new audiences, what do they expect this year?

This year I’m expecting more deals, more shows because I know a lot of people find my voice and I want to let more people know more about me. I expect more fans and more more streams