Faye Fantarrow
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Faye Fantarrow, an emerging British singer and songwriter whose debut EP was produced by Eurythmics star Dave Stewart, has died. She was 21.
Fantarrow died at home on Saturday after being diagnosed with a rare glioma brain tumor in September 2022. Her mother, Pam Fantarrow, announced. She had beaten leukemia twice since learning she had cancer at ages 8 and 13.
Stewart signed Fantarrow from his hometown of Sunderland, England, and oversaw the release of the seven-song album AWOL in February through his Bay Street Records label. The EP was recorded in the Bahamas.
“I can’t express how devastated I was when, shortly after spending an incredible creative time with Faye last summer working on her debut album, she found out she had this very aggressive brain tumor,” said Stewart in a statement.
“Faye was a joy to be with, full of fun, laughter and sharp as a razor – a true artist in every sense. Being with her and watching her work is a diamond stuck in my mind, moments I will never forget. I am lucky to have met Faye and her mother Pam, two people who fight together against all odds for Faye’s survival. It was both traumatic and beautiful to witness her strength and dignity, and I am so sorry that the world was only able to witness Faye’s genius for such a short time. She’s one of the greats, a girl from the north who burns with her lyrics and melodies. I loved her very much.”
Born on April 28, 2002, the soulful Fantarrow was named “One to Watch” by BBC Music Introducing and received the Alan Hull Annual Songwriting Award in 2021.
Joe Lynch of Billboard wrote in a review: “Driven by passionate acoustic strumming and a pulsating rhythm, Faye Fantarrow’s AWOL showcases the British singer-songwriter’s impressive alt-soul phrasing, reminiscent in its uniqueness of Alessia Cara and even Adele.” Points.”
Through a fundraiser to fund experimental treatments at City of Hope, Fantarrow raised more than 235,000 pounds (nearly $300,000) on the first of several planned trips to California, but was too sick to return for follow-up care, her publicists said.
Excess funds raised through the campaign were donated to charity to fund further research in her memory, they noted.
“Life very rarely goes according to plan,” Fantarrow said at the time of AWOL’s release, “but the plan was always to write, sing and perform, and I was lucky enough to be able to do that.”