Every artiste reaches a point where the focus is no longer on proving themselves but on becoming more certain of who they are. For Fave, RNBLING feels like that moment. The newly released project finds her settling more comfortably into her voice, with a clearer sense of herself and the music she wants to make.
Since breaking through with “N.B.U.” and the runaway success of “Baby Riddim” in 2021, Fave has carved out a reputation for songs that invite listeners into her inner world without losing their universality.
Across songs about love, heartbreak, desire, and healing, she writes with an emotional openness that makes even her most personal moments feel familiar.
That perspective feels more settled on RNBLING. The opening single, “Dance,” was written shortly after she turned 25, a period she jokingly describes as finally having her “frontal lobe developed.” Beneath the joke, though, is a confidence that runs through the record.
Across its songs, she reflects on choosing her own path, making sense of life in the spotlight, expressing what words sometimes cannot, and embracing both love and solitude. Together, the songs become snapshots of an artiste learning to trust herself more completely than ever before.
Beyond the music, that self-assurance also shapes the way Fave approaches her career. Reflecting on the AI-generated version of her song “Intentions” that surfaced in 2025, alongside her thoughts on collaboration, womanhood, and creative independence, she returns to one guiding belief: authenticity is not something an artiste performs but something they protect.
In this exclusive interview with The Nollywood Reporter, Fave discusses the making of RNBLING, the stories behind its songs, the lessons that have come with growing into herself, and why she hopes listeners leave the project feeling seen long after the music stops.
TNR: Your third EP, RNBLING, arrives at a point where you’ve become one of the defining voices of your generation. Looking back, what did you want this project to say about where you are creatively and personally today?
Fave: I wanted to be able to give people, you know, me in a raw form and show how much I’ve grown as a person and in my artistry as well. I also wanted what I’m bringing to be a project that’s timeless and stands the test of time.
“Dance” introduced listeners to the world of RNBLING with a vibrant Afro-pop love story. Why did that record feel like the right first chapter for this project?
I just thought it was a good way to start the summer, and it was a good song to give people a taste of what to expect from the project, or what was to come. So it kind of set the tone for what they would be listening to when the EP dropped.
Across your music, you’ve consistently written songs that feel deeply personal yet universally relatable. When you’re writing, how do you decide which parts of your own experiences are worth sharing with the world?
I think, for me, I’m always very raw in my songs. There are parts of myself that I choose to share with people through my lyrics, in one way or another. Other times, I also mix them with other people’s stories, experiences that aren’t mine but that I’m borrowing.
So, that’s really how I approach writing songs. I don’t usually go into the studio with the mindset of, “Okay, I’m going to write about this particular thing that’s happening to me right now.”
Sometimes I’m vulnerable without even realizing it. I just start writing, and I end up talking about something that’s very personal and that I can relate to. Other times, I can’t relate to it directly because it’s actually based on someone else’s story or experience.
Every project has one song that becomes its emotional centre. Which record on RNBLING best captures who Fave is today, and why?
I would say all the songs on the project capture my essence. “Dance” is about me being past 25 years old and having my frontal lobe developed. At the time I recorded that song, I had just turned 25.
That was last year. So it definitely represents who I am right now because I feel like I’m more mature and able to make more informed decisions.
“Bella” talks about me wanting an escape from the world because I’m somebody who’s very whimsical, and I like to live in my own world. I choose not to be confined by the principles of the regular mortal world or by someone else’s standards.
I’m a big fan of creating our own worlds and living in them, allowing the people who are part of our journey to come along, instead of us conforming to someone else’s identity.
There’s also a song that talks about my life in the spotlight as a celebrity. It explores both the good and the bad sides of being famous and being an artiste. Then there’s the song with Chike. It’s about being stubborn and not wanting to admit that you miss somebody or something, even though, deep down, you actually do.
You also have “Dance,” which is really about how you don’t have to be a special or extraordinary dancer to be able to bust a move. Dance is for everybody.
Then there’s “Body Talk.” If you’ve been listening to my music from “Mr. Man” and “Time”, you’ll know that I’m always talking about expressing yourself and communicating through different forms, not just with your mouth but with your hands and your body. So “Body Talk” is really about communicating a message in different ways.
So, essentially, all the songs are echoes from my heart.
Last year, your song “Intentions” became part of a wider conversation around AI-generated music after an AI version circulated online before you later released an official remix. Looking back, how has that experience shaped your views on artificial intelligence as both a creative tool and a challenge for artistes?
I would say my stance is pretty much the same as it was before “Intentions,” and it’s still the same now. I’ve always been open to the idea of using AI as a tool, but where I draw the line is using AI as an artiste.
By that, I mean creating an AI artiste without informing people that it’s actually AI music, or making AI recreations of people’s songs and trying to make money off them. That’s something I can’t stand behind.
I definitely support using AI as a tool. For example, if you need to make a few changes to your beat or you want your saxophone or another instrument to sound a different way, you can easily give AI that prompt. It’s there to assist you.
If you’re a singer or recording artiste and you need choir vocals but you’re working with a limited budget, AI can help you generate those parts. I think technology is here to make our lives easier, so I’m definitely behind using AI in that capacity.
But beyond that, I can’t stand behind it. If you want AI to write your songs or come up with your melodies, then I think you should be upfront with people and let them know.
The truth is, people are still going to listen to the song anyway. If you’re bold enough to use AI for that purpose, you should also be bold enough to stand behind it.
You’ve collaborated with artistes across different sounds and generations. What do you look for in a collaboration today, and what makes another artiste a good creative fit for Fave?
I think, for me, I love collaborations because they’re really beneficial. If we can create something that feels genuine and pushes both of us creatively, then that’s the kind of collaboration I enjoy. At the end of the day, it’s about making good music that feels authentic to both of us.
The conversations around women in Afropop have evolved significantly over the past few years. As someone who’s built a career on authenticity rather than trends, how do you view the opportunities and expectations that come with being a female artiste in today’s industry?
Okay, I would say, as I mentioned earlier, I try not to live my life by other people’s standards. I strongly believe that this is my world, and everybody else is just living in it. I think that’s how everyone should choose to move through life.
I genuinely believe in the power of self-belief, believing in yourself and not paying too much attention to what everybody else is saying. I remember reading a book that said you can listen to opinions and advice, but you shouldn’t take advice from people who don’t know you. They’re only speaking from the outside, and if you listen to everyone, you end up confused.
It’s better to identify your goals, understand who you are as a person, which is something I’ve done, and focus on what you need to do to move forward. It’s also important to identify the people you need in your space because having the right people around you plays a huge role in the direction your career takes.
We’re in an industry that’s almost like a jungle. It’s every man for himself, and sometimes you can’t even trust people you thought were your friends. So you have to stay grounded and not be easily swayed by what’s happening around you or by what people are saying. You always have to remember that your journey is different from everyone else’s.
As much as I recognize that, especially in Nigeria, there are different standards and expectations placed on women than on men, I don’t let that distract me from my goals.
I can block out that noise by staying focused on what I’m doing. As long as I stay true to myself and my craft, and I can look at myself in the mirror and be proud of who I am and what I’ve done, I don’t really care so much about what anybody else has to say.
I don’t know if those standards will change in the near future, but that’s what I and many other female artistes are trying to change. The only way we can do that is by making a name for ourselves and creating more opportunities for the female artistes coming after us.
When listeners finish RNBLING, what’s the one conversation or feeling you hope they leave with long after the music ends?
I hope they’re able to connect with the music and hear stories that are relatable to them. I want people to find pieces of themselves in these songs and feel like they’re not alone in whatever they’re going through.
I also hope this project stands the test of time. I don’t want it to be something people listen to today and forget about tomorrow. I want RNBLING to be a project that people keep coming back to as the years go by, something they can always revisit and still find meaning in.
