Faouzia is the latest musician on fashion’s radar, having recently completely her first major fashion week tour through New York, with stops at Carolina Herrera, Christian Cowan and Prabal Gurung, among others. The Canadian vocalist, born in Morocco, boasts nearly 2 million Instagram followers and 3 million on TikTok, and on Wednesday releases her latest track, “RIP Love,” which is her most assertive blend of Arabic and Western pop thus far.
“I really wanted to focus on merging Arabic music and Arabic influences with pop music,” she says over the phone from Los Angeles, where she is on a writing trip. “I’ve just been itching to tease it and show it to my fans. And once I posted it, it got a really crazy and amazing reaction, and it just got me so excited because this kind of music is truly me, and it really showcases me and my roots as an artist.”
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She says her music has often hinted at her background, but she’s getting more intentional with the approach with her new work.
“I’ve always kind of done it unintentionally, just in the way that I sing. I was just talking with my team and we decided it would be super fresh to incorporate it with my team to incorporate it more than I always have,” she says. “I would walk into sessions and I would be, like, ‘I kind of want this pop vibe, but make it Middle Eastern.’ We kind of went from there and created this whole new world.”
Growing up, she idolized Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, all women she says have “made an entire world” around their music, something she wants for herself.
At NYFW, she loved the Carolina Herrera show, though it differs strongly from her everyday style.
“My go-to style is probably something a little more comfortable because I feel like I’m always on the go, but I like to keep it really cute and simple,” she says. “I’ll go with a hoodie or a really cute tracksuit, or something that looks more put together but is still really cozy. And I like to wear fun shoes, like very colorful or fuzzy slippers and then doll up my hair and my makeup.”
In the months ahead, the star will be on the road, hitting festivals and dropping new music along the way.
“Just getting a lot of music out there,” she says.
