For most hip-hop fanatics, neo-soul singer/songwriter Fana Hues might not ring a bell. However, those who checked out Tyler, The Creator’s CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, you might know her from the two-parter, “SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE”. If this is the amount of knowledge you have on the Pasadena, California artist, then we encourage you to check out her solo discography. Fana Hues possesses an incredibly soothing voice, as well as a great ear for instrumentals. Just like her vocal abilities, the sounds Fana Hues goes for on Moth are hypnotic and serene. They play perfectly alongside her topical focus and the delivery of said themes, making for a satisfying listening experience.
If you are wondering if the title of Moth is a possible acronym for anything, it actually is. According to an interview with Essence, Fana Hues explains that it translates to “Matters Of The Heart”. Also during her chat with the publication, the 28-year-old talks about what this project is all trying to convey. “This album is definitely me putting the mirror up to myself and seeing where I’m at, where I want to be and how to get there”, she says. In another sit-down, this time with Rated R&B, Fana also speaks on how it pertains to the actual insect while expanding on aforementioned journey. “Moths fly through darkness constantly searching for light even at the risk of harm. I’m always en route on a journey to find the reason for a feeling in its purest form, even if it hurts”. From its layered meaning to the songs overall, Fana has a great record on her hands.
Two years have passed since Fana Hues released her stellar second album Fana + Flora, and just as fans sought out a new album from the singer-songwriter, Hues re-emerges with good news. Hues announced that her third album MOTH (Matter Of All Things) will arrive on June 14, and today, she celebrates the news by releasing her new single “Rental.” The groovy record is accompanied by an undeniable summer-themed video that features the singer and her friends having the time of their lives together.
The new song itself is a sassy and confident ode to distractions and joy rides in life. In a press release for the song, Hues added, “Rental is a song that explores how giving into a guilty pleasure can be a freeing necessity.” As for MOTH (Matter Of All Things), the project will feature 13 songs and a lone feature from Bam Marley. “Moths fly through darkness constantly searching for light even at the risk of harm,” Hues says about the album. “I’m always en route on a journey to find the reason for a feeling in its purest form, even if it hurts.”
After the release of MOTH (Matter Of All Things), Hues will join Lucky Daye as an opener for The Alogrithm Tour which kicks off this summer.
You can watch the video for “Rental” above and view the tracklist for MOTH (Matter Of All Things) as well as The Alogrithm Tour dates below.
07/11 — San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
07/13 — Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
07/14 — Seattle, WA @ Showbox Sodo
07/17 — Denver, CO @ The Ogden Theatre
07/19 — Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore Minneapolis presented by Affinity Plus
07/20 — Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
07/21 — St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
07/23 — Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
07/24 — Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room at Old National Centre
07/26 — Chicago, IL @ Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
07/27 — Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit
07/28 — Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s
07/30 — Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre
07/31 — Toronto, Ontario @ HISTORY
08/02 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Roxian Theatre
08/03 — Washington, DC @ The Theater at MGM National Harbor
08/04 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore Philadelphia
08/06 — Boston, MA @ Citizens House of Blues Boston
08/07 — New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
08/09 — Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
08/10 — Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte
08/11 — Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
08/13 — Orlando, FL @ House of Blues Orlando
08/15 — Birmingham, AL @ Iron City
08/16 — Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
08/17 — New Orleans, LA @ The Fillmore New Orleans
08/20 — Austin, TX @ ACL Live at The Moody Theater
08/21 — Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center
08/22 — Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
08/24 — Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
08/25 — San Diego, CA @ SOMA
08/27 — Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues Anaheim
08/28 — Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
MOTH (Matter Of All Things) is out 6/14 via Bright Antenna Records. Find out more information here.
(WARNING: Spoilers for this week’s Rap Sh!t episode will be found below.)
The events in the first episode of Max’s Rap Sh!tseason two, titled “Yield,” are soundtracked by songs that help to accentuate the emotions behind each scene. You can find a list of them below and details about the scenes the records were heard in.
Reina Reign — “Tongue”
We hear this record during the opening scene of “Yield” as Reina Reign, Shawna, and Mia are shooting a video for their remix of “Tongue.” The trio are in a pink-lit kitchen for a video and they’re all directed to show their sex appeal while working with kitchen items, something that Shawna struggles to get the hang of.
Shawna & Mia & Raedio — “Seduce & Scheme”
This is the theme song of Rap Sh!t. It plays around the 2:17 mark in “Yield.” The song originally debuted in the inaugural episode of Rap Sh!t and it was the first song Shawna and Mia made after establishing their rap duo. An official full-length version of the song was recorded in season one, episode two.
Raedio, Ben Reilly, Bryant Taylorr & Tim Gent — “Fish & Grits” Feat. Cam & China
This song plays around the 6:26 mark as Mia tries on some outfits for tour. She also discovers that her friend will not be able to watch her daughter Melissa for the full month she’s on the road. We then shift to Duke who meets with one of her top sex workers who warns her of future troubles and proposes that she watch the rest of the girls while Duke is on tour with Shawna & Mia.
Fana Hues — “Float”
Fana Hues’ Flora + Fana record can be heard around the 7:57 mark as Mia meets with her Melissa’s father Lamont to ask if he can watch Melissa for two of the four weeks she’s on tour. There’s some tension between the two following last season’s events, but Lamont agrees to prioritize Melissa and take care of her during Mia’s tour.
Ice Spice — “Bikini Bottom”
Ice Spice’s hit song “Bikini Bottom” plays around the 9:08 mark as Shawna, Mia, and Duke meet at Francois’ house ahead of the tour. It’s here that Shawna, Mia, and Duke learn that the duo will only be able to perform one song, their “Tongue” remix, during their slot as the opening act for Lord AK. Additionally, there’s no guarantee that Shawna, Mia, and Duke will make money. Despite Duke’s frustrations and objections, Shawna & Mia decide to still go through with the tour.
Enchanting & Gucci Mane — “Issa Photoshoot”
Around the 12:52 mark, this record plays during a going away party for Mia with her friends and family. The drinks are flowing but the tension between Mia and her mother is still high as her mother is upset that Mia won’t let Melissa stay with her while she’s on tour. Mia and her sister also share an emotional moment before Mia’s mother gives a drunken speech.
Jordan Ward & Joony — “IDC”
Jordan Ward’s Forward track plays as Shawna and Francois hang out in the latter’s pool around the 15:22 mark. The two play a game of Never Have I Ever and reminisce about the memories they had as a former music duo as well as the things that happened after they split.
Jacques Laine — “Little Haiti” Feat. Seddy Hendrix
We hear this song around the 17:11 mark as Mia takes a dive into the pool and Francois joins her shortly after. We then transition to Lamont showing up to Mia’s party with Throat Coat as a going-away gift for Mia’s tour.
Rayn Lenae — “Skin Tight” Feat. Steve Lacy
Ravyn Lenae’s Hypnos record plays around the 22:12 mark during an intimate moment between Shawna and Maurice. It comes after the two shared a toast ahead of Shawna’s tour where Maurice wished her luck and celebrated her accomplishments.
Jean Deaux — “JD’s Revenge”
This track plays to close episode one after Maurice meets with his friend Stanley to let him know that he’s been called in for questioning by the police concerning the fraud investigation that’s ongoing at the old hotel Maurice and Shawna worked at. Maurice assures Stanley that Shawna did not snitch on them to the police, despite not having any proof of that, and Stanley warns that he will throw Shawna under the bus if it comes to it.
New episodes of ‘Rap Sh!t’ are available on Max on Thursday at 3am EST/ 12 pm PST.
Throughout Pigeons & Planes’ history, we’ve had a lot of bad ideas. Once we tried to set up an interview with Danny Brown while he was holding a sloth (he doesn’t know this), before learning that there are all kinds of legal guardrails when it comes to handling sloths in the state of New York. Another time we rented an Airbnb and decided to shoot music videos on the slightly questionable roof. If someone had been injured, there’s a chance P&P would not exist today. And then, of course, there’s the video series idea we had called Pizza From Behind (I promise it’s not what it sounds like), but we won’t get into that today.
The point is, we’ve thought about making a lot of things that never saw the light of day. That’s what happens when you come up in the blog era and realize that corporate interests, copyright laws, and shifts in technology can change everything at any given moment. You get antsy, you accept that nothing lasts forever, and out of sheer panic that your time is near, you start vomiting up absurd ideas under the guise of productive brainstorming.
A Pigeons & Planes compilation always felt like one of those absurd ideas. We’d talk about making an album at least once every year, but it never happened. For years, we’ve been a small team making music-related content for the internet, curating playlists, and producing concerts—officially releasing a project of original music always felt out of reach.
Over the last two years, that panic turned into a realization that the world is going to shit and we’ve got to try to make some of these far-fetched ideas happen. Naturally, our first instinct was Pizza From Behind. It’s gotta be Pizza From Behind. We shared that idea with a few people, and their reactions were a clear signal: “No, the world isn’t ready. Make the album.”
Mike Dean and Redveil, Photo by MELL GMike Dean and Wallice, photo by Nicole-Busch
And so, we finally decided to make an album. We partnered with Big.Ass.Kids and ADA, and we started reaching out to artists we love asking for songs. Surprisingly, most said yes. Then we posted about it on Instagram before we even had any music. We said, “We’re making an album!” And Mike fucking Dean commented on it: “You need an executive producer to finish it.”
We laughed, because obviously it was a joke, but soon after we’re on a Zoom with Mike Dean and it turned into not-a-joke. Mike Dean agreed to executive produce the project.
Months later, we’ve actually got a full album and it’s out on all platforms today. We’ve got incredible new songs from Teezo Touchdown, Terry Presume, Redveil, Fana Hues, EKKSTACY, Wallice, Dreamer Isioma, Brevin Kim, Ben Reilly, Baird, and Sash—you can read more about each of them here. The artists all got in sessions with Mike Dean and he mixed and mastered the whole thing. I’m not one who appreciates the intricacies of mixing and mastering as much as I probably should, but I can tell you this: Mike Dean is a genius and he made this whole project sound bigger, better, and more cohesive. He also turned out to be the perfect fit for a Pigeons & Planes project—he’s open-minded, down to earth, and his love for music is obvious in everything he does.
Mike Dean and EKKSTACY, photo by MELL GPhoto by MELL G
HK designed the cover. It was another shot in the dark but fuck it, we had Mike Dean involved, so why not reach out to HK? Years ago, before we knew we could make an album, we made a SoundCloud mixtape. This was back in the day before Brockhampton was a famous boyband, and HK designed the cover to that project. So having him back for See You Next Year is a full-circle moment.
The album is called See You Next Year for a lot of reasons—some are obvious, others not so much, and it’s all probably better left unsaid. But one reason we liked this title is because it sets us up to make this an annual event. Who knows if we’ll do that. As previously mentioned, we think about a lot of things that never happen, but we really hope that this is an exception. Making this album was a labor of love, long days, and frequent reminders that we are so lucky to do work that involves so many talented creatives. We have many more stories to tell because of this album, and we’ll get to those soon.
For now, here is the very first P&P compilation album, See You Next Year. Thank you to all of the artists for being a part of it, and to everyone who brought this project to life.
Fill in the blank: Fana Hues is most likely to ______?
Star in a film. I want to go and expand on my hues and really get into my acting bag and fully dive into that part of storytelling. I really be out here acting. I’ve been doing it for years and years but I haven’t gotten my one film yet. So it’s only a matter of time.
What’s changed for you in the last year?
Access, I’ve had way more access this year to resources in order to execute my visions.
What’s been the biggest lesson you’ve learned about yourself creatively in the last 12 months?
I don’t know anything at all. I’m still learning.
What’s been the biggest risk you’ve taken in the last year?
Packing up my stuff and putting it in storage and just going on tour. Breaking my lease for the house, that was a goddamn risk. I was like, “Dang, am I really gonna figure this out while I’m on the road?” That was a risk.
Photo by ONErpm Studios
What do you hope these next 12 months mean for you and your career?
I hope that next year, I continue to solidify my position in music in general. I want to experiment more. And I want to free myself of the box that I put myself in creatively sometimes. That’s what I’m hoping for next year, for sure.
What is it that you want to see in the world next year?
I would like to see people start treating others as human beings and not have everything be so transactional.
What’s the biggest goal on your bucket list in the next year?
This debut album. It sounds like, “Oh, of course.” But it really is. I’ve been planning this debut album, conceptualizing it for like six years now. So I am, I’m ready for that.
Looking back, what was your favorite year ever and why?
I would say 2012 was probably the best year for me. Growth-wise and it’s when I started really tapping into my voice. I was 16, you know? It absolutely still sticks with me. That summer particularly. Channel Orange had just come out.
What’s the biggest secret you’ve kept this year?
I’m really tryna think. What’s a secret that I kept this year? I don’t know, I have no secrets.
Raveena just released her latest album, Asha Awakening, on February 11th, a psychedelic R&B album centered on a celestial princess from ancient Punjab, weaving her way through love and chaos. One of our “Artists To Watch” for February, Raveena is wasting no time announcing a tour in support of the gorgeous record.
Following her mid-April Coachella appearances, Raveena’s headlining tour begins in Oakland on April 24th, then courses through North America before culminating with a final stop in Los Angeles on May 28th. She’ll be supported by Fana Hues on the tour, who just announced a new project of her own.
Ticket pre-sale begins 02/16 at 10 am local time and general on-sale begins 2/18 here. Check out Raveena’s full tour dates below.
4/15 — Indio, CA @ Coachella
4/22 — Indio, CA @ Coachella
4/24 — Oakland, CA @ The New Parish*
4/28 — Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre*
4/29 — Seattle, WA @ Neumos*
4/30 — Vancouver, BC @ Imperial Vancouver*
5/4 — Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge*
5/7 — Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall*
5/8 — Detroit, MI @ El Club*
5/9 — Toronto, ON @ Opera House*
5/12 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry at The Fillmore*
5/13 — Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club*
5/15 — Allston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall*
5/16 — New York, NY @ Irving Plaza*
5/18 — Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West*
5/21 — Austin, TX @ The Parish*
5/22 — Dallas, TX @ House of Blues – Cambridge Room*
5/24 — Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom*
5/28 — Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre*
* = w/ Fana Hues
Asha’s Awakening is out now via Warner Records. Listen to it here.
Raveena is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
We’ve had on our eyes and ears on Fana Hues for a minute. Since the rising R&B singers appeared on Tyler The Creator’s 10-minute opus “Sweet/I Thought You Wanted To Dance,” and especially since she dropped the single “Pieces” late last year. Now the Pasadena native has announced a new project cheekily entitled Flora + Fana, out March 25th, and dropped the lead single from it in the vibey “Wild Horses.”
Fana stands out over a hushed drum pattern that veers from what we’ve heard in the past, but is equally cinematic. It has that Frank Ocean melodrama to it that pulls you in. She’s continuing to make a name for herself as a singer who floats over unique tonalities that highlight her emotive vocals.
“Flora + fana represents my world and everything it encompasses, and right now, that’s growth, love, heartaches, and breaks,” she says of the upcoming release in a statement. “It’s also representative of how I cope with the state of the world. No matter what’s happening outside, my ecosystem is flourishing.”
Listen to “Wild Horses” above and check out the album artwork and tracklist for Flora + Fana below.
