From the moment we heard Jaïr Faria‘s newest single “August” last month, we knew his artistry was something special, and diving into the discography he’s crafted so far made us more obsessed than ever.
The Amsterdam-born pianist, guitarist and singer-songwriter now operates out of L.A., turning heads with his genre-bending sound combining elements of pop, rock and neo-soul to create something entirely his own.
With hits including “Why I Called You,” “Cry About It” and “💔 – broken heart” he’s made fans of everyone from Benson Boone and Billie Eilish to Noah Kahan and more, and he just signed a publishing deal with Roc Nation and a recording deal with Giant Music. It’s clear it’s just the beginning for the star, on a mission to make Black rock for a new generation.
His captivating track “August” is about working to leave the past behind you and embrace better days ahead, but seeing all of that healing and progress undone in one unexpected moment. We had the pleasure of chatting with Jaïr all about the song, his love of dance and his biggest musical ambitions. Discover everything he shared with us in our Man Crush Monday interview below.
Name: Jaïr Faria
Hometown: Born in Amsterdam, based in L.A.
Birthday: April 30
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1. Jaïr released his new single, “August,” last month.
Jaïr Faria: “August” is about trying to move on from someone and getting to a place where life finally starts to feel light again, but then something small can suddenly bring all those feelings back. In the song, that’s the rain—this unexpected dark day in the middle of summer that brings back memories of someone you thought you were starting to let go of. I think it’s really about realizing that moving on isn’t always a straight line.
The initial inspiration actually came completely out of nowhere. I was driving to the studio on this really rainy summer day and the phrase “when it rains in August” just came into my head, so I wrote it down in my notes. When I got to the studio, we started working and everything came together really naturally from there. We basically wrote and produced the whole song within a few hours.
Sonically, I also wanted the song to have more of that big, energetic rock feeling. I was really inspired by “Born in Early May” from mercury.
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2. One thing that never fails to make him smile is a road trip with loud music on with his best friend.
3. You might not expect it, but he’s a big fan of both Billie Eilish and Radiohead.
4. He says his biggest character quirks are having very strong opinions and being very stubborn.
Jaïr: Once I have an idea in my head or really believe in something, it can be hard to convince me otherwise. I always want to do things my own way—which can probably be annoying sometimes, but I think it also helps me creatively because I really trust my instincts.
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5. He’s an only child.
Jaïr: Growing up I definitely got all the love and attention from both of my parents, which I feel very lucky about. I think it also had a big impact on my music because when I started taking it seriously, they were both able to really support me and put their time and energy into helping me.
They never had to divide their attention between me and other kids, so whether it was taking me somewhere, helping me figure things out or just supporting what I wanted to do, they were always there. I think having that kind of support gave me the space and confidence to focus on music from a pretty young age and really go for it.
6. His most-used emoji is the saluting face 🫡
7. He’s a bit of a geography whiz.
Jaïr: My favorite fun fact about myself is probably that I know every country in the world by heart and can point out where they are on a map.
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8. He’s never been a big sports person, but he did dance for a long time.
Jaïr: [I] went to a dance academy when I was younger. So I guess dance was my version of playing a sport. I loved the creative and performance side of it, which probably makes sense considering where I eventually ended up with music. But when it comes to traditional sports, I’ve never really been that into them.
9. He’d love to get better at playing guitar.
Jaïr: A lot of my music is pretty guitar-heavy, and I’ve played piano since I was young, so guitar feels like the next instrument I’d really love to become good at. I can play a little bit already, but I’d love to get to the point where I can properly play and use it more naturally when I’m writing my own songs.
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10. He doesn’t have one all-time favorite movie, but if he had to pick a favorite TV show, it’d have to be Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Jaïr: I’ve loved it for as long as I can remember and it’s one of those shows I can always go back to.
11. Jaïr says being open-minded and free-spirited are core to who he is.
Jaïr: I’ve always wanted to feel free to be myself, explore who I am and not worry too much about fitting into a certain box.
My queerness is a big part of that and a big part of my identity. It has shaped the way I see the world, the people I connect with and also the way I express myself through my music. I think I just want people who listen to my music to feel that same sense of freedom—like they can fully be themselves and never have to change who they are to fit someone else’s expectations.
For more on the stories behind the artists, click HERE to discover everything honestav shared with us as our Man Crush Monday.
