A modern day chamber folk virtuoso redefining musical narratives.

In this exclusive Q&A, we delve into the genesis of Rachid Amado Fakhre’s Skydaddy, exploring the artist's influences, the transformative trip to Lebanon, and the intricate process behind his upcoming EP Pilot. Fakhre's narrative weaves through the tapestry of his experiences, from the pivotal moment at a music festival to the collaborative spirit that defines the London art-rock scene. Fakhre shares insights into the literary inspirations behind tracks like 'His Masterpiece' drawing from Claude Lantier's tragic narrative in Emilie Zola's L'Œuvre. We also hear about the evolution of 'Tear Gas' a song with a rich history, transformed through collaboration with Black Country, New Road’s Tyler Hyde.

For those unfamiliar with your music, can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make? 

Hi y’all. My name is Rachid Amado Fakhre and I am from the UK, more specifically London, born to good-natured Lebanese-Grenadian parents. I like to make warm, raw, vulnerable ballads. I’m not especially virtuosic in any particular instrument so the songs I write are generally more song driven than instrumentally driven with the  main aim being to cause the same twinkle in people’s hearts as the ones that stirred me to doing it.

Your musical journey with Skydaddy began after a period of creative disillusionment. Can you elaborate on the moment or experience that triggered this shift and led to the birth of Skydaddy? 

Indeed it did!! Coming up in the game with best friends, learning the tricks and ways of the trade and what you want to do or say, people tend to split into different paths along the way. I guess I found myself not aligned with any of my peers anymore and that dropped me in a hot pot of confusion and stagnation for a year or so. You should check out the song “A Life of Illusion” by Joe Walsh because that was the anthem. It actually came to a head at 7am at a music festival after a particularly virulent does of blotter.  I felt these feelings of confusion at once intensify and also felt a freedom from them. I started writing ‘That Morning’ that morning. Soon after, I was in a position in which, at the last minute, I had to throw together a set of only my songs for an upcoming run of European dates as Spang Sisters (which was a duo). I felt so much love and support from the audiences as well as from the band, which had been put together in less than a week, that I decided to begin this new journey.

The EP Pilot seems to be a significant milestone for you. How did the process of creating this EP differ from your previous musical ventures?

Being my first solo record, it was an opportunity to work on a fresh collection of songs without having to compromise on structuring, arrangement or anything like that. In that sense it was pretty daunting to not have anyone else’s opinion who I trusted to be honest. So it was a series of leaps of faith. I felt this particularly in a lot of the subject matters of the songs which felt almost too personal to share on record.

Furthermore, until that point I’d only recorded at home alone or with my friend Jules, whereas this record was almost entirely recorded in a studio - Hermitage Works with Nathan Ridley. I’d discovered the studio via Blue Bendy’s Motorbike EP which sounded bigger and bitier to me than anything else around. Nathan mixed the last Spang Sisters song so I asked him if he would be up for recording some Skydaddy stuff. Recording with someone in a studio was definitely a new experience – it helped me snap out of certain funks and habits. Doing it mostly on tape also forced us to limit things to only a few takes. As did being on the clock!

You mentioned a trip to Lebanon earlier this year, which greatly influenced the EP. Can you share some specific experiences or moments from that trip that left a lasting impact on you and found expression in your music, especially in the track 'Lebanon Rising'? 

Yes I travelled there in March 2023 some friends and shot some of the video for ‘That Morning’ there with Blue Laybourne (D.O.P). We were also joined by Francesce (heka) who plays piano in the live band and whose voice is littered across the EP, Jonny and Louie who play violin and cello on it, respectively, and Tyler Hyde, with whom I sing ‘Tear Gas’.

It was an honour and privilege to bring friends over, meet family and indulge in the delights of the Levant for a week. At the same time, it was quite harrowing to see the country so broken in ways. We spent a week in the Beirut neighbourhood of Mar Mikhael which still was testament to the destruction caused by the 2020 nuclear blast at the port which lay less than a kilometre away. Moreover, the country was experiencing dumbfounding inflation with record levels of unemployment. Nonetheless, we were all struck by the resilience and positivity of the people we met. For example, sitting on the street and drinking beers one night, we met an older gentleman called Fares. He saw us and pulled up his battered car in front of us, brought a chair, a portable stove, some coffee, food and blasted Fairuz out of his car and we passed a magical night with him. We continued spending the rest of the trip with Fares and found out all about his turbulent life, withstanding the civil wars and societal problems that had shaken the country for the last century. He is a truly singular man with a lot of love to give.

Pilot explores a diverse range of musical styles, from art-rock to chamber folk. How do you navigate such a varied sonic landscape, and what influences or artists have played a significant role in shaping the sound of Skydaddy?

I guess it was accidental. I wasn’t trying to create a varied stylistic landscape per se, I think each song was just influenced by something or someone else. For example, I wrote ‘His Masterpiece’ after listening to lots of Randy Newman and also the song ‘Sing on the Window’ by Bob Dylan. ‘Lebanon Rising’ was probably influenced by Ry Cooder’s score of ‘Paris, Texas’. I have no idea what ‘Everything’ was influenced by. Obviously the main hook is the same lyric as a Radiohead song but that just came out naturally and I didn’t know what to change it to. In truth, I’m not a huge Radiohead fan (sorry).

The EP cover, featuring a passport photo, suggests a personal unveiling and a fresh start. What does this symbolize for you, and how does it tie into the themes explored in Pilot?

It was a very last minute decision to be honest. I’d had other, extravagant plans for a series of sculptures but the sculptures ended up getting over-fired in the kiln and the whole thing fell through so I went with something very plain and simple. Originally it was going to be my passport photo blown up across the whole 12” but when I scanned it at the scanning shop, the gentleman leant me a black napkin to use for a background so it could be easily extracted on Photoshop. I ended up quite liking the texture of the napkin so we went with that. As said earlier, it’s the most personal I’ve gotten on a record so I thought something as plain as a government spec identity image would demonstrate that. No pretence, no frills, just a sly baddie.

'His Masterpiece' is inspired by the story of Claude Lantier from Emilie Zola’s L'Œuvre. How did this literary influence shape the narrative and emotions conveyed in the song?

It was a novel I read at University and found very poetic and inspiring. The story revolves around the struggling painter Claude Lentier (based on Paul Cézanne), an impressionist at the dawn of the movement,  who feels misunderstood, confused and frustrated. His obsessive inner-torture ultimately leads to his demise as he is utterly consumed by a painting which he believes to be his masterpiece. That painting eventually becomes the backdrop in front of which he takes his own life.

'Tear Gas' is a song with a history, having existed for a few years. How did the collaboration with Tyler Hyde come about, and how did the song evolve over time through live performances?

The song was written 7 years ago about, and in the same room as, a girlfriend I was with at the time. We were a mess at the time and unable to communicate verbally. In 2022 I hosted a radio show in which I’d asked artists to send in cover versions of songs they liked. Tyler kindly sent in a cover of that song but with a totally different rhythm and feel. I loved it so much that we started playing it live, overlaying some orchestral parts. Eventually, it became the suet that now appears on the EP.

As a central figure in the London art-rock scene, you've played a crucial role in fostering a sense of community. Can you tell us more about the 'works in progress' nights and how they contribute to the exchange of ideas and inspirations among artists?

Wow thank you very much. The idea came about from a desire for myslef to play more low-key shows around London where I could test out new material. It would help me gauge the songs better by recontextualising them outside of my bedroom, as well as force me to finish ideas.

However, Fran at The George Tavern asked me if I wanted to put on a night there and I thought it would be nice to make a night solely dedicated to this. I reached out online to see who might be want to do it and the interest was overwhelming. The first instalment had 12 artists, all of whom were people I very much admire. The vibe was electric – it felt like a support group for anxious teens. Everyone was very nervous to play, even people who regularly tour, but I think everyone was very grateful for the chance to try out new stuff in a judgement-free zone

Having toured with Black Country, New Road before even releasing material, how did this experience shape your approach to live performances and your identity within the music scene?

Much like a Neapolitan pizza, it ruined other shows for a while. I had inadvertently gathered a band of 8 people which just doesn’t work at The Windmill. However, being able to play on those big stages, each of us with our own set of monitors, not having to dodge Felicity’s flute or Louie’s bow – we were in heaven! I think it also placed Skydaddy in a certain branch of the scene, embraced by the Gen Z emos and BCNR stans. I think the mere virtue of us knowing the band made people like the project which is a bit strange but any publicity is good publicity!

What do you love right now?

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What do you hate right now?

Those covers nights at MOTH Club.

Name an album you’re still listening to from when you were younger and why it’s still important to you?

The Velvet Underground (3rd album) by The Velvet Underground. It’s easy to get lost in the sauce of modern trends in music. An album like this grounds me. I’m instantly transported to being a 13 year old boy in my room eating pizza and playing Gameboy and listening to this record. From the moment the needle drops and ‘Candy Says’ starts, I feel grounded in the knowledge that all the elements you need for an effective piece of rock music are right there.  

What lies ahead for Skydaddy? Do you have any tour plans, collaborations, or goals you'd like to share with your audience?

Many good things I hope. The EP is out February 2nd – I’ll do a short run of solo in-store gigs and then we will head out for a week-long tour of the UK as a full band. We’ll be hitting Scotland, Leeds, Bristol, Brighton and London. In terms of collaborations, I’ve started collaborating with my old friend and former manager Tony (Jianbo) for some introspective orchestral rap music which we’re really excited about. I’ve also done some stuff with the genius, Ethan P Flynn which should be coming out soon.

The newer Skydaddy material is also in the works and is guaranteed to be huge!