An Interview with Faye Fadem of Trust Fund Ozu and Thank You Scientist

Faye Fadem is a drummer, composer, producer, and visual artist based out of New Jersey. Her compositional creativity and artistic skills are funneled into a solo project, Trust Fund Ozu, while her drumming prowess is showcased in the progressive rock outfit Thank You Scientist and alt-rock band Sentient Moss. We interviewed Faye to gain insight into her creative process, life and musical aspirations. Thanks, Faye!

BDL: When did you start playing the drums? What inspired you to start?

Faye: I started playing drums when I was 14. My dad took me to see Rush after I told him I liked the song YYZ in Guitar Hero 2, and that night I decided to make getting good at the drums my main priority. 

BDL: Who/what were some of your early musical influences? How about your more recent influences?

Faye: Some of my earliest influences were Rush, Frank Zappa, King Crimson, and my hometown heroes Karmic Juggernaut. Some of my biggest influences now are JPEGMAFIA, Charli XCX, Dorian Electra, Ben Levin, Justice Cow, and NNAMDÏ! I am kind of embarrassed by my prog/metal roots but it got me to where I am today so I try to stay thankful for it!

BDL: How would you describe your drumming style?

I’m trying to sound like a computer.

BDL: You're also an incredible producer and visual artist. Can you tell us about what it was like going from being a drummer to a drummer/producer/animator triple threat?

Faye: I got really exhausted trying to express myself solely through collaboration. Collaborating is a beautiful thing but I knew I needed to take this path in order for me to express the purest form of myself. Now I spend most of my time writing and producing my own music where I can say whatever I want and work towards understanding myself better. Producing my own songs is a very cathartic and therapeutic way for me to process my emotions. I really can't sing so I use a lot of vocal processing to achieve the sound I want. I think everyone should use Autotune for their own mental health.

I learned to animate so that I could make my own music videos! I use a software called Blender that is free. There are so many resources online so I highly encourage everyone to give it a shot!

BDL: What is the origin story of Trust Fund Ozu and can you tell us a bit about the Ozu universe? 

Faye: Trust Fund Ozu is me! Trust Fund Ozu is also a cute little robot girl who I use as my avatar in my universe. Anime and manga was pretty much my entire life before I began playing music in high school, so worldbuilding and lore has been ingrained into everything I do since I was very young. So many of my values come from these fictional universes and I really don’t know what kind of person I would be without them. Really I’m just a big nerd whose adolescence was saved by anime and it's important for me to try to capture those feelings and share them with anyone who likes my music.

BDL: How does drumming fit into your creative process at this point? Any insight into how you develop drum/percussion parts for Trust Fund Ozu, Thank You Scientist and Sentient Moss? 

Faye: I just want to dance and have other people dance (Headbanging counts as dancing) It’s really rare for me to program or play something without a backbeat, and if I do it's normally something that is already deeply instilled in pop music in some way, such as a clave or a breakbeat. I still do a lot of flashy chop stuff because I know it makes people happy to see but I rarely think it works in a non-live setting. I like melodies and lyrics and always want those to be in focus.

BDL: What do you feel are some commonly overlooked elements or aspects of playing the drums that you think are really important?

Faye: Having fun and staying curious. I don’t know if I had much fun playing drums from age 18 to 24, because I just used self-doubt, social pressure, and perfectionism to fuel my practice. I would convince myself that if I’m picking a career that is “superfluous” and “unnecessary”, that I needed to be the best at this one thing or else I was betraying everything and everyone I loved. If you don’t feel like playing drums, play guitar or make beats in GarageBand! Write lyrics. Draw a picture. Eat pancakes. Cuddle doggie!

BDL: Describe a particularly weird experience you've had on a gig. 

Faye: One time, we were loading out and a man got into our van, sat in the back seat, and when confronted said “I’m ready to go!” We got him out of the van and he looked at me and said “I just want to be normal again.” He was really drunk so it wasn’t very funny. It was actually very sad.

BDL: What are some of your personal and/or professional goals over the next few years? 

Faye: I’m hoping to make Trust Fund Ozu my whole life’s work! I believe in myself and I know it is possible! 

BDL: What is next for Trust Fund Ozu?

Faye: New album coming in January of 2022!!! Singles and videos before then. Hopefully I can do a full Ozu tour sometime soon!

BDL: Any general advice you'd like to give to someone looking to pursue a career in music?  

Faye: Learn how to use a DAW, such as Reaper,  as soon as you start learning an instrument. Use Auto-tune as much as possible (Retune speed at 0). Check in with yourself and do what feels right at the moment. Things change and so will you.