London-based FelixThe1st finished off 2023 on a brilliant note, taking home the MOBO Award for Song of the Year with his breakthrough hit “Own Brand (Freestyle)”. But now, he’s ready to start over again, as he inaugurates a new chapter in his artistry — one that feels more genuine, true to the core, and sonically layered. “I want this to be an immersive listening experience,” he starts. “It’s a project that began with such tiny ideas that have now become songs that mean a lot to me. It’s fascinating that I’ll look back at this as a moment in my journey where I stopped caring about what people think. I’m proud to say that my integrity speaks through my music.”

“i hope you never fit in” is a 13-track long project, inspired by Felix’s melodramatic outlook on relationships, as we see him reflecting on the complexities of romance, heartbreak, and frustrations. The project is a clear departure from his previous releases, playing with the nuances of bedroom-pop and rock-infused riffs to paint the picture of what feels like his most vulnerable version to date. In the early days of his career, Felix experienced firsthand the power of TikTok with his single “Own Brand (Freestyle)”, featuring Dréya Mac, and what a viral tune can do for an upcoming artist. But it’s how one moves forward from such a massive hit that establishes them as one to watch.

Here, the rising underground powerhouse takes us behind the scenes of his creative process, on a track-by-track review of his latest offering. Keep scrolling…

“for now”
“The project’s journey explores the emotions experienced in a relationship. Starting with ‘for now,’ it delves into the feelings when someone has wronged another and it’s almost time to come clean – essentially, it’s a redemption song. It captures the true feelings of relationships, where you love someone deeply, yet struggle with how they make you feel, and, in the end, reflects on the complex emotions that love evokes.”

“don’t cry”
“The track continues the narrative established in ‘for now,’ illustrating the sensation of being in a relationship where despite giving your best effort, things don’t unfold as anticipated. It’s a moment you never imagined and something you said you’d never let happen in the beginning.”

“let you down”
“This is where you explain to your loved one about the wrongdoings and how hard it is to sacrifice certain things to be with each other. I purposely tried to make it about verbalising that you’re doing everything you can to make it work while acknowledging that it’s a difficult thing to do. It was fun to experiment with the different soundscapes on this one and really use that to emphasise the narrative.”

“swan song”
“I found a beat called ‘Swan Song’ on my computer, which immediately inspired the idea. I wanted to explore the concept of moving on and trying to make a go of things away from your partner. One of the lines says, ‘Said the world would never feel the same, but now it’s just your turn.’ It’s the realisation moment where you truly understand what has happened and know that it’s now time to confront the emotions and accept that what was once shared is truly over. This is a moment of backtracking and having doubts about your decisions. Sometimes, you don’t know how you feel or what’s going on, and need to face the reality that your loved one has moved on – but trying to live well is challenging. But then, something keeps bringing you back to each other. One of the lines, ‘If you loved him how would I make you stay?’ which is me saying, ‘I understand you’re moving on, but if you didn’t care about me, then you wouldn’t be here.'”

“used to”
“‘used to’ is the realisation of not knowing the person like you used to know them and being like damn, we need to do something about the situation. I just wanted to expand on the growing narrative of the project with this track and express how things aren’t the same, what can be done or do we let this go. You can see where I’m going with the narrative at this point.”

“would u wait”
“It was a fun song that plays on the fact that we’re both playing on our love and although things have changed – if I gave you a call would you wait for me? Would you explore our relationship again if we had time away and I asked you to return? Things feel good exploring myself without you but if I returned and gave you a call, would you be there? It’s very reflective but also such a happy song at the same time.”

“three”
“This is the acceptance that you’ve really left me and me just wishing things could be the way they used to be. There’s a lot of reminiscing with me, mainly just thinking, damn, I wish I didn’t f*ck up really and moved more rationally and not as impulsive. Again it’s a realisation that we’ve actually gone separate ways and this is our reality.”

“friday 13th”
“I was in the studio with Subculture, who played me the beat, and I loved it, even though he thought I wouldn’t! I tried a bunch of ideas on the beat before getting to the idea you heard today. The video is almost a dream and I’m with the girl that I’ve had all these issues with. I imagined that she’s a vampire that lives forever and I’m craving for her to bite me as well to make sure we can live together in harmony. But also, the video shows how all of this isn’t real and is a metaphor in my head.”

“solo dolo”
“Solo Dolo is me realising that I didn’t need anyone anymore. I’m telling myself that I understand what’s going on and I’m not disappointed in anyone. The whole song is me coming to terms of how I’ve been chasing a person and I haven’t even found myself yet. It’s about showing self-accomplishment and represents my journey so far, which includes figuring out how I can do things on my own terms.”

“what now”
“Another moment of understanding for both people in the relationship. We’ve tried all these things and still nothing has happened. We’ve had time on our own to explore ourselves, so should we try again? It’s a long conversation of reminiscing on what we had. What can we do now to make it work? The entire song questions the relationship and our future.”

“stay”
“The final song is a significant moment that disregards everything I’ve said, as we are only humans who contradict ourselves. After the journey we’ve been through I’m confessing to myself that I want my partner here. The video is a good metaphor for how we’re the only person that’s holding us back – ultimately, it’s meant to reflect a liberating experience. It was the first track I made for the tape too!”

“oh well”
“I always admire artists who release demos or raw versions of their music, so it’s an ode to them. It was made while creating the project, so it follows similar narratives, particularly how we’re both scared to move on, and it feels like no one else is really like you, but, oh well. I think we should stop overthinking and see what happens. It doesn’t necessarily mean something comes from it, but it just means that no matter how late it is, there’s still an opportunity to build relationships without forgetting how positive things were.”