"Growing Pains" by Fataday Korngor (Inter-Review)

Happy Friday, everyone!  It feels good to be back into the swing of things; I’ve settled in nicely to my new home, have a stacked calendar full of fantastic artists to review, and have been feeling incredibly productive.  Today’s inter-review has been a long time coming, I am very grateful for this artist being so patient and polite throughout everything.  This artist is one of the nicest and most humble people I’ve ever met and I am so unbelievably excited to put you on to his music.  Of course, I have to be talking about the one and only Fataday Korngor, an indie/alternative rock musician from Philadelphia, PA!  This band is technically a solo-project, but also features instrumentation from AJ Tinari on drums, Tim Jones on lead guitar, Gavin Fernandez formerly on bass, and Clay Malaney currently on bass.  Fataday released an album almost exactly one year ago, on May31st, 2024, titled "Growing Pains".  There’s so much beauty in this album that we must dive into, so let’s not waste any time!  

Sane:

Let me just tell you right now, this opening track is an ABSOLUTE BANGER!  Sitting at two minutes and forty-one seconds, this song opens with a clean guitar strumming a consistent chord as the vocals jump in with a tone that is a mix of angelic and angsty.  This song really matches the vibe and sound of inoffensive early-2000s pop punk.  Throughout this entire album, Fataday maintains a very consistent, airy vocal performance that is very palatable and easy to enjoy, even on a repeat loop.  It is very impressive, especially on this track, that he never specifically yells or adds raspiness to his voice, but in his performance the lyrics do a lot of work to convey the emotion behind the vocals.  Another amazing feat across this entire album is the sheer amount of lyrics Fataday is able to fit into a reasonable length of time.  While sitting down and reading the lyrics to each song in preparation for this review, I consistently thought to myself "how can he possibly fit all these words into a three minute song?" and time and time again, I was left speechless at his ability to pull it off.  Each and every one of these songs have so much to say, and without it feeling crammed or forcefully fit in, it really smoothly and naturally flows into a cohesive and digestible song.  The chorus to this song will undoubtedly be stuck in my head for, conservatively, the rest of my life:

"My mind's gone crazy (thinking about the future)

It drives me wild (fixating on the past)

I'm so close to the edge of a breakdown that I can taste the pain

But I've still got you to keep me sane"

These lyrics perfectly encapsulate the overall themes of this album and match the energy of the title "Growing Pains" to a T.  Knowing that this album was heavily influenced by his time at college, these lyrics are universally relatable to anyone who has ever gone to school, and the release of this album being right around graduation season about as on point as it possibly could be.  I also love the line that inspires the song title "Sane"; it is sung beautifully but I also love whoever or whatever the "you" is that keeps him sane, whether it be a friend, partner, music, all of the above, or anything else that the narrator is passionate about, keeping him afloat throughout these hard and stressful times.  As a guitar screeches from the sliding of a pick, we are given gang vocals of "woah"s partnered with a fantastic guitar solo.  After this portion, we jump back to the chorus again with softer vocals on the opening lines accompanied by palm-muted guitar, until it takes a beat to pause and come all in with all the built up energy from before, finishing up the chorus and ending with a repeated resolve "but I’ve still got you to keep me sane."  Like I said at the beginning, this song is an absolute anthem and I enjoyed every second of it each time I listened to it (probably over thirty times) for this review.  It really gets you pumped up and fully onboard to see what else this album has in store.  

You Hate Me, I Love You: 

Track two opens with a much different vibe at the beginning, a somber guitar tone and melancholy vocals.  The drums kick in with the vocals and keep a steady pace to fit the appropriate level of sadness in the sound.  The song has ups and downs, much like a rocky relationship that this song is all about; the highs are very high and the lows are very low.  These lyrics offer a raw and emotionally resonant depiction of romantic disillusionment, self-doubt, and the cyclical nature of emotional pain. "What started in August, burned as quickly as ignited" sets the scene for a short-lived relationship that felt intense but ultimately wasn't sustainable.  The chorus "You hate me, I love you, and that is the issue" captures the painful asymmetry of feelings, one of the most emotionally charged elements in the lyrics.  The repeated lines "I never learn my goddamn lesson" and "I am just a fool" suggest a pattern of emotional self-sabotage and internalized failure.  This could also be stemming from the insecurities that the other partner has projected onto the narrator, leading them to hear these words enough times that they have finally begun to believe them as fact.  The recurring chorus lines heighten the sense of being trapped in a loop of emotional miscommunication and self-loathing, mirroring the actual experience of going through repeated cycles of hurt and toxicity in relationships.  Fataday gives it his all with this vocal performance, hitting quite a few falsettos, especially for the finale.  There is a lot of excellent instrumental work done on this song; nothing too crazy or flashy that makes a spectacle out of the main theme, but a lot of accentuating sound to flesh out the mix and offer unique and exciting sounds to latch onto, whether it be conscious or subconscious acknowledgement.  

Losing My Mind:

This song has easily the most memorable intro on the entire album.  Opening with a crazy level of phaser on the guitar tone and a great drum beat, it sounds like I’m dropping acid and about to transport to a wild fantasy land like in a 1970s stoner comedy.  As the song goes on, there is a good balance and interchanging of the phase guitar with the distorted guitar.  The percussion is so heavy and prominent in the mix and I actively caught myself banging my head and slapping my desk to the beat with my fingers.  The very first line, "Worst case scenario, you move on and let go", sets the tone: the narrator is bracing for heartbreak, possibly before it has even happened, the end of something is seemingly near.  This tendency to expect the worst is reinforced throughout the lyrics with repeated emotional spirals. "I’m out of my head,  I’m losing my mind" echoes a mental state overwhelmed by what-ifs and unanswered questions.  "Trying to find out what it is, about you that I can’t say out loud" suggests suppressed emotions, possibly love or resentment, that the narrator can't articulate, which adds to the emotional bottleneck.  "Songs from the radio, all remind me of you" is a classic and effective way to show how everyday moments are haunted by memory, how something so sentimental and sacred as music can be tainted by an unfortunate situation or experience. "When you walk right out the door, it feels like I’m slowly dying" delivers a sharp sense of abandonment, dramatized but emotionally honest.  There’s a constant push-pull between giving up and clinging to hope:

"Here’s to a new way home, and I’m walking on my own" gestures toward healing and independence, but is undercut by "I don’t wanna break my stride, but I can’t swallow my pride, when there’s still a chance of losing you", suggesting unresolved tension between moving on and holding on.  "Maybe it’ll end up fine, after a box of wine" offers a candid, slightly ironic acknowledgment of self-medication, humor-laced despair that many will find relatable.  This is a strong emotional piece, driven by internal conflict, unresolved feelings, and the paralysis of overthinking. The chorus is memorable and cathartic, and the lyrics maintain a consistent emotional tone throughout. While not lyrically revolutionary, it doesn’t have to be; the song's strength lies in its honesty, relatability, and emotional pacing.

Innocence:

Track four ironically opens very differently than what would potentially be expected from a song with the title "Innocence", a very fuzzy and loud guitar right off the bat, followed by a heavy banging as the drums come out of nowhere with full impact.  All of these songs do a great job representing the themes of "growing pains" but this song specifically really dives into a nostalgia of it all, "innocence" being a word that is almost exclusively reserved for being in reference to children, because as we grow older and learn more about ourselves and how the world works, having heart-wrenching experiences and seeing man-made atrocities and injustices, it is nearly impossible to prevent yourself from becoming jaded and hold onto your childish blissful ignorance and innocence.  The word "innocence" acts as a central motif, symbolizing emotional vulnerability, perhaps even a first deep emotional connection. The repeated imagery of a "hinge flown off the door" suggests a permanent, violent break, trust has not only been broken but destroyed.  The narrator will never be able to go back to being the person they were before this event took place.  "Take my innocence, show no shame" frames the other person as predatory or selfish, someone who entered the speaker’s life under false pretenses and malicious intent.  "Use me to the best of your ability, and discard me when you’ve got what you need" is cutting and direct. It reflects the theme of emotional exploitation, a dynamic where one person takes what they want without care for the emotional fallout, like a parasite.  

"Let’s make this best laid plan

Set it in stone

Say there’s something wrong

And now I’m alone"

Capturing the confusion of broken promises and sudden abandonment; the partner feigned seriousness, only to disappear, which reinforces the speaker’s sense of being lied to. 

"Confess your lie

Over time apart

You didn’t even care

Too fucking high"

The shift in tone shows rising anger, and alludes to substance abuse as a factor in the betrayal.  The final verses take on a more mature, reflective tone: "Distance, maturity, it was doomed from the start".  There’s a recognition that, despite the initial pain, the relationship was never going to last, a step toward emotional clarity.  The speaker doesn’t hide behind poetic detachment in this song; they’re angry, hurt, and done, and the lyrics communicate this abundantly clearly.  Many listeners will connect with themes of being misled in a relationship, feeling used, or having their trust betrayed.

Pinky Ring:

Across this album, there have been occasional snippets of acoustic guitar, but this is the first song on the album that uses an acoustic as the skeleton of its instrumentation.  It is a nice change of pace and shift in tone, although it is not simply just an acoustic track, there is still plenty going on in the mix to sink your teeth (or ears, I guess?) into.  The drums are still hitting hard as hell (not in an extreme way, it fits the song perfectly), and it sounds like there are additional conga or bongo drums which gives it a nice flair and individuality.  I’ll probably dive deeper into this specific lyric, but I need to address it right here, right now: "Ghost me like a Casper" is one of the funniest lyrics on this entire album, probably one of the funniest lyrics I’ve ever heard in my life, and had me absolutely DYING (pun intended).  The repeated line "You swore by your pinky ring, that we'd always be a thing" is a standout. It frames the promise of love or commitment as childish or superficial, something meant to be serious, but in hindsight feels naïve. This is a clever subversion of a traditionally innocent gesture.  The fact that the speaker keeps returning to this "pinky ring" suggests how deeply they believed in that promise and how painful its betrayal was.  "Ghost me like a Casper, should’ve known there’d be disaster" is witty, sarcastic, and hits on a very modern form of emotional hurt: ghosting. Referencing Casper (the "friendly ghost") adds a bitter irony, this ghost in question was anything but kind.  "Take back your stupid pinky ring, take it back now" every time he sings "take it back now" makes me want to pop my big ol’ booty butt and shake it like I just don’t care.  On paper, this song is NOT a song to shake your ass to, but somehow in execution, it really works out that way.  "Find me moving on, to someone that won't steal my air" is a great transitional moment.  It shows the speaker recognizing how suffocating the relationship was and choosing to reclaim autonomy.  "All those stupid words, I’m just so over it!" marks a strong emotional shift, no longer wallowing, but completely done and removing themselves from the perpetual disappointment and mistreatment.  This is a fierce and catchy breakup song, part revenge, part revelation, with a unique emotional symbol tying it together. It balances humor and hurt in a way that feels fresh and honest, making it an anthem for anyone who's been ghosted or gaslit.

Extinction: 

Another track that builds off an acoustic guitar, "Extinction" is one of the longest songs on the album, over five minutes, and is the first of two songs that feature Stone Cold Grace.  The vocal performances on this song are undeniably incredible and beautiful, and they pair so well together for harmonies, it sends actual chills down my spine.  

"Hell froze over the moment I met you

Because I never thought I’d see the day

When someone says they love me

For all I give and who I am

Then the flame came back

When the ice was melted

Because you took my heart

And shattered it whole"

This is a deeply emotional and devastating set of lyrics, the idea of being so beaten down that you can’t even comprehend a universe where someone could love you for who you are is a travesty and it’s so neatly conveyed in just a few short words.  The references to hell freezing over, and flames in general, seem like a nice callback to track two, "You Hate Me, I Love You", with its opening lines:

"What started in August

Burned as quickly as ignited

Thought it was the hottest day

I’ve ever known"

There’s optimism here, the relationship began with emotional significance and awe, hinting at personal insecurities being momentarily healed by this newfound connection.  But, hope turns to heartbreak.  The warmth returns as love deepens, but the metaphor flips again; the flame is destructive now, melting the protective "ice" and leaving the heart exposed and vulnerable.  "Shattered it whole" is an oxymoron that cleverly conveys complete emotional ruin, the relationship’s impact was total.  

"And I know how this ends

We just kept on falling

In and out of love

And there’s no way for this to end

Without me feeling like I’m wrong"

The relationship is stuck in a loop of unstable swings. This chorus reveals that the speaker is now predicting the end, recognizing an emotional pattern.

The line "feeling like I’m wrong" introduces guilt, even though the speaker was the one hurt. This becomes an emotional cornerstone of the song.  "Guess the comet’s coming down, I just know it’s over now, all that’s left is the fallout."  Using the comet as a metaphor for catastrophe is poignant yet clever.  It could have been written as a meteor coming to end the world, like it did for the dinosaurs, however the word choice of "comet" seems very deliberate as it can also be referred to as a shooting star, something that is usually seen with a positive and wishful connotation, now being repurposed as something deadly and destructive.  It adds gravity, this breakup isn't just personal, it's apocalyptic.  "Eating me alive, killing me inside, let this go into extinction"  shows emotional devastation. The metaphor shifts to a biological extinction, love as a species being wiped out. There’s a plea here: let it end fully so the pain doesn’t persist.  "My friends knew we were on the path to disaster, but I didn’t want to hear any of their cries."  The speaker admits to ignoring red flags. Friends warned them, but love made them deaf to concern. This adds a touch of humility, an acknowledgment of being complicit in their own pain.  This is a beautifully structured emotional arc, from hopeful disbelief to catastrophic heartbreak, and finally, resigned closure. The repeated metaphors work exceptionally well because they evolve with the speaker’s emotional state.  A resigned, almost poetic ending. There’s no attempt to salvage what was. Extinction now reads as a release, not just an end of the relationship, but a letting-go of all the emotional wreckage.  

Easy For You: 

Getting back to the punk aesthetic of this album, we have a wildly different shift from "Extinction" with "Easy For You".  This is the second and final song that Stone Cold Grace features on, and it is very nice that we get to see her contributions and vocal diversity in two very different styles of songs.  The guitar has some phase, some fuzz, and lots of muted strums.  Once again, the drums go hard, the vocals from all parties are astonishing, and there is a nice addition of background gang vocals that occasionally emphasize specific words with repetition throughout the track.  These lyrics deliver a sharp, emotionally complex story of manipulation, disillusionment, and hard-won clarity after a toxic relationship. Told with chronological precision, they trace the speaker’s journey from naïve hope to anger, and ultimately, emotional detachment.  The speaker begins with honest retrospection, they knew deep down the person wasn’t right for them, but were pulled in by illusion and false charm. The phrase "smoke and mirrors" is a classic metaphor for deception, immediately establishing the relationship’s foundation as one of illusion over substance.  The speaker admits their blindness during the relationship. "Faction of lies" is a unique phrase that implies not just scattered dishonesty but a coordinated, systemic deception, almost like the lies were meticulously organized against them.  "Why is it so easy for you?  To take advantage of the one you love, or lack thereof"  This becomes the central emotional thesis of the song, the core question the speaker is wrestling with.  The phrase "or lack thereof" is devastating, suggesting the love was either superficial or fabricated entirely.  

"Your cover's blown (blown!)

The truth is known (known!)

Wipe your fake tears away from me

Away from me"

These lines hit with rhythmic intensity. The shouted repetitions resemble a punk or post-hardcore style, matching the emotional fury.  "Fake tears" dismisses the manipulator’s performative remorse, drawing a line of emotional detachment; the speaker no longer buys into the act.  "Bumming rides and cigarettes, with nothing to offer but a cast of lies"  paints the subject as a user, both emotionally and materially, drifting through life dependent on others, surrounded by deception.  "Cast of lies" is theatrical, implying manipulation is not just habitual, but performed.  

"Now all I see is my smile fading

(disregarding what I've done for you)

With the lack of love now plaguing

Any chance of recovery from you (you, you!)"

These lines show the emotional damage left behind. Even as the speaker moves on mentally, there’s a lingering emotional cost that they’re still struggling to recover.  The use of the word "plaguing" makes love sound toxic; it is something infectious and destructive, rather than healing.  This is a tight, honest, emotionally explosive breakup song that combines powerful metaphors, strong structure, and emotional arc. It would resonate well in alternative, emo, pop-punk, or post-hardcore genres, especially given its shouted refrains and lyrical angst.  It’s the kind of track that sticks with listeners long after the music ends.

No Sunshine: 

I know I’ve done it in the past, but I tend to attempt to steer away from comparing artists I’m reviewing to other existing artists, but musically (and in some ways, the vocals) sound just like a song that would be released by Third Eye Blind.  I’m not even the biggest fan of Third Eye Blind, so I can’t really go into in-depth detail trying to explain what I mean, but it feels right.  Listen to this track and tell me in the comments if I’m wrong.  These lyrics unfold like a slow-burning emotional standoff, full of tension, concealed resentment, and a plea for truth amid conflict. With poetic language and recurring symbolic motifs, they tell a story of interpersonal breakdown where silence and deception have taken center stage.  

"Walls dark and trembling

Echoes ruminating on thoughts we never say

Dark hair leads to total despair

And I'm afraid we've reached an impasse"

The atmosphere is immediately haunting and claustrophobic. The walls are not just physical but emotional, the trembling suggests instability.  The use of "echoes" and "ruminating" paints a picture of unspoken feelings circling endlessly, creating a mood of suppressed turmoil.

"There's no sunshine

In this masque of mine

Leave it out 'til the fall

Cause I'm tired of all

Yeah!"

The "masque" (an archaic spelling of "mask"; could also be a form of dramatic entertainment) implies a façade.  The speaker is hiding their true feelings, but it’s joyless, sunless, and emotionally barren.  The lack of sunshine emphasizes emotional detachment or depression. This line becomes the refrain and thematic core.  "Leave it out 'til the fall" could mean postponing confrontation, perhaps until a seasonal change or emotional readiness. The phrase is ambiguous but poetic.  

"This hall is tense and cold

No one's really happy at all

Sides taken and the bond is broken

The advantage is stolen"

There's a growing alienation, no one is fulfilled, and the space they share is emotionally frozen.  Lines are drawn.  A once-unified bond has split, and trust has been replaced by strategic positioning. Someone has manipulated the situation to gain an upper hand.  

"Life's too short to lie

Why'd you even try?

(destroying what you ruled, because you had them fooled)

(That you're the one that's been wronged)"

 The speaker calls out deceit bluntly. There's a shift from poetic metaphor to plain language, heightening the emotional impact.  There’s a suggestion that the person being addressed played the victim while actually manipulating others. The tone is sharp and accusatory.  This track is a poetic and emotionally restrained depiction of conflict, where the speaker is buried beneath a mask of civility or silence.  

Rear View:

The final track.  Sadly, this album is coming to a close.  However, the silver lining is, that means we can start it all over again and listen to it on repeat for several months or years, or just indefinitely.  Everyone else can go home, there’s no other music that exists unless it's Fataday Korngor.  We have our last soft acoustic track, and it is the longest song on the album, clocking in at just over five and a half minutes.  Even though this song is soft, slow, and sad, it does come with a level of bittersweetness.  It is a loving farewell song, reflecting on a closing chapter of life and reminiscing on some of the good memories that were made.  About halfway through the song, we are treated to a very fun bass line that turns out to be the catalyst for the song to build up and intensify for one last boom.  "Rear View" is a reflective, emotionally grounded song that deals with the difficult experience of leaving behind a familiar place, person, or phase in life.  As the closer to the album, this track fits squarely into the themes of transition, nostalgia, and emotional struggle that comes with personal growth.  The opening lines establish that departure was inevitable, but its suddenness is jarring. This speaks to how we often anticipate change intellectually, yet remain unprepared emotionally.

"Empty shelves, dirty floors

A piece of me is torn in two

Thinking of those old stores

And I’m starting to feel blue”

These lines anchor the experience in place and memory- a childhood home, a neighborhood, or a town now abandoned.  “Old stores" and “dirty floors” evoke a sense of decay, not just physically but emotionally. The nostalgia is painful, not comforting.  The rear view mirror becomes the symbol of longing and guilt; it’s not just the past being looked at, but the past seemingly calling back.  “Farewell, old friend, hope you’re good to yourself, like you were to me.”  This “friend” could represent a place, a person, or even a former self. There’s tenderness, gratitude, and sorrow.  The line suggests maturity and grace; even though leaving hurts, the speaker holds no bitterness.  “Dust racks built upon, fleeting memories cherished, a story of mother, father and son.”  This stanza provides a snapshot of a childhood once vibrant, now faded.  “Dust racks” evokes abandonment, while “fleeting memories” show that even good times are impermanent, adding to the emotional weight of departure.  

“The sun’s setting on this journey

And my friends are leaving me behind

I’m trying to pull through

But I’m losing my mind

(There’s no sunshine)

(Let this go into extinction)

(Take it back now)

(I never learn my goddamn lesson)”

The sunset is a classic metaphor for endings, and now it’s explicitly about mental and emotional exhaustion.  Losing friends adds a layer of isolation, suggesting the departure wasn’t just geographic but social and spiritual.  I love the dueling vocals that include references to songs that precede this one.  Not only does this song stand on its own by conveying imagery of moving on with big life changes, but it is also a love letter to the album itself, seeing how far these songs have come, where the album started and where it is ending.  I thought that was a very nice and sentimental inclusion that ties everything together.  The song ends with a choir of voices repeatedly singing “move on, let go” which is a tough thing to do, but the execution makes it sound comforting and doable.  I imagine these voices are those from the past, present, and future.  All voices coming together to say straight to the narrator “we are here, you are not alone, and you will get through this!”  An absolutely beautiful piece to end the song on, as well as the album as a whole.   “Rear View” is a melancholic, deeply human track that captures the emotional complexity of growing up and moving on. It balances poetic imagery with plainspoken grief, making it a standout track for anyone who’s felt torn between where they’ve been and where they need to go.  

This entire album is a masterpiece from start to finish.  Any song could be listened to on its own and thoroughly enjoyed, but you can also sit back and spend thirty minutes just absolutely engrossed in the intricacies of this story.  If you’re not already a fan of Fataday Korngor, you absolutely should be.  Down below, you can see that I had the pleasure of speaking with him about his music and we had some very insightful discussions and it was incredible getting to know more about him! 

Interview:

Thank you so much for joining me today for this interview!  Hope you're doing well and are ready to answer some questions! 

Fataday: I’m happy to be here! Let’s do it!

"Growing Pains" is your second album, following "Messing With The Brightness" from 2022.  How do you think you improved upon your sound between these two albums?  What are some things you did differently on "Growing Pains"? 

Fataday: I think the biggest difference between "Brightness" and "Growing Pains" soundwise is that my band and I went to an actual studio to record the album. "Brightness" was recorded while I was in college, and as such, the production was very DIY, to say the least, haha. I was recording that album literally between classes and other extracurricular activities; looking back, it shows and feels a little bit rushed at times. But I still love the songs on that album wholeheartedly. With "Growing Pains", the album was recorded after I had graduated, so I had a lot more time on my hands to make sure the album sounded exactly how we wanted it to. Having Jesse Gimbel in the producer’s seat also helped with that change significantly. 

Another change came with the songwriting. I feel like I really stepped up my game in that department, and took some more chances with song structures and melodies. I don’t think I would’ve been able to write a song like "Extinction" or "You Hate Me, I Love You" prior to the album. I also think that taking our time with writing and recording also played a role in the album being, in almost every sense of the word, better than its predecessor.  

What are your favorite songs from this album?  What are your favorite songs you've ever written across your entire discography? Are there any songs that you feel didn't get enough recognition?  

Fataday: Choosing a favorite song from the album feels a bit like choosing your favorite kid! But I love "Easy For You" and "Innocence" the best. They’re both fun songs to play live and incredibly catchy (I’m not biased, I swear…). I also think they’re both incredibly honest and a good representation of the album, sonically and lyrically.

Across my entire discography, I’d say those two songs, "Sane" the album opener and "Forget to Remember", my newest single, are my favorites that I’ve written so far. They were super cathartic to write and a lot of fun to record too. 

I sometimes wish that "More To Say", from "Brightness", got a little bit more love than it did, though I’m still happy with how the song itself turned out. We’ve been talking about possibly bringing it back into the live setlist. I hope we do, because that song’s fun as hell to play live!

You sing and play guitar, when did you first start?  What made you want to pick up the guitar?  Do you play any other instruments?  When did you start writing music and when did you realize you wanted to pursue this into adulthood? 

Fataday: I first picked up the guitar when I was five years old. Singing also came into the picture around then, but what got me into guitar was actually a funny thing. As a young child, I was always tuned into Playhouse Disney once I aged out of Sesame Street’s age demographic. And one of the shows that Playhouse Disney would always show were The Wiggles. They were always playing their instruments in their TV show, and that’s ultimately what got me into music as a whole. I would bang on my play desk as if they were real drums, and mimic playing the guitar whenever they came on screen. My parents recognized this and bought me a guitar for my fifth birthday, and I’ve been in love ever since. 

For other instruments that I play, I can play bass, harmonica (at least enough to get through "Piano Man" and "My Name is Jonas") and something I’ve been trying to get into more is piano. I played a little bit on both albums ("Growing Pains" moreso), but I’d love to start learning more about it!

I started writing music more seriously when I was in college. I was probably a freshman when I wrote songs like "Red Flag", "Gone Away" and "Learn To Love", songs from my first EP, "The Lightning Round". They were amongst the first songs that I liked enough to show other people, and they seemed to like them too, so I ended up trying to record them while I was 19 and learning how to operate recording equipment. With "perfect timing", the pandemic hit right as I was trying to record from campus, so I ended up recording the vast majority of it at home. 

This is a solo project, do you/have you ever performed in other bands?  Tell me how you got started with them! 

Fataday: I’m in another Philly band called "Sacred Monsters"! We consider ourselves "sad girl rock". I got connected with them during my time in college. They came to the studio to record a couple songs for a Vans contest (I believe?). I was just one of the camera people that day. They honestly blew me away from that one session and I subsequently became a fan afterwards. A few weeks after the shoot, KP (our singer/bassist) asked me if I’d be interested in playing with them as they saw that I could play guitar and sing. I jumped at the chance to join and ended up learning their whole discography (which was about eight songs, plus a cover of Cher’s beloved hit, "Believe") in three days before my first practice with them. It was wild, but they were impressed, and I’ve been there ever since! It’s been a lot of fun so far. 

Do you prefer doing solo music or playing with a band?  What are the pros and cons of each, in your experience? 

Fataday: Both definitely have their pros and cons. With my solo stuff, the lyrics and sound tend to be geared more towards the ideas that I have in my head, whereas with Sacred Monsters, we build the songs up as a group, which then helps us figure out where the song is headed. Both are fun processes. I’d say it depends on the day which one I prefer since they’re both so different. 

What inspired you to write this album? 

Fataday: There was a lot going on for me when I started writing this album. I was doing my last year of school and taking the maximum amount of credits in order to graduate on time, so I was under a lot of stress and pressure on the academic side of things. On the personal side, during that fall, my family decided to move out of my childhood home while I was away at school, and I didn’t get much of a say or closure on that. It just happened, and it was sad to leave a place with so many formative memories. On top of that, I had ended a pretty draining relationship at the time, and was still reeling from the emotional toll that it had taken on me.

With everything that was going on, my mental health was at a pretty low point, and I wanted to do something to help make me feel better. One by one, each song ended up coming as I kept writing. It was therapeutic and incredibly cathartic to undertake. Though looking back, it’s kind of a miracle that the songs came out as good as they did given how much was going on!

On two of the nine tracks, there is a feature with Stone Cold Grace; how did you get connected with them and how did this collab come about?  Do you have any fun stories about working with them? 

Fataday: I met Sara (Stone Cold Grace) in February 2023. She sings and plays guitar in another Philly band called Caring Less (great band, btw). Sacred Monsters was playing a show with them on what was possibly the coldest night of the year. Upon meeting her and the other band mates, the one thing that kept flowing through my head was "wow, these guys are so much cooler than me!" Their performance that night (and the next few times I saw them over that spring) blew me away. I ended up asking Sara if she’d be interested in collaborating on these songs together in July, about a month before we went into the studio to start working on the album. She’s such a talent when it comes to singing and songwriting, so I loved what we were able to come up with together.

One funny story from recording came when we were trying to figure out vocals for "Easy For You". She had come up with a vocal melody for the chorus, but melodically, it didn’t mesh as well with what I was singing. Myself, Sara, and Jesse spent almost a half hour trying to figure out what melody would work best for that part. After about twenty minutes, Tim (my guitar player) shouted from across the room, "What if he went low and you went high?" That change in the chorus ended up staying in the final version of the song. It was funny that the change ended up coming from an unexpected source in the room.

You told me that the final day of recording this album was wrapped up during the Super Bowl 2024. If you were to play the halftime show, what songs would you play, and why?

Fataday: If I were ever asked to do the halftime show, I think I’d actually shit myself! But in all seriousness, I’d start the performance by standing at the catwalk with a power stance for 30 seconds, in order to assert my dominance over the National Football League. I’d then launch into "Sane", which would then flow into "Run" from "Brightness", and then a drumline break with acrobats and cheerleaders would lead into the stomp-clap intro for "Forget To Remember", and ending with "Losing My Mind" to send the performance off in style.

I’m hoping that somewhere in the middle, Beyonce shows up with Destiny’s Child so I can sing "Single Ladies" and "Survivor" with them. That’s all dependent on whether her schedule is free and if she ever acknowledges that I exist. We’ll get there, eventually.

We met earlier this year when shooting a music video for Naive Nature (shoutout), how did you get connected with them?  How long have you been filming?  Are there any other music videos you've been behind the camera for?  

Fataday: I’ve been internet friends with Jackson for a little over four years now. We shared some mutual friends in college, and met in person for the first time in January 2024. We’ve been friends ever since. They’re all fun and nice guys to hang out with, so doing that video was fun despite the challenges we faced on the day of shooting. I went to school for video production and have directed two music videos for other artists so far (not counting my own videos). I’m hoping to do more behind the camera, as it’s a lot of fun and I get to meet new people doing it…like you!

(SHAMELESS PLUG: if any artists are looking for music videos, hit me up! I’d love to work with you!)

Very recently, on May 6th of this year, you released a new single titled "Forget To Remember".  What can we expect next from you?  Are there any exciting things coming soon that you're able to tell us about?  

Fataday: Well, the band and I have a lot of shows coming up for the summer, so we’re currently prepping for those. All information about them can be found on my instagram (@fatadaykorngormusic). But yeah, we’ve been working on a few new songs at practice and I’m super pumped about them. I can’t reveal too much, but I’ll say that if you enjoyed "Forget To Remember", you’ll like what’s coming next.

Who are some of your biggest musical inspirations?  

Fataday: This answer changes all the time, as I listen to a bunch of stuff. For now, I’ll say Jimmy Eat World (my favorite band of all time), Paul McCartney (his melodies are damn infectious), and Hayley Williams (her lyrics are always incredible, and her energy as a live performer is what I hope to one day achieve myself). 

Before we finish up this interview, are there any people you'd like to shoutout?  Friends, family, up-and-coming artists, anyone at all!  Feel free to write down a huge list below! 

Fataday: Yes! I want to shout-out my bandmates AJ, Tim and Clay for being on this journey with me, Sacred Monsters for accepting me into the band all those years ago, my mom for buying my first guitar almost 20 years ago (damn, I feel old 

lmao), my friends for supporting me along the way and coming out to shows and the following bands for always being in my corner: Valendina, Caring Less, BEES!, Rescue Pets, Obsolescence, Hot Seat, precious little life, The Taste of Vomit, KOURAJ, ERIE, Big Dopes, Wicked Scoundrel, naive nature, Kat Rivers and the Second Sight, You’re Laughing, Women in Sports, Altruistic Vision and Scoopski. I love you all and think the world of you!

Thank you so much again for joining me. I am so happy to have gotten the opportunity to speak with you about your album "Growing Pains"!  

Fataday: Thank you for having me! I appreciate the opportunity. 

I hope you all enjoyed this inter-review, I hope you all take the time to listen to “Growing Pains” by Fataday Korngor, and you can find all of his fancy fabulous links right HERE!

( https://linktr.ee/fatadaykorngor )