XP Artist Spotlight: Frenchy Says Relax

The first time I was introduced to Frenchy Says Relax was through Drake’s Instagram stories. The global R&B sensation and rapper had shared a post in which Frenchy was fervently expressing his admiration for the classic rap banger, ‘We Gon Make It’ by Jadakiss and Styles P.

Absentmindedly, I tapped on the post expecting another celebrity rant of sorts, only to discover that it’s an archival page – run by up-and-coming Kuwaiti DJ and curator Kareem AlFuwaires – featuring a diverse selection of both contemporary and classic music spanning all genres from across the globe. Born in a musically-inclined household, right in the prime blog era of Western hip-hop, with an innate talent for unearthing auditory gems from the region and beyond, Kareem first established his archival page back in 2019 as a personal journal to share and talk about the music he loves with friends and strangers alike.

More than an online platform for music discovery, Frenchy Says Relax’s eponymous page is a treasure trove for music lovers and a dedicated space for appreciating good music (filled with good vibes only). It stands as an intangible reminder of the reason we fell in love with music. What initially materialised as a modest personal endeavour has since blossomed into a formidable social media platform garnering a substantial amount of following of over 287K from both music enthusiasts and prominent artists worldwide, due to Kareem’s distinctive approach to digging and versatile music curations, serving as a portal for regional artists and expanding their reach globally. Fueled by an unwavering commitment to sharing music with people, Frenchy Says Relax ventured into DJing, going from a self-taught bedroom DJ to opening for acclaimed global stars like Lauryn Hill and Bruno Mars. 

In an extended virtual sitdown with SceneNoise, Frenchy shared all about the process behind his music selections, the story behind his stage name, his diverse musical upbringing, and how he manages between DJing and running his platform. He also curated an exclusive playlist for us, because of course he can.

SN: Your online music appreciation platform Frenchy Says Relax has garnered quite a substantial following from across the globe. What made you decide to launch it?

Kareem: It all began with having random discussions with strangers about music. I grew up during the ‘Blog era’ of hip-hop, and I vividly remember going on websites like DatPuff and 2DopeBoyz and downloading the first mixtapes from some of the biggest artists today like Kendrick Lamar and A$AP Rocky. It was a very community-driven time in hip-hop that inspired me to launch Frenchy Says Relax.  I have always loved discovering music and sharing it with my friends, and when I first created the platform, it wasn’t really my intention to scale it to such a global level as it is now. It was essentially a personal journal for me to share and talk about music I like with friends and strangers. 

Now, after five years, it still serves the same purpose as when I first started it, and I think that’s the main reason why it’s become so successful globally. It is not a commercial by any means.

SN: Along with sharing good music globally, what are you trying to achieve through Frenchy Says Relax? What is its mission?

Kareem: The main goal behind it is to provide a space for music enthusiasts from across the globe to discover a diverse range of music. There is an abundance of good music out there, both new and classic, from the region and beyond. Perhaps my platform will serve as a form of inspiration for creatives and introduce people to new sounds they’ve never heard before.

SN: Your Instagram gives such good vibes, and energy and is quite diverse. Can you share with us the process you adhere to when curating your selections? Do you follow a certain theme or genre sometimes?

Kareem: It’s a long process of dedication and digging deep for new sounds. Everything I post is music I have recently been listening to, and which made me feel something. I don’t let algorithms control my taste or influence the selections I share, I always think to myself ‘What will people gain from this post?’. So, I try to maintain a balance between sharing popular modern music that people are familiar with, and revisiting classics, while also sharing more up-and-coming sounds people might haven’t heard of yet.  I always make sure different cultures and backgrounds are given the spotlight too.

For instance, if I’m curating a carousel post of new releases, and I include artists like Anderson. Paak. I consider regional artists as well in the same way.

SN: From your perspective, how do you see your platform contributing to evolving to the MENA music scene? 

Kareem: Given that the majority of my followers are based in the West, the platform will help put them on the diverse sounds of the region, and provide emerging regional artists with an opportunity to be positioned on a global scale.

SN: Frenchy Says Relax? It’s such an interesting name….Is there a story behind it? 

Kareem: Actually, it was originally my finsta account, which I then turned into a music platform.  It’s Frenchy because it was my nickname during my college years. I was in the US and I met those guys on campus, and when I introduced myself to them, they were like ‘Oh, like French Montana? He’s a Kareem too!’ and since then the name kind of stuck around. But, the ‘Says Relax’ part is a homage to ‘Frankie Say Relax’, and also serves as a personal reminder to always take it easy and relax.

SN: You were born and raised in Kuwait..can you tell us more about your musical upbringing?

Kareem: I grew up in a very musically inclined household. There was a lot of different kinds of music around me. My mom would always play Sad in the car, and then there were my older sisters, they were really into R&B like Alicia Keys and Destiny’s Child. My dad, however, put me on to soul/funk and a lot of the Woodstock-era musicians, as well as classic Kuwaiti folk artists. 

Also, being from Kuwait, there was always a record for Miami playing somewhere. All of this music was wholesome and fun, and just gave off such good energy, and this has heavily influenced my taste and the vibe I search for in any music I listen to.

SN: How did your musical career come to be? And, what made you venture into DJing?

Kareem: DJing is the most direct form of sharing music with people. I knew if I wanted to share more music directly, I needed to pursue it as a career. I first started DJing during lockdown. I would spend hours alone in my room just learning how to mix tracks through tutorials online.  My online platform has really helped accelerate my musical career though. I went from a ‘bedroom DJ’ to opening shows for big global acts like Lauryn Hill and Bruno Mars.

SN: How do you manage between running an online music platform and DJing? And, do they kind of overlap or influence each other somehow?

Kareem: To be completely honest, it does get quite challenging, both mentally and physically. I spend countless hours online, whether listening to music, researching stories I find interesting, or digging deep through the crevices of YouTube. Whenever I feel like it’s taking a toll on me, I take breaks from being online and it really helps put my thoughts in order and gives me much-needed clarity.

SN: Name five of your current favourite artists, whether regional or international.

Kareem: SAULT, Khruangbin, Yussef Dayes, Kaytranada, and Nour.

SN: What is your top favourite song at the moment?

Kareem: I can’t choose one but there are a couple of records which I have been recently listening to and loving. One of them is an album released earlier this year by Mk.gee called ‘Two Star and the Dream Police’. I have been listening to it non-stop since it came out, my favourite song off it is called ‘How Many Miles’. There’s also an amazing group called Nu Genea. Their music is like my summer soundtrack every year. They have this song called ‘Gelbi’ featuring Tunisian singer Marzouk Mekri and it’s amazing! Also, there’s this song called ‘Love Still Good’ by Chico Debarge. Just phenomenal.

We also asked Frenchy Says Relax to curate a playlist for us...