Zacari and James Fauntleroy Share New Song 'Reverse'

Rising alt-R&B singer Zacari has enlisted James Fauntleroy for his new single “Reverse.”

The two co-produced the bass-heavy banger with J-Louis (Chris Brown, Bryson Tiller) and Aaron Bow (Doja Cat, Travis Scott).

“‘Reverse’ came from a time when I was first falling in love with a person and that passion you feel in the first few months. It captures the longing I would feel whenever you’re apart from a new love — when it consumes all your thoughts,” explains Zacari.

He adds, “The middle and end sections with the live guitar and James Fauntleroy singing about time mirrors those softer ‘in between moments’ where clarity drowns the heart and you can’t help but lay there and wonder how long it will last… Eventually, it almost never does. For weeks, months, and even years, you can’t help but think back to these moments of first love.”

“Sonically this track really showcases my ‘R&B ADHD’ … or simply how scatterbrained I can be at times. I wanted to find a sound where I could sing melodic hooks, the beats still excited audiences, and – most importantly – could keep up with how fast my mind wanders. I wanted to let loose creatively on this upcoming project and ‘Reverse’ is a perfect introduction to this new sound.”

“Reverse” is the first single from Zacari’s upcoming debut album, which will be released on Top Dawg Entertainment/The Orchard.

Zacari’s album will follow his 2019 debut EP, Run Wild Run Free. The seven-track project included his Lil Yachty-assisted song “Young & Invincible,” as well as the popular track “Don’t Trip.” The latter song has 9.5 million streams on Spotify.

“This EP really goes back…I’ve been working on the music for 2 years and some of the lyrics are even from high school. This being my first project I wanted my experiences up to this point to be reflected in the music,” Zacari explained. “A lot of the sounds and tones are drawn from my experiences in Alaska. I want the project to feel like a breath of fresh air. After you listen to it I want you to feel like you’re ready to go back into the real world.”

As for Fauntleroy, the prolific singer, songwriter and producer released his Nova EP with Terrace Martin in August. The jazz-influenced project includes contributions from Robert Glasper and Chief Adjuah. In May, Fauntleroy teamed with Ari Lennox for “My Phone Can Die,” a song lifted from podcaster Rory’s compilation album, I Thought It’d Be Different.

Fauntelory was recently spotted in the studio with R&B singer Mario.