Who TF Is Fred Again?
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Ever since his Boiler Room set in July 2022, no one has been able to shut up about Fred Again. He has singlehandedly revived house music in the newest generation and made it accessible for those who aren't self-proclaimed “rave bunnies". Now his music can be heard at the frat houses, blasting from someone’s TikTok For You Page, and, more importantly, through word of mouth. And if you don't know who Fred Again is, you’ll see him everywhere this year.
Fred Again is a British artist who has been steadily gaining popularity over the years, thanks partly to his unique sound and approach to music production. His style is a mix of house, techno, and pop, focusing heavily on emotive vocals and lush, atmospheric textures. Fred Again has been making waves in the music industry since the release of his debut album, Actual Life (April 14 - December 17, 2020), which received critical acclaim for its innovative sound and introspective lyrics.
Fred Again makes liking such a saturated genre of music easy.
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It was only ten years ago when EDM music was owned by the millennials who lived for Skrillex, Coachella, and drugs. The rave scene was always something that seemed out of touch and weirdly unfamiliar to a younger crowd. Because of house music’s association with psychedelic use, the genre was not popularized among teenagers. The closest thing we—the teenagers of 2015—got to EDM music was listening to Clarity by Zedd on our mom’s car radio. Artists like Flume, Avicii, and Calvin Harris had and still have huge fanbases, but it feels as though they were either too famous to have a personal relationship with their fandom or had an oddly specific fan base that didn't allow for variety at all.
What the 2010s DJs lacked was accessibility to EDM music. This doesn't mean physical accessibility like downloading a song or buying concert tickets. It’s internal accessibility that stems from within people. For example, you can listen to a song by a certain artist and really enjoy it, but if you don’t particularly feel like a part of the music, the artist, or the fanbase, then it will always be just another song. Listeners want to connect with music without feeling as though it doesn't belong to them.
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Fred Again seamlessly blends the lines of age, race, ethnicity, demographic, and gender. It is one of the first times anyone on this planet can say they love an artist and everyone around them will think they're cool. Usually, the house music genre comes with a stigma, but Fred Again has eradicated it completely. His music is entirely accessible from every angle.
House music has always been about community and inclusivity, bringing people together on the dance floor regardless of their backgrounds or beliefs. In today's world, where division and conflict seem to be everywhere we look, it's no wonder that people are turning to house music to connect and come together. Fred Again pushes the limits of connectedness to a different level and has the entirety of the new generation to prove it. His revival of house music in 2022 is a testament to the enduring power of the genre.
Strike Out,
Writer: Sophia Yunaev
Editor: Noelle Knowlton
Graphic Designer:
Tallahassee