Fridayy has long found himself in a unique position: an R&B singer with a rapper’s aura. From the heartfelt storytelling on his 2023 self-titled debut to the deeper, more refined sound of his new album, Some Days I’m Good, Some Days I’m Not, Fridayy has been all about growth. “Just elevation,” he said of the difference between projects. “More learning, more losses, more Ws, because everything is just a learning experience.”
This time, the Def Jam recording artist continues to lean into the duality of his artistry, splitting the album into two sides—one tapping into pain and reflection, the other embracing love and melody. No matter the vibe, his goal stays the same: making music people can feel. “I already know what my fans need,” he said. “It was just giving them the same thing but elevating it to a new level.”
Loaded with top-tier collaborations, Some Days I’m Good, Some Days I’m Not features familiar faces and fresh energy. Chris Brown, who Fridayy calls “the first person that showed me love coming in this game,” returns for “One Call Away,” while Kehlani brings her signature smoothness to another track “Saving All My Love.” Teni gives the Afrobeats stamp on “Wait for Me.”
One of the key standout tracks is easily the Kompa-infused “Bezwen Ou” with Joé Dwet Filé. “I think I’m the only one that’s bringing [Kompa] to the mainstream,” he said proudly. Then there’s Meek Mill, his fellow Philly native, who joins him for one of the album’s most personal records. “That was the last song I actually did on the album,” he revealed. “I freestyled that song… He’s one of the few who can really match that, you know what I’m saying?”
With this project, Fridayy is proving there’s no limit to where he can take his sound. He’s blending gospel-inspired harmonies, Afrobeats grooves and raw storytelling in a way that feels effortless. And he’s ready to push this album for the long haul. “I wanna do a video for every song or at least a live performance or something,” he said. “In my eyes, there are like 15 singles on this album.” More than anything, he just wants people to press play. “Once they listen, I know what they’ll feel.”
EBONY: Your debut album came out in 2023. How has it shifted from then to now, if it has at all?
Fridayy: Just elevation—more learning, more losses, more Ws, because everything is just a learning experience.
Is there something from recording your last album or how it was received that made you say, ‘Okay, this is something I learned and want to incorporate into this album?
I already knew what my people wanted from me. I already know what my fans need, so it was just giving them the same thing but elevating it to a new level, you know what I’m saying? Giving them that real music, something they can feel and get through life to. For sure.
The title is Some Days I’m Good, Some Days I’m Not. How do you manage that in your own personal life? How do you find that balance?
Just finding the good in everything. It’s what I asked for, so I know what will come with it. Even though it can be a little hard, that’s what I asked for, and there’s beauty in it—just being able to play people my album and the fans that are waiting for what I’m creating. It all comes with beauty, so I keep my head focused on the art. All the other stuff could get you down, but when you focus on the art and why you started and why you’re doing it, that keeps me going.
You obviously went on to name the album after one of the tracks. Which one came first? Did you hear the song, finish the song, and feel it represented the album, or was it the reverse?
As soon as we came up with the album title, I made that song the same day. I freestyled that song as soon as I knew the album title. That was probably the first thing that came out of my mouth on the track. I really freestyled that: Some Days I’m good, Some Days I’m Not is the explanation of where I’m at right now in my headspace for sure.
You and Chris Brown have worked together before. What made you guys team up again on this new song, “One Call Away?”
It was only right. When I’m making certain songs, there are only a few people I can hear on them, and he’s always one I can hear on my songs. He was the first person that showed me love coming in this game, so that’s my bro. It’s always an easy call for him, and it’s a blessing too.
You’re a producer and a songwriter, and a lot of your early music had you working with a lot of rappers, but now on this project you have Kehlani and Chris Brown. How does it work for you being in the studio with another singer, creating some beauty out of that, compared to working with a rapper?
It’s the same thing. When I work with rappers, I know they’re looking for something else from me—something that gets them through life, some pain, something uplifting, you know what I’m saying? It’s just knowing what they need. When it’s a singer, it’s knowing what I can bring to them. Even with Kehlani, I always wanted a record with her, so I knew our voices would match perfectly, and they do. It’s just knowing what to bring to each artist.
When you were deciding the direction to go in sonically, what made you decide to split this album up into two parts? Was that intentional to showcase both sides of yourself on this project?
I always do that with my music. My last project was hard because the first four songs were something you could cry to, and then the next five songs were R&B you could vibe with a girl to. I always had to structure it so there’s one vibe and then another.
Coming up with two sides just made perfect sense. I think I’m one of the only few artists who can do that, especially singers, because of the music I create. My fans know there are two sides of me, and they want both. I can do a love song and a different style and get the same reaction. It’s perfect for what I bring.
Something that separates you is your ability to pivot between more serious topics and still bring vulnerability or yearning to your tracks. Is that ever something you weigh—how vulnerable you’re willing to be on a track versus keeping it surface-level—or do you just dive in with your life experiences, trauma or even the good stuff?
It’s easy. I try to do it more. My fans know it’s two sides, and they know how I’ll come, so I focus on it because that’s what sticks. There are a lot of love songs, but not many singers can create something you can sit with your mom and cry to or with your brothers. A lot of my fans are in jail or come from different walks of life, so I lean more into that than the love songs sometimes, for sure.
You talk about your faith, about God, in a casual way that doesn’t feel preachy. It’s more motivational and feel-good. Is that how you are in everyday life with your friends? Can you have those moments without people thinking it’s weird?
It’s the way people do it that gets weird. If you do it in a regular way, it’s not weird. I’m normal; I just say it in a normal way. Everybody believes in something. I want to say it in a way where everybody thinks, ‘He’s talking about what I’m looking to.’ That’s how I write. I never go too deep; I just want to inspire people to look for something bigger than them.
“On Sun Comes Down,” there’s a lot of choir-like harmonization. Did you layer your own vocals or bring in a choir?
It was mainly me. I probably did about 16 layers. I was with two of my producers, and we did some chant vibes, just yelling in the mic. Then, I did about 16 backgrounds.
With “Just One Call Away,” there’s an Afrobeat vibe. Then you have the track with Teni; it’s a Kompa vibe. You’re Haitian and speak Creole. Was it a priority for this project to dive more into that side, considering you’ve lightly touched on it in the past?
Yeah, it is all about steps. Like last project I probably just said one line in Kompa, and that shit went viral with like a hundred thousand creates on TikTok. They ain’t been introduced to [Kompa since] Wyclef Jean did it. As of now, like I think I’m the only one that’s like bringing to the mainstream, you know what I’m saying? My people like appreciate that.
I think it shows how global music is—no boundaries. If you make good music that resonates, people find it. On the track with Meek Mill, you’re both writing letters to your dads. Why did you decide to have him on that song, and did it feel therapeutic once it was done?
That was the last song I actually did on the album. I made it about a month and a half ago, bro. The album was supposed to be turned in, but I was waiting on a simple clearance. I was in my basement like, “Let me make some more music,” and then I freestyled that song. You know, Meek Mill is my favorite rapper, especially for Philadelphia—we’re both from Philly, right? So, every time I make any type of pain record where I’m really flowing and talking how I want, he’s one of the few who can really match that, you know what I’m saying?
With all these features and the cinematic sound, can we expect any more visuals or ways to keep the album alive?
I ain’t gonna lie. I wanna do a video for every song or at least like a live performance or something. [I want to push the album for] about a year or two. It is too much music. In my eyes there are like 15 singles on this album, you know what I’m saying?
What do you hope your fans receive from this new album? Or what do you hope it does for you? Where do you see yourself after all is said and done?
I don’t really have an expectation of where I’ll land. I just want people to listen. Once they listen, I know what they’ll feel. My goal is getting as many people to hear it as possible.
