A musical duo of Binghamton University alumni is preparing to release an album entitled “HOME,” described as an ode to life in upstate New York. The project is a collaboration between singer-songwriter and producer Femi ‘21, who graduated with a Doctor of Pharmacy, and Dave Todd ‘18, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Integrative Neuroscience. After spending their college years in Binghamton, both went on to live and work in other areas upstate, further exploring the region and finding inspiration in the people they met, places they knew and memories they made.

What is the story behind the project, and why do you believe upstate New York deserves to be celebrated?

Femi: “A lot of people in music tell you that you need to go to Los Angeles, Nashville, or New York City to write your best songs. I feel fortunate that we were able to write much of HOME right here in Binghamton, then bring in producers, mix engineers, and mastering engineers whom we consider among the best at what they do. Dave lives in Syracuse, about an hour away, so over a collection of weekends and weeknights, we got together and wrote songs that feel really special to us.”

“The location became part of the album both physically and emotionally. Dave and I will be both 30 years old this year, and writing here gave us time to reset, refocus, and think about what we actually wanted from the next chapter of our lives. Upstate New York has no shortage of roads, open space, woods, lakes, and time to think. There is a sense of nostalgia here, but also possibility. There is a bigness to the smallness, if that makes sense. It gave us room to reflect while still having a lot of fun making music with one of our closest friends.”

Dave: “For me, HOME at its heart is about returning to oneself. Much of my twenties was defined by ability without discipline. I eventually realized that if I wanted to become the man I believed I could be, I had to stop relying on what came naturally and start embracing a sense of responsibility and begin to truly ‘follow through.’ This ‘transformation’ ironically was less of a true change in identity and more of a return to what’s ever brought good into my life in the first place. This album became an integral part of this transformation.”

“Driving between Syracuse and Binghamton every week to write with one of my closest friends gave me the space to reflect, grow, and create something we’re truly proud of — our work is a reflection of who we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re headed. That’s why upstate New York feels inseparable from this project. There’s an honesty and stillness here that gives you room to think, rebuild, and rediscover what matters.”

“I hope HOME celebrates the idea that you don’t always have to leave where you’re from to create something meaningful, both literally and figuratively. Sometimes home is the place that gives you the space to become who you were meant to be.”

What are some moments from your time in Binghamton that inspired your creativity?

Femi: “I first came to Binghamton for pharmacy school, but returning back has allowed me to experience the area as a home rather than only as a college town. A lot of the album grew from writing here after work, driving Vestal Parkway, watching the seasons change, and finding inspiration from conversations with friends and family.”

“One of our favorite places to grab breakfast is Birtchy’s Cafe (formerly Manni’s Donuts). We could go there on a Saturday with no major creative plan, and then have an idea for a song during the drive back. There was something freeing about being able to write feeling like we were writing what we felt was incredible music right here at home. We could eat breakfast, talk about life, and then go make a song about it.”

Dave: “I graduated from Binghamton in 2018 with a B.S. in Neuroscience, so coming back years later to write this album felt strangely full circle. What made this project special, though, wasn’t just being back in Binghamton, it was the environment that Femi and I created together. There was never any pressure to force an idea.

“Like Femi said, we’d grab breakfast, drive around, talk about life, laugh at whatever came to mind, and somewhere along the way, a lyric or melody would appear almost on its own. I think our best work came from those moments because neither of us was trying to impress the other. We trusted each other completely, believed in each other’s abilities, and that gave us the freedom to create honestly.”

“Looking back, it feels fitting that HOME was written there. Binghamton was where I first started becoming the person I wanted to be, and years later it became the place where it seems to have genuinely manifested.”

How do you balance your professional career with your music career?

Femi: “I trained and previously worked as a clinical pharmacist, and I now work in neuroscience as a Medical Science Liaison. Music usually happens during evenings and weekends.”

“I have not always balanced the two perfectly, but making this album taught me that balance is less about doing everything at once and more about being intentional. Different seasons of life require different things from you. There are times when music needs more attention, and other times when work, family, health, or rest need to come first. I still care deeply about pursuing excellence, but I am learning that meaningful work should support the life you want rather than compete with it.”

Dave: “I’ve had the great fortune of training / licensing for a new job as I’ve written this album with Femi. At first, being ‘between work’ carried with it a bit of shame, but in reframing it all, I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to commit so much more of myself to this process than I could have otherwise. Additionally, this is the first time I’ve ever applied myself this deeply to music, so I’m sure I have much more to learn, especially as new work and responsibilities arise this summer.”

How have your travels across the region influenced or inspired your music?

Femi: “They have influenced it tremendously. My work has taken me throughout upstate New York, and I spend a lot of time driving through Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton, Albany, the Finger Lakes, and the smaller towns between them. Those long drives give me time to think through lyrics, replay conversations, and notice details that are easy to miss when life moves quickly.”

“Different places across the region also timestamp different parts of my life. I have memories connected to the music my friends played when I was at the University at Buffalo, during pharmacy school in Binghamton, while living in Syracuse and Rochester, and while working in hospitals and pharmacies across the region. I have always loved country music and told myself that I would eventually make a country album. I lived in Texas briefly, but country music also became part of my life here in New York. You hear it while working, driving, spending time at friends’ houses, or hanging out after a long week. Over time, it seeps into your bones. The roads, snow, bars, diners, lake towns, and people of upstate New York became natural parts of the songs because they were part of the life I was living.”

Dave: “Every place I’ve lived in upstate New York has shaped me differently, but the common thread has always been the people I’ve met. Buffalo taught me the importance of kindness. My dad’s family is from there, and I grew up surrounded by a culture where warmth and generosity felt natural — even at Bills and Sabres games, where rivals were often treated like neighbors. It reinforced something I still believe today: kindness is a gift that benefits both the person receiving it and the person giving it. Syracuse and Binghamton gave me lifelong friendships, many of which have endured to this day. Those relationships have shaped me far more than any destination ever could, and they’ve become the foundation of both my life and my music. When I think about upstate New York, I don’t think first about places, I think about people.”

Is there a particular song on the album that you would recommend to Binghamton students?

Femi: “I would recommend ‘All We’ve Got.’ The idea began while I was out and I overheard two people talking about how much they missed their mothers. One was consoling the other after he had recently lost his mom, and she shared that she still cried because she had lost hers too. Although they were both adults with children of their own, in that moment they sounded like two children who simply missed their moms. I offered my condolences, left, and called my own mother. Later, Dave and I returned to write and were discussing what things we wanted the album to say. We kept coming back to the idea of finding what really matters. I remembered that conversation, and it helped lead to the lyric:

‘When you call your mom and she don’t respond, you’ll find out they’re all we’ve got.’

It is one of the most meaningful moments on the album for me, and I hope students hear it as a reminder to stay connected to the people who love them while they are building whatever comes next.”

Dave: “I would recommend ‘Novel.’ That song felt like it was discovered rather than written… it’s special. Femi provided the original idea for the song, and once we came together to really unearth it, everything seemed to happen effortlessly — the lyrics, melodies, and emotion arrived with an honesty that was entirely organic and unforced. It felt like we just got out of the song’s way and it happened. I think that authenticity is why the song resonates with me so deeply. It’s about the fear of falling behind, the opportunities we wish we’d taken, the people we wish we’d loved more fully, and the realization that achievement alone can never define who we are at our core. Those are realities that many college students eventually wrestle with, and I hope ‘Novel’ reminds them that they’re more than any single milestone they’re chasing.”

“HOME” will be available on streaming platforms on Jan. 15, 2027. For those hoping to hear their work sooner, the first single from the album, “Cartilage,” will be released this Friday. Femi and Dave’s collaboration, as vocalists, artists and friends, carries their music’s message of emotional growth and hope. The project’s roots in Binghamton make for a relatable and poignant glimpse into life in upstate New York, a testament to the rich creativity in the Southern Tier’s smallest towns and biggest cities.