Singer Faouzia Ouihya released her debut album “FILM NOIR” on Nov. 7, featuring 11 songs with elements of jazz, ballads and emotive pop. Her first full-length project as a newly independent artist, “FILM NOIR” expresses emotional stories of relationship hardships and triumphs in English, French and Arabic.

Born in Morocco before moving to Canada at a young age, Faouzia learned piano, guitar and violin and began releasing music at the age of 15. In the five years since, Faouzia has collaborated with a variety of artists, including David Guetta, Kelly Clarkson and John Legend, all while winning a variety of Canadian and international awards and working toward a degree in computer engineering. In August 2020, she released her first EP, “Stripped,” and followed with her second EP, “CITIZENS,” just two years later. Following these EPs, Faouzia released ten singles before 2025, before announcing her debut album in October.

Of the singles released for “FILM NOIR,” a piano ballad, “PORCELAIN,” dropped first on Apr. 11 alongside its music video. Drawing comparisons to an easily breakable porcelain doll, the lyrics embody the vulnerability and resilience of staying in an emotionally abusive relationship — “And you can’t resist with your iron fist / You come crashing down ‘til I’m found in pieces.” Uplifting the haunting quality of the piano instrumental and of Faouzia’s voice, the music video visually exemplifies the raw pain and loneliness portrayed in the lyrics.

The second single, “UNETHICAL,” released on Aug. 1, featuring dark wedding visuals that match the visceral lyrics — “Tearing off my skin, just to let you in.” Building from the tragic themes in “PORCELAIN,” Faouzia’s lyrics in “UNETHICAL” masterfully delve further into the self-blame of giving everything to someone who returns nothing.

Rather than an emotional ballad, the third single, “PEACE & VIOLENCE,” which dropped Sept. 26, showcases Faouzia’s creative diversity with a captivating instrumental and cheeky lyrics wrapped in an elegantly triumphant aesthetic with a hint of mischief.

Only about two weeks before the album release date, Faouzia dropped a fourth song — one her long-time fans have loved from her for years. Originally from Sting’s “Brand New Day” (1999) album, Faouzia’s cover of “DESERT ROSE,” sung in Arabic and English, garnered her significant popularity, especially from her performance on the Chinese singing competition television series “Singer” in 2024. Following her performance of “DESERT ROSE,” voters ranked Faouzia first overall.

Faouzia’s cover captivated audiences with her powerful voice, precise riffs and runs, balance between soft and strong tones, expert use of dynamics and her commanding stage presence, evoking strong emotional responses. Following the popularity of her previous covers, fans excitedly embraced the official version, which carries all the emotion and power of her live performances.

Of the remaining seven songs, “LOST MY MIND IN PARIS” appears first on the tracklist, with jazz influences and a blend of French and English lyrics. Immediately touching the soul, the instrumental lures the listener into a thrilling tale of love, tragedy and revenge articulated by Faouzia’s mesmerizing, siren-like vocals.

The song illustrates her viciously losing her mind upon catching her man cheating. Her lyrics illustrate the spilled “blood on the streets,” the “black cherry stains on [her] sleeves” and the “taste of [her lover’s] heart on my teeth.” Wrapping up what appears as a lesson in revenge, her final lyrics, sung in a soft, eerie French tone, poetically conclude that despite finding her man with another woman, “je t’aimerai toujours à mourir” — “But I’ll always love you in death.”

“TOUS CES MOTS” and “PRETTY STRANGER” begin slow and full of heartache. Alongside a haunting piano instrumental, these tracks exemplify her mastery in delivering complex stories and tragic feelings through simple lyrics. Rather than a complexity of words and melody, Faouzia employs a climactic swell of emotion, dynamics and powerhouse vocals that transcend the meaning of the words by themselves. By allowing the agony to burst through her voice and building throughout, the pieces evoke a feeling of soaring through a whimsical and fantastical world.

“DON’T EVER LEAVE ME,” “WEIRDO” and “ORNAMENT” all share a theme of estranged love. “DON’T EVER LEAVE ME” was released along with a black and white music video depicting her isolation while begging her lover to stay. Like “DON’T EVER LEAVE ME,” “WEIRDO” incorporates a robotic vocal quality alongside Faouzia’s usual whimsical aesthetic, but on this track, she questions how someone could love a person like her. “ORNAMENT,” keeping with “UNETHICAL,” depicts her realization that the person she loves does not love her, wondering what further harm they will do.

The song “SWEET FEVER” shifts away from the mold created by the album, featuring a dark and fast-paced song with smooth, enchanting runs. Still, the track is emotionally driven and intense, maintaining overall cohesion with the album.

As a whole, Faouzia’s debut album “FILM NOIR” touches the soul, encapsulating the drama, elegance, tragedy and whimsical wonder of stories that she told The Concert Chronicles she “so urgently needed to tell — [her] one and only testimony.”

Rating: 5/5