Today we’d like to introduce you to Faith Fossett
Hi Faith, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hey there! My name is Faith Fossett, and I am a multi-hyphenate artist. Whether it’s acting on stage, composing music, sound designing, coaching actors and singers, illustrating or painting, I happily move with ease from one discipline to the next.
But how did I get started, and what brought me to where I am today? Well…it’s not that it’s impossible for me to say how I got started, my answer is just a bit more…quirky, and wordy. A lot of artists say it’s not a case of choosing our career, but that the career chooses us. I know, I know. That might sound like a worn-out inspirational poster, but keep reading.
In the early days I thought I was called to pursue a career as a singer. I grew up in a musical household and we all loved to sing and play instruments, but when I got to college things shifted. As soon as I was launched into studying vocal performance it was clear that my focus would only ever be music. It was assumed I’d become an opera singer, but my heart was not in opera. The opera students I knew were so dedicated and knew exactly where they were going after college. I started to feel like I was politely smiling at a party while awkwardly searching for the exit. I wanted to work with music, but it needed to be in another form. I no longer wanted to hold this sacred, polished object. I sought a connection between music and theatre in a way that would work for me.
So, after college I got married and moved to NYC with my husband, who is also an actor. We were auditioning, and doing the work, but the whole time I felt like I wasn’t where I was supposed to be. I felt guilty that I wasn’t as hungry for the grind as other young actors. I constantly asked myself, “What’s wrong with me? Why don’t I feel passionate about this?”
I decided to take a step back, and in doing so I started taking classes in other areas. Like, Upright Citizens Brigade. I took classes in sketch comedy writing, and it was awesome! Some folks in my class went on to get jobs writing sketches for SNL. One of my teachers, a terribly funny and ridiculously nice human being, directs and produces sketch comedy horror films. He heard that I wrote music, and asked if I could compose some music for his films. Collaborating with him opened a door to multiple opportunities of musical genre exploration, and in turn, became the catalyst for my future in connecting music with theatre.
Once I realized I enjoyed using my music skills for collaborative projects, I couldn’t get enough. With every composition I grew in my knowledge, skills, and confidence. My network also grew, and I met other artists who were developing their own work. I traveled to artist retreats where I could workshop ideas. While walking through the woods in Maine one winter I started writing what would later become PULSATE, the vampire musical I produced in Houston, in 2019, with the grant assistance of Houston Arts Alliance. I’m beyond grateful for the art community and the theatre supporters in Houston. Here, I’ve been able to create and cultivate projects and relationships with other talented artists.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
STRUGGLES? ABSOLUTELY.
Roadblocks, Part I: It wasn’t until I was in my 30’s that I made a frustrating but important discovery about my personality. I’ve always considered myself a strong, independent female, but inwardly, I’ve been a perfectionist waiting for someone to show me the rule-book, and give me permission to proceed. Permission to follow to my instincts, or even listen to my artistic voice. I’ve waited for permission to be vulnerable, to take risks, and to make mistakes. Oh, man…fear of making a mistake. I used to create these lists for myself, “Things I want to do with my life.” There were entries like, “Write Short Fiction,” and “Act on Stage,” and “Dance,” and, yes, “Be a Hair Model.” That last one is just hilarious. By making these lists I was certain I’d find a clearly-labeled, pre-packaged path for my life. Or perhaps I should simply put it this way: I thought I needed to “ask the teacher” for step-by-step instructions on how to build this structure known as ‘LIFE’. Anyone who is a perfectionist will understand that making mistakes is not an option, and that trusting yourself and your choices is incredibly difficult to do. So, to avoid failure you try to control your every move, other people and their actions, and your environment. I’ve been a rule-follower all my life. And, oh… the irony of being in the arts, you know, it’s a creative playing space, but I’m a perfectionist! I didn’t know that being a perfectionist was holding me back for so long. Being a rule-follower in the arts meant that I was constantly looking for the “right way” to do the work. Even acting on stage. A colleague recognized this and said, “You’re trying to be perfect.” I was like, “Ok. What are you even talking about?” I didn’t understand. What I learned later, is that I was trying to (wait for it) trying to control my environment!
Roadblocks, Part II: Who and where I am today is a direct result of some serious life-threatening events. A major shift in my philosophy on life started when I experienced a very dangerous ectopic pregnancy in 2020, and when I faced postpartum issues after a second (but successful) pregnancy and birth of my son in 2021. After he was born, I had severe postpartum anxiety and postpartum mood-disorder. I was plagued with obsessive thoughts and a fear that I was doing literally everything wrong. My mind was harassed with the perpetual need to do this parent thing the “right way”! Thankfully, I realized something was terribly wrong and I sought professional help. I explored EMDR with a wonderful therapist, and through the process of healing my brain I was finally released from the ever present, paralyzing fear of making the wrong choice. Another positive? I became a healthier, happier artist. A year after I had my son I started acting again, while still seeing a therapist once a month. I was eager to get back to doing the work I love so much. At rehearsal, and at home, I practiced caring less and less about failure, and more about what I could learn from each opportunity. EMDR helped heal my brain from the trauma of a painful miscarriage, and it released me from the lonely darkness of postpartum anxiety. There was a domino effect of healing and recovery after I initially sought help, and I will forever be grateful for the people who walked alongside me during that time.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have a passion for the theater arts, as well as music directing, composing original music, painting, playwriting, and working with people to build confidence in their singing voices. These days I am so much more than the singer I thought I wanted to be at the age of fourteen. My focus is always healthy singing and embracing an individual’s natural gifts and talents. When I coach singers, I tell them, “Don’t try to impress me. Don’t try to sound ‘pretty.’ Don’t think you need to sing like a popstar.” I’ve made it my job to encourage other actors and singers to be fearless and take risks and embrace what they have and where they are with their skills. Many folks feel like they must achieve perfection overnight, and I quickly squash that illusion. There’s no such thing as perfection, and nothing happens overnight except death or pregnancy. I believe it’s more emotionally moving to watch or listen to an artist embrace who they are and allow us, the audience, to witness their honesty and vulnerability. I surround myself with a creative community who feels the same way I do about the purpose of the arts, and who want to nurture positivity and inclusion. I believe that art is about connecting humans, revealing truths, educating, and giving people the freedom to share a cathartic experience. I don’t do what I do for the applause because you can’t expect the applause to be there every time. The world can be harsh, and there is a lot of rejection and criticism in this profession. One of my proudest career moments happened when a talented woman, who I vocal coached the previous year, came up to me at a rehearsal to thank me for encouraging her to start singing again after people in her past told her she didn’t have the “right” voice. She had closed herself off from future opportunities based on the judgement of these negative individuals. When I heard her sing for the first time, it was like she was apologizing. Singing can make a person extremely vulnerable, and I’m proud to see this young woman put herself out there again and share her beautiful gifts.
What matters most to you? Why?
Mental health will always be a priority for me. My son is the most important part of my life now, and for me to be a good mom I need to be healthy. Now that I’ve come through that postpartum tunnel, I’m a changed artist. I don’t follow anyone else’s rules. When I music direct, or coach actors, I share the importance of and power that comes from giving yourself permission to let go and play. Let go and explore and be original. Don’t try to be someone else. How can art, or people, for that matter, progress and move forward if we’re just recycling over and over? I try to encourage young people by telling them, “I don’t want to hear pretty singing. I don’t want you to try and impress me. I don’t want you to sing the way you think I want you to sing. I want to know what your natural gifts are, and I want to meet you where you are.” I’m not expecting perfection. Perfection kills creativity. Everything takes time. Give yourself grace. Give yourself permission to stop giving a hoot what other people think, or what you think they want. That type of thinking is unhealthy and dangerous and creates a breeding ground for misery.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.faithfossett.com/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCb3PIUlQP713BL2rumT10g
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/faithfossett
Image Credits
Lee Rayment Photography
Gabriella Nissan Photography
