New Orleans has long been known as a city that draws people in and keeps them here. For many, the culture, the food and the music are a magnetic force that makes it impossible to leave. Singer-songwriter Paul Faith is one such person, who moved here 13 years ago with his wife when she got into Tulane University for a master’s program. What began as a temporary relocation quickly became a permanent home.
“I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else at this point,” Faith says, reflecting on how the city’s vibrant energy became intertwined with his own journey.
As the years passed, he found himself immersed in the city’s unique music scene, a community that fostered his creativity.
“I first started performing out more seriously after going to Joshua the Bock’s open mic, Sundown (ain’t dere no more) religiously,” he explains. “Joshua, now one of my best friends, and the rest of the regular crew really encouraged me to write my own music, and I probably wouldn’t have if he hadn’t pushed me to do so. The people that make up the songwriting community here really pushed me to create. I would have no ‘sound’ without them. And they were getting up there and baring their souls up there week after week, so it made me feel comfortable to do the same and write very personally and honestly.”
His latest project, the album OH WELL, represents a bold step forward in his musical career, one that blends a rock and roll sensibility with the raw, intimate energy of live performance.
“I’m tremendously proud of this new album, ” he says. “My first record [The Smell When It Rains] was really more of a solo effort. Even though I had drums, bass, some mandolin and even banjo on some songs, it is a very stripped-back, folk album. This new one is truly a rock and roll album with my band, the Barstool Prophets. The goal was to present something that was as close to a live performance as possible, and to make the listener feel like they were listening to a rock record, and oh yeah, that guy plays a lot of harmonica on it, too.”
From his past records to the vibrant support of his local songwriting community, the album is a reflection of the people who’ve helped shape his musical identity, including Dreux Gerard, who engineered and produced both albums.
“I also got an exceptionally talented friend, Jennie Brent, to play cello on two of the songs, ‘When I Come Around’ and the title track, and man, they are just my favorite songs on the record,” he shares. “Her playing is so gorgeous.”
Yet it’s not just about the music – it’s about the community that surrounds it. Paul Faith is deeply involved in supporting fellow artists, something he credits as a hallmark of New Orleans’ songwriting scene.
“[A]s far as the singer/songwriter scene, I would say it’s unbelievably supportive,” he says. “There is such a community of folks here that really cares about lifting other artists up and showing up and supporting those artists. I think of people like Joshua, Rescalla (who runs the monthly open mic Mixtape), and countless other folks that either run mics or creative spaces that really don’t do it for anything other than the joy they get from supporting others. There’s a pretty great diversity of venues here, too, that support and encourage original music, versus what you might get in other cities or towns, where the expectation is that if you play out you essentially play covers. Now will you make any money doing it? I can’t promise that, but I can tell you you’ll at least find a community of folks that you can create with as a daily, weekly or monthly practice, and that’s worth an awful lot.”
With his passion for both performing and fostering creative spaces, he also organizes a weekly songwriter night at Skeeta Hawk Brewing in Mid City, inviting fellow musicians to join him in an atmosphere of camaraderie and artistic growth.
“I run a songwriter night most Friday nights at Skeeta Hawk—I’d tell you to come to that and you’re gonna walk away encouraged, with at least 10 new friends, and hell, probably a gig.”
Beyond the stage, his commitment to authenticity shines through in his performances, where he gives every ounce of himself to the crowd, regardless of size.
“I’m a passionate performer. I stomp and howl and croon with my eyes closed—and I want to have no fuel in the tank when I walk off stage,” he says. “Whether there’s two or 200 people in the crowd, I’m giving them the same intensity.”
Looking ahead, Faith is excited about the upcoming months, with several key performances scheduled. It’s clear that his journey, fueled by a deep love for New Orleans and the people who have supported him along the way, is only just beginning.
“We’ve got a really exciting spring and summer lined up!” he says enthusiastically. “I’ve got a solo show with some other really talented folks on April 3 at Okay Bar, and the full band will be playing for Covington’s ‘Spring for Art 2025’ event on April 12. That’s sure to be a really fun one that’ll allow us to stretch out a bit in more of a festival setting.”
When asked why someone who might be considered “shy” should attend an open mic, Faith has a lot to say.
“I’d say it’s an amazing place if you are just getting started. Most mics are a real listening environment, and everyone there is on your team—they want you to succeed,” he explains. ” I’ve learned invaluable lessons from open mics, and I think I will always go to them. You learn the somewhat intangible quality of stage presence. You get to try out a song on an audience which I think is such a different thing from creating a song in your room. You can really see when people are enthused about certain parts, or lyrics, or moments, and even better, you can see where you lose them. I wrote my whole first album at Joshua’s open mic. I cut verses, wrote bridges, changed melody lines – and every week the songs got a little better for it.”
Follow Paul Faith on Instagram @realpaulfaith.
