Second Listen Sunday : Faith Evans, “The First Lady” with Special Guest Lydia René

One of the great things about being a music fanatic is that revisiting an album with adult ears allows you to finally understand the angle the artist was going for with their project. For this week's Second Listen Sunday, I revisited Faith Evans' fourth album, "The First Lady," which recently celebrated its twentieth anniversary. I was joined by singer Lydia René, who had just appeared at Coachella.

Reviews & Dunn - There was a four-year break between Faithfully and The First Lady. Looking back to that time, R&B was starting to shift as Ciara, Beyonce, Amerie and other youngsters were dominating the charts. When I heard the lead single "Again" from "The First Lady", I was happy that Ms. Evans stayed true to her sound, while still sounding modern as she delves into the experiences, challenges, and growth that the singer has encountered throughout her career. What were your thoughts on the track upon hearing it?

Lydia Rene - First of all, this track instantly transports me back to my college days—lol. I was obsessed with any song that had a '70s sample, so shoutout to Carvin & Ivan for producing this one. The lyrics—especially the line “I wouldn’t take away the rain, because I know it made me who I am”—really hit home for me, both back then and now. Our mistakes, shortcomings, and flaws all shape who we are. I love how real she is on this track, owning her story, her roots, and everything she's learned along the way.

Reviews & Dunn - "Mesmerized" was the album's second single and the late great Chucky Thompson gave Faith a sixties soul throwback sound. At the time I was living in the UK during my time in the Air Force and it didn't really connect with the crowd over there. Looking back, I think if Faith had dropped Kanye on the song the response may have been better. Do you recall if the song had any traction state side?

Lydia Rene - I’ll be honest—I was in a bubble during that time, knee-deep in schoolwork LOL. I missed a lot of what was happening in music, but what I can say is that any song featuring Kanye back then automatically got a boost. I really liked this single, but I think it dropped a little too early for the U.S. audience. It actually did better overseas in places like the Netherlands. Back then, the American charts were still dominated by more traditional R&B sounds—think Mario, Usher, Fantasia. Unfortunately, Faith might've been just a little ahead of her time with this one.

Reviews & Dunn - "Tru Love" was the album's final single and a personal favorite. Faith wrote this one with Johnta Austin while Bryan Michael Cox, and Jermaine Dupri produced it. As a singer yourself, where would you rank this one in her catalog from a vocal standpoint?

Lydia Rene - I really love her vocal performance on this song. I’ve always admired Johntá Austin as a songwriter, and this track gives off Mary J. Blige “Be Without You” and Mariah Carey “We Belong Together” vibes—also written by him. It feels like she's holding back a little vocally, which is actually refreshing. Instead of her signature powerhouse delivery, she gives us something softer, light and airy, and full of raw emotion.

Reviews & Dunn - "Ever Wonder" was produced by The Neptunes and featured Pharrell & Pusha T. I feel like the label dropped the ball by not releasing this as a single since female empowerment songs about living your best life always resonate. What is one song from the album you wanted to see released as a single and why?

Lydia Rene – When I saw the three singles chosen from this album, I was honestly surprised—because “I Don’t Need It” went triple platinum in my dorm room LOL. This is one of those easygoing, cookout-skating-rink-cleaning-the-house-on-a-Saturday-morning type of songs. You can NEVER go wrong with a track that’s easy to clap and dance to. And that bridge? A musical masterpiece. Can you tell I’m a Carvin & Ivan fan? lol For real though, I wasn’t listening to the radio much at the time—I was buying albums, listening top to bottom, and repeating my faves. And this one? Definitely a personal favorite that I think could’ve been a single.

Reviews & Dunn - Bryan Michael Cox also shut down the production on "Catching Feelings". The track is somewhat risqué with the cougar vibes, however I think a remix with Marques Houston (who was 24 at the time) to Evan's (32) may have been a quiet storm staple. Which under 30 male singer would you have thrown on the single if you were an A&R?

Lydia Rene – If we're talking duets with the incredible Faith Evans, I’d want someone who can really hold their own vocally. Mario was pretty popular around that time with “Let Me Love You,” but his image was a little more wholesome compared to artists like Usher or Omarion. A duet with Faith and Usher (who was about 26 then) would've been amazing. His voice would’ve fit this track beautifully.

Reviews & Dunn - Faith closes the album out with a remix of Twista's "Hope" which was also on the Coach Carter soundtrack. Good song but comes off as filler to me, I would have preferred to see Faith cover Barbara Mason's "Woman to Woman" instead. If you replaced "Hope" with a cover song, which would you pick?

Lydia Rene –  “Hope” had a moment during the pandemic—it went viral on Black TikTok and Twitter, and I loved seeing it get some well-deserved shine LOL. It was also the perfect end-credits song for Coach Carter. I’m not sure it totally fit the vibe of this album, but it’s definitely a strong track, especially for licensing. I kind of miss when R&B artists would throw a random gospel track at the end of an album—I used to live for that. Honestly, Faith singing “His Eye Is On The Sparrow” would’ve been the icing on the cake. But I’d also love to hear her cover “Don’t Ask My Neighbors” by The Emotions. This album had such a throwback feel that a cover from that era would've been perfect.

Reviews & Dunn - What is your final grade of the album overall and where can fans find you on social media?

Lydia Rene – I’d give this album an A- because honestly, there are no skips for me. It dropped at a time when I was just stepping into adulthood, and her perspective as a 32-year-old woman resonated deeply with where I was in my own life. I've always been an old soul—probably why I connected with this project so much. Music has a way of transporting you back to the moment you first heard it, and this album takes me straight to my dorm room, playing “Catching Feelings” on repeat on my Dell desktop. I think maybe the audience—or R&B listeners in general—just wasn’t quite ready for it yet. Maybe that’s why it didn’t get the reception it deserved. It was about five years ahead of its time. But for me, it’s a solid soul and R&B album, top to bottom—with some of the best producers in the game. One of my favorite Faith Evans projects, hands down.

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