SYML
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = SYML
| genre = {{hlist|Alternative|indie|indie pop|pop}}
| image = Syml Piknik i Parken 2018 (192017).jpg
| caption = Brian Fennell performing in Norway in 2018
| image_size =
| birth_name = Brian Leseney Fennell
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|01|16}}
| birth_place = Issaquah, Washington, U.S.
| death_date =
| occupation = {{hlist|Musician|songwriter}}
| instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|keyboards|guitar}}
| years_active =
| label = Nettwerk
| website = {{URL|symlmusic.com}}
}}
SYML is the solo venture of Brian Leseney Fennell (born January 16, 1983), an American musician from Issaquah, Washington. He was previously part of the indie band Barcelona. SYML released his eponymous debut album on May 3, 2019, through Nettwerk Records.{{Cite web|url=https://www.symlmusic.com/|title=SYML|website=www.symlmusic.com|access-date=2019-03-19}}
Life and career
Brian Fennell was born on January 16, 1983, in Issaquah, Washington, and was adopted soon thereafter. From a young age, he began studying classical piano, often playing in his grandmother's retirement home.{{Cite web |last=Fennell |first=Brian |date=April 28, 2021 |title=On Grieving Someone Before They're Gone |url=https://www.talkhouse.com/on-grieving-someone-before-theyre-gone/ }} He began writing his own music when he was 18 years old, his first song being used as a coping mechanism after the death of a schoolmate.{{Citation |last=FaceCulture |title=SYML interview (part 1) |date=2017-12-21 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydD1X7QLB3k |access-date=2018-07-12}} After high school, he attended Seattle Pacific University{{Cite news |date=2008-11-24 |title=Barcelona band has MI roots |language=en-US |work=Mercer Island Reporter |url=http://www.mi-reporter.com/life/barcelona-band-has-mi-roots/ |access-date=2018-07-19}} and graduated with a degree in music education with an emphasis in percussion. After years of living in and around Seattle, he returned to his hometown and resides there where he writes and produces out of a home studio.{{Cite news|url=http://www.onestowatch.com/blog/simplicity-sad-songs-how-shazam-inadvertently|title=Simplicity, Sad Songs, & How Shazam Inadvertently Launched His Solo Career: A Q&A With SYML|work=Ones to Watch|access-date=2018-07-11}}
In 2005, Fennell finished his first solo album Safety Songs. By the end of that year, he formed the band Barcelona with Brian Eichelberger, Chris Bristol, and Rhett Stonelake. Their debut album Absolutes was released in 2007. Universal Records signed Barcelona in 2008 and re-released Absolutes with four new songs in 2009.{{Cite web |date=2008-11-24 |title=Barcelona band has MI roots |url=https://www.mi-reporter.com/life/barcelona-band-has-mi-roots/ |access-date=2023-10-13 |website=Mercer Island Reporter |language=en-US}}{{Citation |title=Cargo Live at Whitney Peak Hotel {{!}} Barcelona {{!}} Episode 110 {{!}} PBS |url=https://www.pbs.org/video/cargo-live-whitney-peak-hotel-barcelona/ |access-date=2023-10-13 |language=en}}
Fennell currently performs under the solo project SYML, Welsh for "simple" and pronounced "sim-muhl", inspired by his own personal heritage from his biological parents, who are Welsh. His experience grappling with his adoption and heritage are influences in his songwriting.
He shared his self-titled debut album in 2019{{Cite web |last=Clarke |first=Kayla |date=2019-05-09 |title=Review: Washington artist SYML releases gripping, self-titled debut album |url=https://www.clickondetroit.com/entertainment/2019/05/09/review-washington-artist-syml-releases-gripping-self-titled-debut-album/ |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=WDIV |language=en}} with the now Platinum-certified single "Where's My Love" and the wordless EP You Knew It Was Me in November 2020. In 2021, SYML released his third body of work, titled Dim inspired by his late father's cancer diagnosis.{{Cite web |author=Wonderland Staff |date=2021-04-16 |title=SYML Talks Us Through His Grief Inspired EP "DIM" |url=https://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2021/04/16/new-noise-syml/ |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=Wonderland |language=en-GB}} Fennell believes the word 'dim' perfectly describes mourning, a theme he continues to visit throughout his work.
After his song "Where's My Love" was used on the drama TV show Teen Wolf, the song charted for 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/syml/chart-history/rock-songs/song/1015973|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720041905/https://www.billboard.com/music/syml/chart-history/rock-songs/song/1015973|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 20, 2018|title=Syml Where's My Love Chart History|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2018-07-12}} In 2018, the song received Gold certification in Canada and Belgium,{{Cite web|url=http://www.nettwerk.com/news/2018/syml-and-sam-feldt-collaborate-where%E2%80%99s-my-love|title=SYML and SAM FELDT Collaborate on "Where's My Love"|website=www.nettwerk.com|language=en|access-date=2018-07-12|archive-date=2018-07-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719234005/http://www.nettwerk.com/news/2018/syml-and-sam-feldt-collaborate-where%E2%80%99s-my-love|url-status=dead}} and held the number one spot on Canada's CBC Top 20 chart twice.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbcmusic.ca/posts/19752/cbc-music-top-20-march-15-janelle-monae-syml|title=CBC Music Top 20, March 15: Janelle Monae, Big Little Lions debut and SYML is new at No. 1|work=CBC Music|access-date=2018-07-12}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbcmusic.ca/posts/19796/cbc-music-top-20-march-29|title=CBC Music Top 20, March 29: Natalie Prass and Megan Bonnell debut but James Bay has the highest new entry|work=CBC Music|access-date=2018-07-12}} SYML's "Wildfire" appeared in the Belgian teen drama web series wtFOCK, an adaption of the Norwegian series SKAM. "Where's My Love" was featured prominently in the trailer for the 2018 film Adrift. SYML's singles "Where's My Love", "Fear of Water" and "Body" were featured in the American supernatural drama television series Shadowhunters. In 2020, "Where's My Love" appeared in the movie Chemical Hearts.{{Cite web |last=Sorren |first=Martha |title=Every Devastating Song From "Chemical Hearts" |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/08/9977101/chemical-hearts-soundtrack-songs-ill-take-care-of-you |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=www.refinery29.com |language=en}}
SYML collaborated with Lana Del Rey on the song "Paris, Texas", which was released on March 24, 2023, on the album Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. The song samples SYML's instrumental track "I Wanted to Leave" from his EP You Knew It Was Me.{{Citation |title=Lana Del Rey (Ft. SYML) – Paris, Texas |url=https://genius.com/Lana-del-rey-paris-texas-lyrics |access-date=2023-10-13}}
On February 3, 2023, SYML released his second album The Day My Father Died, which consists of 15 tracks. The album was produced by Phil Ek and includes collaborations with Lucius, Guy Garvey, Sara Watkins, and Charlotte Lawrence. Expanding on themes from his previous EP Dim, the album focuses on “what happens after we have lost.”{{Cite web |last=Jason |date=2022-10-21 |title=SYML's Sophomore Album The Day My Father Died Due February 3 |url=https://nettwerk.com/symls-sophomore-album-the-day-my-father-died-due-february-3/ |access-date=2023-10-13 |website=Nettwerk Music Group |language=en-US}}
In January 2025, SYML announced his third studio album, Nobody Lives Here, which was released on April 4, 2025.
Discography
= Studio albums =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
!Title !Year |
| scope="row" |SYML
|2019 |
|---|
| scope="row" |The Day My Father Died
|2023 |
| scope="row" | Nobody Lives Here
|2025 |
= Live albums =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
!Title !Year |
| scope="row" |Sacred Spaces{{cite web|url=https://www.frontview-magazine.be/en/news/syml-release-of-his-new-live-album-sacred-spaces-with-an-extensive-european-tour|title=SYML release of his new live album 'Sacred Spaces' with an extensive European tour|website=FrontView Magazine|date=October 19, 2021|access-date=June 10, 2022}}
|2021 |
|---|
| scope="row" | Live at Hangar 30
|2024 |
= EPs =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
!Title !Year !class="unsortable" |{{abbr|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}} |
| scope="row" |Hurt for Me
|2016 |
|---|
| scope="row" |Where's My Love
| rowspan="2" |2017 |
| scope="row" |Hurt for Me (Piano & Strings) |
| scope="row" |In My Body
|2018 |
| scope="row" |You Knew It Was Me
|2020 |
| scope="row" |Dim
| rowspan="2" |2021 |
| scope="row" |Ancient Call |
| scope="row" |How I Got Home
|2023 | |
| scope="row"| Infinity
|2024 | |
= Singles =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of singles and peak chart positions |
| rowspan="2"| Title
! rowspan="2"| Year ! colspan="2" scope="col"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:13em;"| Certifications ! rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| US Alt {{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/syml/chart-history/mrt/ |title=SYML Chart History – Alternative Airplay |website=Billboard |access-date=April 15, 2025}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| US |
| scope="row" | "Mr. Sandman"
| rowspan="2" | 2017 | — | — | |non-album single |
| scope="row" | "Where's My Love"
| — |
| rowspan="3" |SYML |
| scope="row" | "Clean Eyes"
|2018 | — | |
| scope="row" | "The Bird"
| rowspan="3" | 2019 | — | — | |
| scope="row" | "Symmetry"
|— |— | | rowspan="2" |non-album singles |
| scope="row" | "Take Me Apart"
|— |— | |
| scope="row" | "Flags"
| 2020 |— |— | |Wondering How It Ends |
| scope="row" | "True"
| rowspan="2" | 2021 |— |— | |non-album single |
| scope="row" | "Stay Close"
|— |— | |DIM |
| scope="row" | "Sweet Home"
| rowspan="7" | 2022 |— |— | | rowspan="7" |non-album singles |
| scope="row" | "You and I" {{small|(featuring Charlotte Lawrence)}} |— |— | |
| scope="row" | "Have a Little Faith in Me"
|— |— | |
| scope="row" | "Lost Myself" {{small|(solo or featuring Guy Garvey)}} |— |— | |
| scope="row" | "Howling" {{small|(featuring Lucius)}} |— |— | |
| scope="row" | "Better Part of Me" {{small|(featuring Sara Watkins)}} |— |— | |
| scope="row" | "I Wanted to Leave" (Sitar Version){{small|(featuring Rishab Rikhiram Sharma)}} |— |— | |
| scope="row" | "Chariot"
| rowspan="6" | 2023 | — | | rowspan="4" |The Day My Father Died |
| scope="row" | "Believer"
|— |— | |
| scope="row" | "Mother"
|— |— | |
| scope="row" | "Tragic Magic (Dream Version)" |— |— | |
| scope="row" | "All of Us"
|— |— | |How I Got Home |
| scope="row" | "My Best Self" {{small|(with Elsa y Elmar)}} |— |— | | rowspan="2" |non-album singles |
| scope="row" | "The Walker"
| rowspan="2" | 2024 |— |— | |
| scope="row" | "Oblivion"
|— |— | |Infinity |
| scope="row" | "How It Was It Will Never Be Again"
| rowspan="6" | 2025 |— |— | | rowspan="6" |Nobody Lives Here |
| scope="row" | "A100"
|— |— | |
| scope="row" | "Careful"
|— |— | |
| scope="row" | "Heartbreakdown"
|— |— | |
| scope="row" | "Carry No Thing"
|— |— | |
| scope="row" | "The White Light of the Morning"
|— |— | |
=Guest appearances=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" style="width:12em;"| Title
! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Other artist(s) ! scope="col"| Album |
|---|
| scope="row" | "Paris, Texas"{{Cite web|last=Daly|first=Rhian|date=March 23, 2023|title=A who's who guide to Lana Del Rey's 'Did You Know That There's A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd'|url=https://thefortyfive.com/news/lana-del-rey-collaborators-ocean-blvd/|access-date=March 25, 2023|website=The Forty-Five}}
|2023 |