Patrick Smythe
Staff Writer
While many listeners believed NF had reached peace while making his album HOPE, he jolts them back into his intense, emotional conflict through the unexpected FEAR EP—a powerful reminder that his struggle continues.
FEAR is the latest musical chapter is NFs musical autobiography. In this EP, he demonstrates that self-improvement isn’t a straight path, but rather an ongoing process of facing challenges and building resilience.
FEAR was released on November 14, his first release since 2023, surprising many fans. The album includes the title track FEAR, Home, Who I was, Give Me a Reason, Sorry, and Washed Up and includes guest appearances by Machine Gun Kelly and James Arthur. FEAR is NFs latest musical chapter is his musical autobiography.
The title track, FEAR, which is the most listened to track on the album, depicts the resurgence of NF’s mental health struggles. “Fear” battles “Hope” for control of the “mansion” which represents NFs mind.
NF makes it clear that although his mental health has stabilized – his struggles are still there and could reappear at any time. The song incorporates distorted and unconventional sounds as well as abrupt musical shifts to reflect the underlying anxiety and emotional tension expressed in the lyrics. At various moments, the instrumentation is intentionally subdued to highlight NF’s unfiltered and expressive vocal performance.
Who I Was with NF and Machine Gun Kelly is the second most listened to song on the EP. Lines like “stuck in traffic” and “tryna find my way to a home I’ve never known” highlights both NF’s and MGK’s internal struggles and their need for a sense of belonging. Musically, Who I Was blends both rap and pop with the vocals taking center stage.
My favorite song on this EP is Home. This track is dedicated to NFs grandmother who he lost during his HOPE tour. NF reminisces about his childhood like running around in his grandmother’s backyard and memories of the home he grew up in.
I could relate to this song, as could many listeners who have experienced loss and the grief that follows. This song also primarily uses a simple beat and a plain instrumental track to put the focus on the lyrics and NFs dynamic vocals.
NF’s FEAR delivers an honest, emotional portrayal of grief, isolation and the challenges of maintaining mental well-being. On this EP, NF emphasizes singing without sacrificing the technical rap skills, lyricism, and storytelling that define his earlier work. FEAR offers a powerful, cathartic experience—one you’ll be glad to hear.