NF has unveiled a brand-new chapter in his creative journey with the release of “FEAR”, a six-track EP that arrives as his first collection of new music since his 2023 album “HOPE”. Known for weaving emotional transparency with sharp production and distinctive storytelling, NF continues that trajectory here, delving into one of the most fundamental human emotions and examining its place within his personal and artistic evolution.
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Released via NF Real Music LLC and Capitol Music Group, the EP—which is co-produced by NF, Jeff Sojka, and Aaron Chafin—welcomes listeners back into the introspective world that has defined NF’s career. Across albums like “Perception”, “The Search”, and “HOPE”, he has built a global following through unguarded honesty and a willingness to dissect the complexities of his own life. “FEAR” builds on that foundation with a refined sense of perspective, incorporating themes that resonate strongly with long-time listeners while pushing into new sonic territory.
As with many of NF’s releases, the visuals accompanying the EP amplify the impact of the music. The official videos for the title track “FEAR” and the closer “WASHED UP” dropped alongside the EP, each carrying his signature cinematic style. Artistic in every media, NF knows how to tell a story both in music and video, creating an epic narrative that hits hard every single time.
The music video for “FEAR” explores NF’s ongoing dialogue with mental health, showing how one difficult day can eclipse countless good ones. Dressed in a white tracksuit and cap to symbolise hope, he’s confronted by dark forces that reflect the intrusive thoughts he faces. The track itself is exceptional—as discussed in the track-by-track review below—but the visuals push it even further. Each sequence portrays a growing internal struggle until NF appears to burn from the inside out, eventually consumed by flames inside a church. The final scene snaps back to reality: NF collapsed at home on a rug as a figure in black approaches and quietly takes his keys.
The music video for “WASHED UP” continues directly from the final moments of “FEAR”, revealing that the figure in black is actually NF, now dressed in a black tracksuit and cap. He steps outside onto the concrete front steps of his mansion—a symbolic home he has constructed for himself—and retrieves a shovel before walking to a nearby plot of land. As he digs, he uncovers a hand clutching a scroll that turns out to be completely blank. When he checks for his keys, which had been clipped to his tracksuit, he discovers a hooded, reaper-like figure standing over the pit holding them, silently watching.
The tension escalates as the rain begins to fall, signalling the bleak turn ahead. NF is knocked off his feet when the hooded figure attacks, and although he attempts to defend himself, he is quickly overpowered. The figure strikes him in the face with the shovel, dragging his unconscious body into the pit and burying him before setting the mansion ablaze. The final shot is stark and symbolic: the hooded figure stands against the burning backdrop, holding NF’s keys as everything he built goes up in flames.
The imagery of “FEAR” has caught fans’ attention for its callbacks to earlier eras of his work, most notably the EP’s cover art, which presents a burning structure reminiscent of the house featured on the jacket of his 2015 debut album, “Mansion”. In the lead-up to the EP’s release, teaser videos collectively racked up tens of millions of views, underlining the anticipation among his fanbase.
The EP also sees NF collaborating with two high-profile artists. “WHO I WAS” features mgk, who returns to rap with a fire like no other; while “SORRY” pairs him with British singer-songwriter James Arthur, which instantly generated a buzz for its emotive blend of vocal styles. These collaborations expand the EP’s scope without shifting focus away from NF’s central themes.
NF opens the “FEAR” EP with its title track, confronting the return of the darkness he worked to shut out throughout “HOPE”. He lays out the weight of intrusive thoughts, OCD, and the daily push to keep fear from taking over, acknowledging how easily a difficult day can unravel hard-won progress. A steady, pulsing beat underpins his verses, pairing seamlessly with a melodic chorus that lands with emotional force. Throughout the track, NF weaves symbolic callbacks to albums like “Mansion”, “Perception”, and “HOPE”, grounding the song in the ongoing narrative he has built across his catalogue. His ability to shape complex experiences into lyrics that resonate broadly reaffirms why he remains one of the standout voices in contemporary hip-hop.
This is followed by “HOME”, a tender tribute to his grandmother, who sadly passed away in 2024 during his HOPE tour. The track leans into a gentle guitar rhythm that deepens its reflective mood, pairing beautifully with the raw sentiment in the lyrics. NF explores the weight of grief and the difficulty of navigating such a personal loss, choosing to sing throughout the entire track. That decision adds an intimate and memorable layer to the song, offering a heartfelt moment that is sure to connect with listeners.
The third track is his collaboration with mgk, titled “WHO I WAS”. Although mgk has leaned into indie-rock in recent years, he returns to rap here with sharp focus and a fast, on-beat flow that highlights his lyrical skill—most notably with the line, “a vagabond that broke a bond for Boca Raton.” Recorded in a single take on the day NF sent him the beat, his verse feels raw and immediate, touching on guilt, anxiety, and personal regrets, including the end of his engagement to Megan Fox, though they now appear to be rebuilding their relationship. Anchored by a clean acoustic guitar, the verse carries a confessional tone that pairs effortlessly with NF’s emotionally driven approach.
NF takes over for the second half, mirroring that vulnerability with a verse that confronts his own mistakes and emotional struggles. What begins as frustration directed outward gradually shifts into introspection, turning the track into a moment of accountability and self-awareness. The repeated looping of his opening lines into the outro is especially powerful, underscoring his desire to grow as a father and break the cycle of mental battles he has faced. It’s a track that lands with undeniable emotional weight, resonating strongly with anyone navigating their own internal storms.
“GIVE ME A REASON” adds a dramatic shift to the EP, pairing orchestral flourishes and a bold, almost cinematic arrangement with a sharp, urgent rap delivery. It’s a track that shouldn’t work on paper—classical instrumentation meets intense hip-hop—but NF thrives in that contrast, using it to heighten the emotional weight of what he’s saying. The production feels deliberately grand, reflecting the scale of the internal battle he’s describing.
Lyrically, NF leans into blunt honesty as he admits to feeling creatively stalled, suggesting that success has softened the fire that once pushed him forward. He raps about craving pressure, criticism, and even hostility to reignite the hunger he felt early in his career—something that would give him a genuine reason to dig deeper again. Lines like “I ain’t forget about nothing, to keep it a hundred, I’m honestly bored” highlight that tension, while the recurring “give me a reason” hook underscores his search for motivation. It’s a striking moment of vulnerability, acknowledging how gratitude and complacency can sometimes coexist in uncomfortable ways.
Track five is “SORRY”, a collaboration with James Arthur that blends pop-leaning production with NF’s rap and melodic delivery, echoing the emotional crossover he explored with Julia Michaels on “GONE” from the “HOPE” album. Built around a steady pop beat and a continuous guitar rhythm, the track gives NF space to lean into his singing voice, slowing his flow just enough to align seamlessly with James Arthur’s style. Lyrically, it’s a heartfelt admission of regret—the kind that comes from wishing you could apologise before a relationship reaches its breaking point. James Arthur enters in the second verse, mirroring NF’s cadence with a raw, gravelly vocal edge before the two come together in a striking, emotional harmony.
The EP closes with “WASHED UP”, a track that directly confronts the intrusive thoughts and doubts running through the project. Gentle piano notes and choir-like layers open the song before a sharper beat adds texture, reflecting NF’s internal push-and-pull. He looks back at the hunger that once fuelled him and questions whether success has pulled him away from that early drive. The chorus pairs “am I on the verge of making waves” with “or am I washed up?”, using both the literal and slang meanings to create a sharp metaphor about relevance and fear. It’s a moment of honest reflection that brings the EP full circle and emphasises its emotional weight.
Since “HOPE” dropped in April 2023, NF has maintained a strong presence across global charts, and he has spent much of the last two years performing to packed arenas as part of his worldwide HOPE TOUR—where we attended and reviewed his Manchester, UK show. His previous album topped several Billboard genre charts and reached Number 2 on the Billboard 200 and the UK Official Albums Chart, helping to cement his position as one of the most-streamed and commercially successful rappers of the modern era.
With more than 55 billion global streams, over a million tickets sold, and a growing collection of multi-Platinum and Gold certifications, NF’s rise continues to come from the strength of the music itself—a rarity in an era driven by social media personalities. Known for letting the music do all the promo itself, NF continues to show that real, true music art can definitely speak for itself.
“FEAR” arrives as another deeply personal project from an artist who has built his reputation on vulnerability and self-reflection. NF, born Nate Feuerstein, has long used music as a tool for processing lived experience, beginning with his early independent output before signing with Capitol Records in 2015. Since mapping the rooms of his mind in “Mansion”, he has continued to confront darkness, loss, resilience, and growth through albums such as “Therapy Session”, “Perception”, “The Search”, and “HOPE”, as well as his mixtape “Clouds”.
Across “FEAR”, that willingness to confront difficult emotions remains central. The EP’s themes, supported by a blend of tight lyricism and atmospheric production, reinforce just how committed NF is to documenting his journey honestly. While he rarely relies on self-promotion, his ability to connect through music continues to put him at the forefront of modern hip-hop, and this EP suggests that his story is far from finished.
“FEAR”, by NF, is available to download and stream, right now, across all platforms, via NF Real Music and Capitol Music Group. He has also released a line of merch to coincide with the EP release, which includes t-shirts, hoodies and caps. A signed CD and vinyl are also available, while stocks last—please note, though, “WHO I WAS” does not appear on the physical releases due to NF reportedly missing the deadline, which he confirmed on X (formerly Twitter).
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