When I write about a band, I listen to their music fairly regularly before writing about them. Felicity is different. When it comes to music, sometimes it resonates with you and sometimes it won’t, and that is ok. Felicity is one of the special bands in that regard. I can wholeheartedly say Felicity, a hard rock/pop-punk band from Orlando, Florida, is one of my favorite bands out there right now.
Much like a lot of people, people tend to repulse “follow-for-follow” because once you follow the account back, they will unfollow you. I’m not as bothered by bands doing it, because I have genuinely discovered bands I like this way.
With that said Felicity was a band that followed me first while they were well under 50k followers on TikTok. Felicity never unfollowed my personal TikTok much to my surprise. It gave me a single warm fuzzy.
Felicity’s Band Background:
Felicity formed as a band in 2013 when vocalist Damien Fagiolino and guitarist Drew Rapier met through Craigslist. Damien had been active in the Orlando cover band scene, mainly covering 90s and 2000s rock, but wanted something more. They played at the traveling summer rock tour Vans Warped Tour in 2014 for the Orlando Florida date where they participated in Battle of the Bands, which was their fourth show ever.
They played on the Journeys Left Foot Stage at Vans Warped Tour in 2016 for the Orlando Florida date. Their earliest music on Spotify is their self-titled EP released on April 16th, 2015.
Felicity has a rich history of playing festivals. Shortly after their stint at the 2014 Warped Tour, they filled a slot at The Big Orlando Festival. Other festivals include Fort Rock, Rebel Rock, and Kraken Fest. In 2024, they are on the bill for So What?! Music Festival in Fort Worth, Texas.
Felicity signed with Adventure Cat Records in 2021. Their label debut was their single “Hit and Run.” In the same year, they released their first LP Dear Universe. They’ve collaborated with artists such as Calling All Captains, Greyson Zane, and Discrepancies.
In addition to Damien and Drew, Felicity is also comprised of Cory Nicholas on Guitar, Mike Alosa on bass, and Rashid Williams on drums. They have gone through personal changes throughout their tenure as a band, with Rashid Williams appearing to be the latest addition. Tyler Dennett was previously their drummer.
Felicity’s Music Style and Influences:
Felicity’s influences are, but not limited to, State Champs, Neck Deep, Story of the Year, Silverstein, Beartooth, A Day To Remember, and Papa Roach.
Felicity is very melodic, especially when it comes to their riffs and their melodies. They have that sunny, pop-punk charm, but will turn around and slam you with an explosive breakdown like they belong on Sirius Octane.
Even in their early releases, Felicity was not afraid to explore their sound. For example, their 2016 EP Brace Yourself showed very early that they could fit into pop-punk and hard rock. “Hang On” is very clearly a pop-punk song, while “Burn the World” sounds like a modern rock song you could hear on the radio.
There is a clear growth in their sound from their 2015 self-titled EP to their cover of Last Christmas, from their production value to the quality of the songs they are releasing. The biggest thing I’ve noticed is they’ve leaned into being explosive, with songs like “GOD MODE” or “She’s Nuclear.”
Felicity has never been afraid to be experimental and it shows in its music.
Felicity’s Albums and Tracks:
Felicity has released 4 EPs, 1 LP, and countless singles and collaborations in their tenure as a band all available for stream. Collaborations include artists Point North, Calling All Captains, Discrepancies, Greyson Zane, and Dan Marsala.
Their most recent EP Old Habits is available for purchase on CD (signed) and their LP Dear Universe is available on vinyl, both on their merch store.
The Weather
At the time of writing this blog, “The Weather” is by far their best song, and it is the most streamed song of theirs on Spotify by a large margin. There is absolutely a reason why this song has over 1 million streams, and it’s not because it’s a frequent flyer on TikTok For-You-Pages even in 2024.
According to the band, it’s a song about emotional trauma, but they used seasons instead of girls’ names. They wanted to avoid using the ‘Oh, she hurt me’ imagery that we’ve all grown to know and love in music. It is refreshing lyrically for that reason. It’s a different angle on emotional trauma, and the weather is a phenomenal analogy to use with emotions in general.
Musically, “The Weather” is the perfect blend of what Felicity is all about and it is simply an infectious melody. In their endeavors to blend sound, they went for a sing-a-long campfire chorus for “The Weather.” On TikTok, they market this as “punk goes country.” I’m not sure if I would personally go THAT far, but I can see where they pulled the influence from, and it worked.
One of these days, I will see Felicity play “The Weather” live and my face will melt. “The Weather” is a criminally underrated song and everybody should hear it at least once.
Charlie Sheen
Their single “Charlie Sheen” where they collaborated with Point North really showcases the pop-punk anthem side that Felicity is capable of.
The most awesome part of this song is they were able to get Charlie Sheen to comment on this song.
“To state that I’m honored or flattered is an understatement. This vibrant, radio friendly hit perfectly captures and highlights the hard-won themes of accountability and redemption so many of us strive for. Go get ‘em FELICITY, we’re all watching, and very soon, ALL listening.
– Charlie Sheen when “Charlie Sheen” released
When this song dropped, I listened to it on repeat. It is so infectious and it made it wish it was summer time.
In just three days, “Charlie Sheen” had smashed personal records for Felicity.
What Do The Fans Have To Say About Felicity?
One of my favorite things about Felicity is the fan engagement. They are extremely active on social media. They make videos inside of stores, with recent TikToks being filmed inside of Walmart. They are allegedly banned from Target, Lowes, and Home Depot.
When Felicity teased their song “Emo Trash” on their social media platforms, users on X formally known as Twitter ripped it apart. Partially due to Felicity having a fantastic sense of humor and being great sports about the whole thing, the exchange on Twitter helped Felicity.
“Emo Trash” is one of their most streamed songs on Spotify.
Felicity has a relatively small but active Discord server where Felicity fans can interact with each other and even the band at times. In the short time I’ve been a part of it, I knew about their single “Charlie Sheen” and pre-saved it before they posted it to social media and even got notifications to join their TikTok lives. Admittedly, I’m a lurker, but I do enjoy myself there.
Conclusion
Felicity is a band on God mode because their vibe is very Florida. During their tenure as a band, they have shown they are not afraid to experiment and cross some lines. Their songs have explosive, yet infectious melodies, and the fans either love them or hate them.
I am a huge fan of Felicity and we must protect them at all costs. With the popularity of bands like Falling in Reverse, not a modern rock band at heart, touring with Disturbed and Papa Roach, or even Beartooth getting modern rock radio play, there is a path for Felicity to fit right into both the pop-punk and hard rock space.
I would explode if they ended up touring with Papa Roach and during Felicity’s set, Jacoby Shaddix came on stage to rap a verse or two on Kill ‘Em’ All. That would be so sick!
To support FELICITY, below are their social media links:
