Brent Faiyaz releases new R&B album ‘Icon’ after last-minute 2025 delay
Brent Faiyaz has returned with a new full-length statement. Icon, an R&B set released through ISO Supremacy and UnitedMasters, is now available worldwide, marking the singer’s first album since 2022’s Wasteland and the 2023 mixtape Larger Than Life. The rollout took a sharp turn over the past year, but the finished project has finally arrived for listeners.
A comeback that finally lands
The arrival of Icon caps months of speculation and resets the narrative after a dramatic pause in 2025. The album is positioned as the next chapter in Faiyaz’s evolution, carrying the weight of a fan base that has grown steadily through a mix of avant-R&B aesthetics, diaristic storytelling, and unconventional release strategies. With the project now out, the focus shifts from uncertainty to the music itself.
From a scrapped version to a fresh rollout
Icon’s path was anything but straightforward. The album was originally slated for September 19, 2025 (ET). In a last-minute decision just hours before that date, the release was pulled and an entire version of the album—along with its lead single and a completed music video—was shelved. Such a move would derail many campaigns; instead, it became the pivot point for a bolder reset.
On October 31, 2025 (ET), the rollout restarted with a clean slate. By discarding the initial vision and starting fresh, Faiyaz signaled that Icon needed to meet a different creative standard. The recalibration restored momentum while keeping the mystique that has long surrounded his releases.
‘Have To’ rekindles momentum
The reboot hinged on the new lead single “Have To,” which arrived as the first official preview of Icon’s revised form. The track resonated enough to break into the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, peaking at No. 37, a performance that reestablished visibility without overexposure. For an artist known to favor slow-burn rollouts, that balance mattered: “Have To” warmed the audience without revealing too much about the album’s full scope.
As a table-setter, the single functioned less as a headline-chasing moment and more as a stabilizing step after the abrupt reset. The chart placement served as proof that the switch in direction had traction with listeners who had been left in suspense since the scrapped September date.
Positioned between ‘Wasteland’ and ‘Larger Than Life’
Icon follows Wasteland (2022), the album that vaulted Faiyaz to new mainstream attention, and the 2023 mixtape Larger Than Life, which extended his palette beyond traditional album structures. Placed between those two touchstones, Icon arrives with dual expectations: a cohesive statement to match Wasteland’s ambition and the sense of spontaneity that defined Larger Than Life.
While details around collaborators and a tracklist were held close throughout the campaign, the framing remains clear: Icon is designed as a full-album experience rather than a scattershot collection of singles. The new release also underscores Faiyaz’s preference for tight creative control and timing—values that help explain why an entire version of the project was paused in the eleventh hour.
Release details and availability
Icon is released through ISO Supremacy in partnership with UnitedMasters and is now available on major streaming services across the U.S. and internationally. The distribution approach mirrors recent moves by the artist to retain flexibility while engaging a global audience. For listeners, the outcome is simple: the album can be played in full right now, ending the wait that stretched from the initial 2025 schedule through the fall’s reboot.
The culmination of this stop-and-start journey suggests Faiyaz prioritized cohesion and vision over speed. With Icon finally out, attention turns to how the full project resonates across the R&B landscape—an arena where Faiyaz has carved out a singular lane built on mood, narrative tension, and a willingness to take the long way to the finish line.
