Have To.

Album

Icon

Label

UnitedMasters

Genre

Synthpop

Media Type

DD

Duration

3:27

Composer(s)

David Patino;Andrew Kim;Christopher Brent Wood;Thomas Anatole Richman;Elliot Davy;Jonah Ronson Roy

Entered Chart

Feb 28, 2026

Peak Date

Feb 28, 2026

Released

October 31, 2025

Recorded

2025

Catalog #

Synthpop

If the United States Postal Service ever decides to diversify into R&B, it might want to consult Brent Faiyaz. "Have To" is essentially a next-day-delivery love song, only instead of parcels, he's shipping devotion across time zones and tour dates. On the surface, "Have To" is a long-distance slow burn: the career is demanding, the flights are long, the nights are longer. But Faiyaz dramatizes the long-distance ache with shipping metaphors and racing clocks. It's a song about man dreaming of touching down and reuniting with his loved one. "Have To" was helmed by Tommy Richman (yes, that Tommy Richman of "Million Dollar Baby" fame), alongside Dpat, Jonah Roy, NDK and 1stFrom92. Richman is one of Faiyaz's own signings to ISO Supremacy in partnership with PULSE Records. Along with producing for his boss, Richman opened for him on tour and appeared on "Upset" from Larger Than Life. Their workflow is refreshingly simple: Richman plays beats, Brent nods, and songs are created accordingly. Faiyaz recorded "Have To" for his third album, Icon. Work began in 2025, with a September 19 release date penciled in. Faiyaz pulled the plug the night before launch - scrapping the planned lead single and video - and texted through "Have To" instead. New single, new direction. He framed the pivot as intentional reinvention: elevation "sonically, visually, and personally." Faiyaz described "Have To" as stripping things down. "I wanted to... get honest, to create a space where vulnerability meets confidence," he said. "It's about embracing who I am now, without compromise, and sharing that journey with people who've been riding with me since day one." The gamble paid off. "Have To" topped Billboard's Adult R&B Songs chart, marking his first #1 as a lead artist on that format. Not bad for a last-minute reroute. Faiyaz hasn't tied the song to a specific partner. In interviews around Icon, he spoke broadly of distance, vulnerability and evolving relationships, but didn't name names. "Have To" stands as one of the album's clearest declarations of steady love: Faiyaz may be airborne, overbooked and chronically in transit, but the message is simple. No matter the itinerary, she won't have to feel alone. The self-directed video drives the point home; or at least toward it at cruising altitude. Shot on a private jet during an 8.5-hour flight, it shows Faiyaz recording music, lounging, and texting his boo. Sped-up footage underscores the grind; captions and intro audio nod to the delayed album rollout.

If you could hear the thoughts inside my head
Would you believe it?
It ain't even fair
And take that off soon as I land
There ain't nothing you need to wear

I'm in a race with time to get where I belong
'Cause it feels so right after all these nights alone
Dreaming about touching down, I can't sleep till you touch me, baby, when?
Can you make it feel good before I leave again?

I'll pack and ship myself
If I have to
I'll drive this ship myself (All night)
If I have to
You can't be by yourself (Alone)
If you don't have to
I'll do what I have to
So you won't have to

I'll pack and ship myself
If I have to
I'll drive this ship myself (All night)
If I have to
You can't be by yourself (Alone)
If you don't have to
I'll do what I have to
So you won't have to

Uh, yeah
I'll go so far as to put myself inside my Goyard if I have to
Would you believe it?
I'm in love, you in love
I'm above, you my drug
You my plug through the storm
Through the flood, I'ma rush
I'll go so far as to put myself inside my Goyard if I have to
Would you believe it?
I'm in love, you in love
I'm above, you my drug
You my plug through the storm
Through the flood, I'ma rush

I'm in a race with time to get where I belong
'Cause it feels so right after all these nights alone
Dreaming about touching down, I can't sleep till you touch me, baby, when?
Can you make it feel good before I leave again?

I'll pack and ship myself
If I have to
I'll drive this ship myself (All night)
If I have to
You can't be by yourself (Alone)
If you don't have to
I'll do what I have to
So you won't have to

I'll pack and ship myself
I'll go so far as to put myself inside my Goyard if I have to
If I have to
I'll drive this ship myself
If I have to
You can't be by yourself
I'll go so far as to put myself inside my Goyard if I have to
If you don't have to
I'll do what I have to
So you won't have to