An Interview With The New Duo, FRANSANCISCO On Their Debut Forthcoming Album and More!

Meet Fransancisco! Their debut single “Gold” was released on February 14th. It was written with with the duo’s close friends Mitchy Collins (Lovelytheband) and Justin Stanley.

Fransancisco features Isaac and Thorald Koren, who are widely known for their project The Kin (Interscope/Universal, RIAA gold record, toured w/ Coldplay, P!nk).

Check out “Gold” Here-

Fransancisco’s debut album will be released later this year and it is dedicated to the loving memory of the grandmother they never met. She flew her plane out over the Southern Ocean on Mother’s Day 1974, and was never seen again. ‘I went to the sea to be free’ serves as a memorial for the brothers. GRAMMY-award winning producer and friend Nic Hard suggested the idea of recording at Sonic Ranch in El Paso, Texas.

Learn more about Fransancisco in the following All Access interview-

What are some of your 2020 goals/aspirations?

To embrace life with genuine curiosity, and treat every human being we meet with compassion. We are committed to neurodiversity because we have experienced OCD and depression in our family. We feel that support, advocacy, and education around mental health is vital.

What does a typical day look like lately for Fransancisco?

Ojai CA is our current home, so we typically start the day with a hike or bike ride, with Vitamin D for breakfast. We chose to relocate from NYC because of the beautiful artistic community and incredible natural landscape here in Ojai. We spend the bulk of our days in our local studio, writing music for ourselves and co-creating with others.

Can you recall the moment when you thought you could be in this band together? How did you come up with your name?

It was September 2018… right before we went onstage at Rockwood Music Hall for a performance of Kin and Bråves songs, Ken Rockwood pointed to Isaac and said “I want to sign you guys.” Our new music came from an openness and willingness to surrender to this unknown chapter and opportunity for exploration. We began, what has now been a year-long journey, the moment Ken proposed the idea.

Francansisco’s name was inspired by a  recording session we had at Sonic Ranch in El Paso. Our producer, Nic Hard, suggested that we ask each of our five year old kids what they’d name the band. Isaac’s son suggested “Rocket ship launch,” and Thorald’s daughter insisted they were named it “Fransancisco” … essentially her verbal interpretation of “San Francisco.” And it stuck.

How do you think your hometown has influenced the sound and how you both carry yourselves in this band?

We were originally born in Adelaide, Australia. The city is simple and quiet, filled with sweet people. While we weren’t specifically influenced by the city when writing the album, we now realize the music of Fransancisco does share the essence of our hometown’s simplicity and beauty.

Let’s talk about your debut track, “Gold.” What was the inspiration for this song? How did it come together with your co-writer, Mitchy Colling from Lovelytheband?

Our friend Mitchy came over to the studio with this song. He was going through a break up… and I’m sure you know how that goes. We finished the chorus and the bridge with him, inspired by the moment’s authenticity. To us, this song is about heartbreak, and yet you still can’t help but love the person who broke your heart. Social media also makes it way too easy to have a full blown stalking session.

How does “Gold” prepare listeners for your forthcoming debut album coming later this year? What was it like putting this collection together? 

‘Gold’ is probably the ‘sing along’ of the album, making it unique. The album is stripped down to just one instrument, and our two voices singing in harmony. It’s raw. It’s untouched. We made sure no vocals were ‘pitch corrected,’ and the majority of what we decided to keep were our first takes. We want listeners to feel like they’re in the room with us.

Can you talk about dedicating this album to your grandmother?

‘I Went To The Sea To Be Free…’ is the title track of the album, and is a song we wrote as a memorial for our beloved grandmother. Forty six years ago, on Mother’s Day, she took off her wedding ring and fled. She flew in her own plane across the Southern Ocean, and was never seen again. So we’ve never even met her, and yet we feel her so deeply.

We wrote this song as though she wrote it, as she chose to take her own life in order to find freedom from her suffering and depression. Her loneliness and confusion is an expression of the human experience, as so many people are suffering from mental illness. We truly want it to be a reminder the no one is alone, and to seek help before taking one’s own life. 

Where do you think you are both happiest- in the studio recording new music, on stage performing or elsewhere?

We’re both “at home” and our happiest when we’re breaking the fourth wall and connecting with everyone from a stage. 

We are currently living through a very trying and politically charged time right now so I am curious to know how your own music is reflecting this time period? If you don’t think it is, why is that?

We believe the album is a safe space for anyone who feels bombarded with the noise of media. This haven we’ve created is for those who need to connect with their emotions and feel human again.

Who would you love to work with in the future? What do you think would be a dream collaboration for this duo?

Oh wow… so many heroes. A dream would be singing three part harmonies with Imogen Heap or Bon Iver, or record with Brian Eno.

Where would you love to hear your music being played? A TV show, a movie, in your favorite store, etc…?

We feel grateful for any opportunity with this album. We didn’t initially set out to make this band, so wherever it is performed, played or shared is sincerely a gift to both of us.

What do you hope is the message of your music? What do you hope people continue to take away from your songs?

We just want people to feel held and understood in their unique and complex experience. Mental health is a common thread in today’s fast paced and noisy world. We want to create a bubble for people to recognize their beauty for exactly as they are.