We first discovered Kathleen Frances when she was performing together with a Bristol-based band The 4th Project. Their debut single did pretty well on the chart and we are thrilled to see Kathleen return with a brand new sound and a solo debut single .
Even though Kathleen describes her sound moody and introspective, to us her voice takes us places making ‘Define’ a powerful debut.
Would you be able to share your journey up until this moment when you are releasing your very first single?
Being part of 4th Project really helped me grow as a musician and it’s what got me into production in the first place, But I felt the need to explore my own creativity and found myself veering towards a more emotive sound. I am originally from Bristol, a city steeped in musical culture with bands like Massive Attack and Portishead forming there, which definitely shaped and inspired me. For the last two and a half years, I have been in London developing my sound alongside studying music.
‘Define’ captures a sense of taking control and defining your expectations and I wanted my first single to have a strong and empowering message.
KATHLEEN FRANCES
You recently shared a sneak peek preview of the video for the song. Can you share more about the idea behind the visuals of the song?
I wanted to collaborate with my very talented friend Georges Hann, who is such a beautiful dancer and videographer. I showed him the song and explained the inspiration behind it and he showed me this beautiful footage of him dancing in long grass with a blue skyline. It just worked really well, I loved the spring time setting, There’s something hopeful about spring which really aligned with the theme of the song and his performance was very introspective and commanding which again matched the intention behind the track.
What was the inspiration behind the song?
I guess I wrote this song as a mantra for myself. About 2 years ago I came out of a long term relationship and it turned out to be the best thing for me. Being single taught me a lot about my own perspective on love and relationships, not just with others but with myself. It also taught me not to be so influenced by society and not to settle. So I wanted to write something empowering that reflected this but still referenced the moody and emotive style of my other songs.
Being single taught me a lot about my own perspective on love and relationships, not just with others but with myself. It also taught me not to be so influenced by society and not to settle.
kathleen frances
What was the moment that you decided that you want to be a musician?
I always was obsessed with singing but the moment I decided to do it for my career was about 4 years ago. I just thought this is the thing I get the most pleasure out of and life is too short to not do the things you want.
If you could collaborate with just about anyone, who would you choose without thinking twice?
James Blake hands down
What do you do to keep sane in this really difficult time when it seems like our life is changing faster than ever. Especially when we are spending more time at home rather than outside due to lockdowns?
Being kind to myself. I feel like there is a lot of pressure to be super productive during this time but it’s also ok just to take a break. Anyway I find when I feel the pressure is off I feel way more inspired to be creative.
What does your creative process look like?
Sitting at the piano and exploring, sometimes I have an idea or a concept for a song, sometimes I start by finding a chord progression I like. Then once I’ve written a verse or chorus I get in the studio/ on to my laptop and start playing around with fleshing out the song.
Who are your biggest music influences?
James Blake, London Grammar, Charlotte Day Wilson, Aldous Harding, Bon Iver.
If we’d hack your Spotify account, what artists would we find?
My Spotify knows no bounds…James Blake, Radiohead, Charlotte Day Wilson, Moses, KLLO, Okay Kaya, Phoebe Bridgers, Sufjan Stevens, Ben Howard, Bon Iver, Mavica, Little Simz, Christine and the Queens, Billie Eilish, Clairo, Westerman, Bullion, Jai Paul, Aldous Harding… to name a few.
Do you have a song, that when you hear it, you’d say, “I wish I’d written that”?
‘A Case Of You’ by Joni Mitchell. So heartachingly beautiful, she is the queen of lyric writing.
Do you think there’s anything artists or fans can do to support each other during these strange times of COVID-19?
I actually took part in a Zoom meeting for Women in Music the other day, hosted by Secret Sessions. It was so great to connect with other female artists and share our experiences so far and get tips on how to help us at such a strange time. There are lots of things like this going on and if you are a female artist look them up and join the next one! It definitely gave me a boost of positivity.
I think we all need this one just now: What is a song that makes you extremely happy?
Nothing like a bit of disco to lift your spirits….Me and my housemate danced around our kitchen to this yesterday!
What have you got planned for 2020 and have any of your plans been impacted?
I have more music lined up to be released and planning a launch gig for my second single if circumstances permit. I also was very excited to be planning a trip to Indonesia, which would be my first trip outside Europe. So let’s see what happens!
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