Q&A: Emmanuel Franco
☆ By Saachi Gupta ☆
EXPLORING MUSIC AND PLACES - Emmanuel Franco brings a plethora of influences into his music. Born in Texas and brought up in Washington, singer, songwriter and instrumentalist Franco has spent years honing his craft, and trying to find his voice as an artist. It was this need to experiment and improve that led him to Hawaii, and eventually to Los Angeles, where he is currently based.
Franco, who is Spanish and Mexican, believes that he will keep putting out music as long as someone out there loves it. Over time, he has built himself a unique, stunning sound, and amassed over 44,000 listeners on Spotify. In his few years in the industry, Franco has already proved that he is a force to be reckoned with.
His latest single and music video, “Broken Man”, showcases his heartfelt vocals with nature-filled visuals. Watch his latest video below and read on to learn about his development as an artist, his involvement with Winston House and more.
LUNA: How do you think your time in Hawaii shaped you as an artist?
FRANCO: I originally went to Hawaii to “find myself” and “become a songwriter”. I had no idea what I was doing, I just knew what I wanted to be doing. Being there didn’t really do anything for my career directly but it did allow me to get used to change and accept the fact that I will always want new things and I'll have to be willing to change to get them.
LUNA: Sonically, what elements do you find yourself always drawn to when creating?
FRANCO: I always use guitars. Someday, maybe in the near future, I'll use other sounds but my all-time favorite way to write a song is to sit with the guitar and surprise myself. As far as sounds on producing a track, I'll be very open to new sounds on my upcoming project.
LUNA: I love the Handycam vibe going on in your latest video “Broken Man” - how important is honing in on the visual side of things? What role do you tend to play in the visual side?
FRANCO: The visual side of music is massive. I don’t have much experience with my artist side of my career yet but I’m very involved in the creation of my visual content. I hope to have big visual projects alongside my music in the future.
LUNA: How has social media helped foster a community with your audience and other artists?
FRANCO: It's amazing. With just a few clicks on my phone screen, I can chat and see what fans are saying about my music real-time. I’ve also reached out to some of my favorite artists and have been able to work and become friends with them.
LUNA: Is there something you’d ultimately like your listeners to feel when listening to your music?
FRANCO: Not anything in particular but as long as they feel something, I'd be glad I could do that. I work hard to put my current feelings into my records and I believe my fans are emotionally intelligent enough to know what I’m going for. They’ll most likely feel the same things when they listen.
LUNA: A few years back you helped start Winston House, which has created a really awesome and supportive community. Why are social clubs and the like important for fostering creatives?
FRANCO: It's super important for young artists especially. Communities that support young artists give them the confidence to stay on the path and tools to keep working. Being homeless, broke, and hungry for many years while I worked on writing songs and building my career wouldn’t have been possible without the countless supporters I’ve had over the years.
LUNA: I know so much is up in the air right now, but do you have any upcoming plans or intentions you’d like to share?
FRANCO: I have many records in the queue and many different projects involving some artists that I think will blow minds. I'll hint at something I’m very excited about. Pain Party.
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From Pavietra 🕊️ https://t.co/BXVgWlZud8 -
slowthai by Rosie Matheson 🤩 https://t.co/z7SDfFQ5iF
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RT @i_D: Ian Kenneth Bird photographs young punks on Polaroid: https://t.co/MKT0tMUqO9 https://t.co/a0tTl12ML5
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RT @AnOtherMagazine: #DreamHome – this isolated idyll in the mountains of Lanzarote 🌵 📸 via Nowness, photography by Clemence Blr 🔁 https://t.co/GUusdxD0cg
