You can watch Alex Francis live at our first ever 'Brewery Sessions' at Redchurch Brewery on December 3rd. Book tickets here.
Hackney-based Alex Francis has gone onto gain over twelve million streams across all platforms since his debut release back in 2017.
For our Uncut series, Alex recorded a rendition of The Kinks' "Waterloo Sunset" and spoke with us about parenthood, his plans for next year, and music.
Tell us about yourself...
I’m originally from Hertfordshire, but I’m based in Hackney now where I live with my partner and daughter. I got started in music playing every available open mic and pub from pillar to post in the local area, but it wasn’t until I moved to University in Brighton that I made a full-time commitment to making music my living.
Since then I’ve had some amazing opportunities to showcase my music on many different levels all over the world and that has definitely helped me to solidify my identity as a musician.
Why did you choose this song to cover?
This song is rooted amongst music that is a source of constant inspiration for me. I love finding and latching onto new music but I also have a definite ‘DNA’ when it comes to music that defines my sound, and music that has been with me my whole life, so with that in mind I thought I would take a crack at this one...
Who are your biggest influences?
Music with heart and soul, that has the power to make me feel moved, always stands out. I’m inspired by so many different acts from different eras as a result, but to throw a few names into the mix I’m huge on Foy Vance at the moment - I’ve been following his career for years and it’s amazing to see him at the height of his power now.
I’m also a gigantic Bobby Womack fan - sadly he’s no longer with us but his influence as a vocalist and songwriter can be heard in so much modern Soul and Pop. He’s a bit of an unsung hero and not quite the household name many believe he should be! Vocally I’ve taken huge inspiration from his style and delivery.
How was it being an artist during the pandemic?
Fortunately, I was in a heavy writing project when Covid set on, and we were able to continue on via the power of technology to see that through, so there was plenty of creative stimulation in that time to take the edge off!
Sacrificing the ability to play live was difficult, physically and financially - I hosted a number of live streams and found a few ways to present my music via my social channels which was really beneficial for dialing into my fan base outside of the UK better than ever before. Becoming a parent during the pandemic helped keep me busy too!
What's your plan for this year?
I’ve spent a large part of the year preparing to get back to regularly releasing again so this is an exciting time for me. I’m hoping to get back on the road in 2022 so you can expect plenty of new releases to follow... and there will be new music before the year is out!
By Samuel Clucas & Ezra Folan
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Follow Alex Francis:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/alexfrancismusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexfrancismusic/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/afrancismusic
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/39ggJqR
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/sunsetsessionss
Website: https://www.sunsetsessionslive.org/
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