Frankie Flowers performed during Sled Island on Wednesday, 9pm at Dandy Tasting Room &
Thursday, 7:30pm at Pin-Bar.
Interview conducted in collaboration with Reverie Magazine.
TRANSCRIPT:
Aldi (CJSW)
Could you introduce yourself?
Frankie Flowers
I’m Frankie Flowers, an alternative artist from Waterloo, Ontario, I kind of make some genre bendy stuff. I say alternative because it kind of does the whole umbrella term there. Pretty new to the scene, just kind of emerging playing some local, not so local shows. This was my first Sled, and it was super exciting. I’m stoked to be in Calgary.
Aldi (CJSW)
As an emerging artist, what do festivals like Sled mean to you?
Frankie Flowers
The community building is everything, and getting to play in front of an audience that I never would have gotten to before. This has been super sweet, the Calgary scene has been nothing but supportive and just so welcoming to me while I’ve been here. So that’s been the main thing, just kind of fostering a new sense of community in a place I’ve never been before. It’s been awesome. It was just such a well run festival. We were saying—me and my band that we haven’t been to something where there’s just such a tight knit community feel. It’s just been awesome, it’s been overwhelming, kind of.
Aldi (CJSW)
Where does your musical process start?
Frankie Flowers
Usually going through something tough, or maybe not so tough, but I find I write when I’m kind of more going through some shit. Then usually just go into my garage, start yelling out words, and then kind of start coming up with melodies, get with my producers sometimes, and we kind of cook up some things, or sometimes I’ve been self producing a bit too. So I’ve been liking that because it feels a little more raw, and it’s kind of my process.
Aldi (CJSW)
You’ve been self producing recently?
Frankie Flowers
Just a little bit my last so I have a track coming out soon called Velvet Collapse, July 7, that one comes out, and that one is fully, kind of just me trying to… I want to hone into a more raw sound, a little less produced than what I’ve done, because that feels real to me right now with where I’m at.
Aldi (CJSW)
You mentioned that you know, your music’s pretty personal. What do you hope your listeners walk away with after listening to your music?
Frankie Flowers
If they feel anything at all, if I can just bring out any type of emotion they relate to, anything that makes them feel better about anything they’re going through, that’s all I kind of hope for. If I can just reach one person make them feel heard, then, that’s kind of my goal. That’s what I’m hoping people just have something they can listen to as a release.
Aldi (CJSW)
And you mentioned before, that you’re mixing a bunch of genres, and there’s not one specific thing that you’re specifically sticking with. Is that a deliberate choice?
Frankie Flowers
It’s kind of more of just a strange artistic choice, because I feel like when I try to put myself into one niche genre, it’s so limiting. I’ve tried to be like, Oh, I’m just gonna be alternative rock, or I was calling myself dark wave for a bit, but then that feels so niche that if I feel like making something that isn’t dark wave one day, what am I going to do? So now I’m just saying alternative, because it feels like a great kind of umbrella term for I just make whatever the hell I want.
Aldi (CJSW)
So this is your first Sled, how has playing in front of a crowdshaped the way that you view your own music?
Frankie Flowers
I would say a big thing is audience reactions to the certain songs I’m playing. It’s really cool to have something… I made a pretty emotional track this past month by myself, in my living room, just kind of put it all out on the floor, came and performed it for the first time here at Sled. And it was a really special kind of intimate moment with the crowd. And that was pretty sick, kind of cathartic feeling. So I guess just seeing audience reactions to the new stuff that I’m putting out. It’s just kind of a really cool reaffirming thing.
Aldi (CJSW)
You post quite a lot on social media to promote yourself. Do you ever find that there’s sometimes a struggle between promoting yourself?
Frankie Flowers
Yes, totally. That’s my least favorite part of the whole thing. I’m not a marketer, I’m kind of an artist, first and foremost. So I recognize the importance of TikTok and all of that stuff, and I’m trying to find a way to utilize those platforms in a way that’s authentic. I’m finally finding a way to do it where it feels real.
Aldi (CJSW)
You recently started hosting a radio show. What was the idea behind going down what you called a “side quest”?
Frankie Flowers
My side quest! So I saw that this local radio station that I’ve had my tunes played on before was kind of looking for somebody to start a new show. And I thought, what an amazing way to kind of bridge what I’m doing, and to be able to talk about my experiences, like going out and playing shows. For this week, I’m gonna do a Sled Island themed episode where I kind of talk about my experiences here and everything. It’s just a great outlet. It kind of combines all my interests. I can play some of my own music, people’s music that I think deserve, like more recognition, some of my favorite, bigger band stuff, it’s just been like a great outlet, good way to kind of have the tunes I like be heard by other people.
Aldi (CJSW)
Do you ever get that feeling of validation when people respond well to the stuff that you share with them?
Frankie Flowers
I love that. I was always like, a I’m gonna make you a playlist kind of person, or sending all my friends songs I like. So it’s kind of just the perfect side quest for me, if you will.
Aldi (CJSW)
Is there anybody playing or who played at Sled that you want to give a shout out to, or you saw their performance and you just really loved it?
Frankie Flowers
I really want to see MUÑECA. I think they’re playing at Pin Bar, and then I am dying to see Xiu Xiu and Otoboke Beaver so badly they’re going to be insane. So going to try to get there early and line up for that one.
Aldi (CJSW)
After Sled, what’s next for Frankie Flowers?
Frankie Flowers
Velvet Collapse comes out July 7th. So I’m super stoked about that. And then EP is going to be out by end of summer, which I’m even more excited about that, because it’s been a long time coming. It’s just been a lot of scrapping old ideas for new and now it’s finally something I love. That’s gonna be the next thing, and then hopefully getting on some more shows. And that’s kind what the future is looking like right now.
Aldi (CJSW)
Is there any dream venue for you?
Frankie Flowers
I’m a big festival person, so like, Osheaga would be sick. That is where I have my sights right now. I would love to play Osh, there’s so many different things, that’s the number one.
Aldi (CJSW)
Is there a particular reason why Osheaga?
Frankie Flowers
I’ve been going every year since I was like 16, so I love watching the vibes up there, and it’s just a good time. Again, it puts you in front of a bunch of people that may not have ever heard of you before. That’s why I love those kind of festivals. But that’s my dream right now. So we’re manifesting.
Aldi (CJSW)
Do you have any major influences?
Frankie Flowers
Major influences from me right now. Yves Tumor, favorite artist of all time. I think he is a genius… Provoker, I love them. King Krule, love him so much as well. Those are my three for sure. Apart from that, I’m surrounded just by, like, a really awesome, loving community of creatives, and I’ve been really lucky. It’s just kind of meet some of the people, and they’re putting me on the right track.