Interview with musician & model Francesca Fly by Apolluss
A: So tell us a bit about Francesca, if you had to describe yourself, what words would you choose?
F: Misunderstood.
A: What do you think about the current state of the Manchester arts, music and creative scene?
F: It's great, I think everyone is expressing themselves. Overall it's nice to see so many people trying now.
A: That is what creativity is supposed to be about, experimenting and trying new things.
F: I have been doing what I like to do. I like to sing. I used to be self-conscious and I found out I was peng (she laughs) so then I like to flex that a little bit you know. I still have insecurities but the majority of the time I do think I’m peng, for the record (she laughs again). So yeah, I feel like I have just done what I like to do and was around the people that I like to be around and that so happens to have been key to the place that I'm in now.
A: What inspires you to create in the way that you do?
F: Things like this. Even hearing a great song, seeing a great piece of clothing, seeing something great, you know, (to) put me on my toes a little bit. That's just like ‘wow, like, how did you think about that?’ I have a lot of inspirations, sometimes I might write a song depending on… like 90% of the songs that I write, I say, 99% of the songs that I write are of the top, like what (has) just happened and stuff. Sometimes it might be from another perspective, from what I would like it to be. A lot of the time, it has been inspired by other people, the people around me. The simplest of things can inspire me.
A: I am the same. I am inspired by my experiences but also by the people around me. I feel like you can learn a lot by looking through somebody else's eyes.
F: Yes, because that's the beauty of life as well. You are only living your life and your life isn't the be-all and end-all, everybody has their own life. How many people are on the surface of the Earth? Yeah, that is what makes the Earth because if it was all the same it would be boring. So sometimes looking through another lens is nice to like, balance out your view too, because that's what keeps you open-minded to what it could be, do you know what I mean?
A: I think that's why I love photography or looking at photos because you see what somebody else has seen in a situation.
F: From a different lens.
A: Yeah. It's like when I write poetry as well, it's about that but then with poetry, I add a bit more imagination into it.
F: It's so much more descriptive.
A: So if you had to pick or spotlight a particular project, song, or just something that you’ve created, what would you go back to and why?
F: If you know me I am a very on-the-fence person, so it's very hard to be like, which one is your favourite? Unless, like today with the wines, I am not the biggest wine person but this orange one was really nice. What is it called, crazy crazy? CRAZY CRAZY, yeah this one was very nice. When I am looking back on my projects, I am biased about what I've just created because I always feel like I can do better. So the ones that I've just done, I like more than the ones that I've done in the past because I think they're shit because it was the old me.
Currently, I'm trying to find the balance between like accepting the old me and like, continuing to blossom. Do you know what I mean? It's really hard because I am still evolving. So I'd have to say the projects that I like are the ones that I've done recently. I think one of the projects I've done was at the start of the year or the end of last year. This is off-topic from music, well not completely, but the two-piece (outfit) that I did with Skitzo (a fashion brand originating from Bradford) (@skitzoworldwide). Yeah, I fucking love that two-piece, and I still wear it all the time.
A: The brown one?
F: Yes, brown is my shit man. I have made a couple of Amapiano (a style of house music that emerged in South Africa in 2012) songs that I like. Yeah, everything I'm doing now is my favourite. Yeah, I always go through different essence and I feel like I just go for that.
A: Could that be because you feel like you're very connected to the current moment.
F: Yes, I think it's that. Maybe it also might be that in general because that might be why I look at the others (past work) and just think like they're just not as good, I also doubt myself a lot so when I look at the others, I think I just wasn't ready.
A: I say enjoy the journey as well as the end result, it’s a process.
F: I think that's what I need to do.
A: If not, you are always chasing.
F: Legit.
A: KERB prides itself on displaying a diverse selection of labels on their wine, if you were a bottle of wine, what would you taste like and how would your label look?
F: Brown, thick, juicy (we all laugh together) I love adapting earth colours, so even this green is nice. Something just a little weird, something that might not sit right with you at first glance, but then, you'll want to go back to it in the second.
A: Yeah, completely, and then taste?
F: Something that tastes like cucumber and lemon.
A: Are there any other artists/creatives in Manchester that you would like to utilise this opportunity to highlight?
F: First of all, the KTNA sisters (@thektna). If you don’t know them, get to know them. Bro, listen, they are one of the best performers you will see in your life. Amazing. Children of Zeus (@childrenofzeus_), every single fucking time. Let the record show that I went close to the mic for that one. My Bredrin Ramz, Wretchmade (@wretchmade), hold tight MXM (@prodbymxm). There are a lot of people who I could mention, they are just doing bits, Akemi Fox (@akemifoxx), yes, she's amazing, Teo (@teomadeit) on production. There are a lot of people from Manchester that I could mention. Aitch (@aitch) always, I feel like he’s holding his place down too. I feel like he’s held that momentum for himself. That's what genuine people do, it's easy for them to hold their momentum because they are unapologetically themselves.