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Taken from Albuquerque Journal (Oct 18, 2013)
‘The Sound of Sunshine’ is what Michael Franti & Spearhead are bringing to Santa Fe
by Adrian Gomez / Asst. Arts Editor, Reel NM
Reggae artist Michael Franti is touring in support of his new album, "All People." |
Michael Franti knows all about the power of music.
Yet, it can often catch him off-guard like it did recently when he heard the children’s chorus at New York’s PS22 singing his song, “I’m Alive (Life Sounds Like).”
“It moved me to tears, to hear these kids singing, ‘Everybody wants me to be who they want me to be,’” he says during a recent interview while driving. “That’s who I wrote ‘People’ for. To let them know your mission in life should be to be yourself and to embrace the diversity of others.”
Franti has created and supported numerous environmental, humanitarian and social causes over the course of his two-decade career. It explains the evolution of sound on his new album “All People,” which combines colossal dance beats and dizzying electronic effects.
“All People” is the follow-up to Franti’s wildly successful 2010 release, “The Sound of Sunshine.”
Franti says the album was recorded primarily at his home in San Francisco with guitarist J Bowman. He says the two recorded some 35 songs before settling on the final track list for the album; it also marked the first time Franti reached out for collaborations with writers and producers.
“It was like speed dating,” Franti says. “You’ve got a limited amount of time to write the greatest song you’ve ever heard. But when it works, it’s magic.”
Franti says some of the songs are inspired by world news, but many of the love songs on the album are inspired by his relationship with his partner, Sara.
“These songs are about the power of unconditional love, born out of tough times,” he says. “It’s rare to find someone who accepts you being your own authentic self. In the past, I didn’t always give space for the broad spectrum of emotion, but this time I made an effort to write about everything I experience. I want my music to be timeless and live on for generations to come.”
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