In conversation with Frank

Words by Zoe Valdez

While listening to someone close to her talk to their mother about their difficult relationship, a phrase that came up during the conversation stuck with Frank: “I feel like we’re in this state of limbo.” That moment gave rise to “IN LIMBO,” a song portraying two people seeking a healthy connection yet unable to ignore the reality of their circumstances. That balance between loving someone and accepting that things aren’t working out as expected became the central theme of her entire new EP, BACKBONE.

Amidst her launch party at Holy Ground Studios and planning her upcoming music videos, we chatted with her about the real-life stories that inspired her most intense tracks, the importance of staying connected to his roots, and her vision for upcoming music videos.

When did it click for you that BACKBONE was the perfect word to describe this chapter of your life and the whole vibe of the album?

I was looking through my notes one night at different lyrics and ideas, and found a note with the word “backbone” in it. It felt like the perfect description for the EP and matched perfectly with the music and the visual that I wanted for the cover.

The line in “IN LIMBO”-‘ turning hell into comedy/ and we are two crows assembling in a gunpowder sky ‘- is incredible. Did that come from feeling trapped in a relationship that’s just stuck, not moving forward but not completely over either, or was it something else?

The song is about someone I know whose relationship with their mother had been in a difficult place. When we were talking about it, I remember them saying, “I feel like we’re in this limbo state.” The lyrics describe two people who want a healthy relationship, but can’t be blind to the truth of the circumstances.

You’re celebrating the release with a party at Holy Ground Studios right there in Indy. How important is it for you to stay connected to your roots and share this moment with your local community?

It means a lot to be able to share this event in my hometown. The more time goes on, the more I see how important community is. I’ve played countless shows in Indy, and being able to celebrate such an exciting time with so many incredible artists and friends means a lot to me.

Are there any upcoming music videos in the works for BACKBONE? If so, which song are you most excited to bring to life?

My team and I have been discussing the possibility of doing something for “Walk On By”, and I also had an idea for “Dust” where we act out the whole story, and I play every character in the video: police, victim, extras- all of them. Shooting that would take a lot of logistical planning, so we’ll see!

Given that “BACKBONE deeply explores human resilience through strained relationships and personal tragedy, which song on this EP is your favourite? What makes that particular song stand out to you on an emotional level?

One of my favourite songs is “Dust.” It was the most recent song I had written for the EP. It’s about a woman and her husband who I worked for as a dog sitter for about four years. She had recently called me and told me her husband was very abusive, and she discovered that he had been drugging her for the last year of their relationship. Not long after their divorce, he took his own life. It’s an incredibly heavy, sad and shocking story, but I remember that during all the tragedy, I felt relief that she escaped the abuse of that relationship and was finally safe. It broke my heart to think about what she went through, and I wanted to tell her story because I find it to be very powerful. Leaving him saved her life.

And finally, are you a Star or a Freak?

I’m a freak.