Today we’d like to introduce you to MadameFraankie.
Hi MadameFraankie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Sure! I’ll do my best to speak on both art forms! So, I’m a musician and photographer. Music’s been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, but it really started shaping my life when I got my first radio at age ten. That’s when I began actively exploring and falling in love with different genres and artists, checking out CDs from the library (what ya’ll know about that?), recording songs off the radio, stuff like that.
What really took my music to the public scene was when I started a series on social media called “Music Monday” where I made the commit to myself that I was going to release a video of me playing guitar into the digital world whether I felt like it was perfect or not. They helped build my confidence and led me to start saying yes to other projects like public performances, studio sessions, and more. Photography came into play a bit later, although I’ve always had a deep appreciation for family photos and the stories my family would tell around the imagery when we got together. After spending some time working out what tools work best for me, shooting black and white photographs on film became my go-to; it keeps my eye honest. I had a residency with Crosstown Arts in the spring of 2024, which pushed my practice even further into working with alternative image development and using watercolor and hand stitching.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The struggle in music continues to be this looming sense of anxiety before performance. It’s not as debilitating as it once felt, but it definitely takes a bit to get my nerves down. Other than near-crippling anxiety (lol), it’s been the journey to get a decent amount of music theory under my belt. I think that’s shown to be a lot where some of the anxiety comes from; music theory helps guide you; my lack has placed me in a musical box trying to “play it safe.” – The small amounts I’ve gained this year have helped tremendously, though.
With photograph? The battle of cost, space, and skill. I want to make huge prints and watercolor works, but the cost for such a project can run high, and once you make where you put it, there’s work I want to create that includes hand stitching that I don’t quite have the skill set for yet. I’m encouraged, but these are definitely roadblocks.The struggle in music continues to be this looming sense of anxiety before performance. It’s not as debilitating as it once felt, but it definitely takes a bit to get my nerves down. Other than near-crippling anxiety (lol), it’s been the journey to get a decent amount of music theory under my belt. I think that’s shown to be a lot where some of the anxiety comes from; music theory helps guide you; my lack has placed me in a musical box trying to “play it safe.” – The small amounts I’ve gained this year have helped tremendously, though.
With photograph? The battle of cost, space, and skill. I want to make huge prints and watercolor works, but the cost for such a project can run high, and once you make where you put it, there’s work I want to create that includes hand stitching that I don’t quite have the skill set for yet. I’m encouraged, but these are definitely roadblocks.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The path of being a musician and photographer has taken me to really cool places and spaces. Honestly, the first thing that comes to mind for a proud moment musically is one of our shows in Brooklyn got rained out. We found an intimate spot in the back of a bar to play an alternative show, and even though we were still met with challenges like the amp we were provided not working, we made it shake; the people that traveled far to hear good music and share good energy still got what they came for. It was a good night! In the photography world that might be when I got you do a solo exhibition at Christian Brothers University, that opportunity allowed me to realize some the works I had been imaging earlier that same year.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I see my industry, in both instances, entering a really sterile place all through the creative process and final product. All that makes music or photographs special are some of the mistakes you make along the way and finding an alternative route to creativity. The goal seems to be efficiency and quantity now. I think it’s going open a certain craving for more unorthodox sounds, though, and artists holding space for their humanity during the creative process will start to really cut through the noise.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.madamefraankie.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madamefraankie/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063543663904
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MadameFraankie
