CONVERSATION WITH VALENTINE’S DAY EXTRAORDINAIRE JW FRANCIS

Valentine’s Day is approaching. JW Francis meets the holiday head-on with original compositions for 125 lucky lovebirds. To celebrate his annual challenge, we revisit an interview with the self-described dream pop slacker. 

Written by Grace Robertson and Katie Karp

Off Radar: I read that you based your album Dream House off of repurposed songs that you made for fans around Valentine's Day and based the whole album off of that. What was it like to both create those songs and then develop them further for the album?

JW Francis: It was very natural to write the songs. I put out this call on Instagram five years ago and asked people to send me the name of their loved one, and I will write a Valentine's Day song for them. Just tell me why you love them. I do about 100. They're very quick – minute and a half melodies. I just let it all flow, then record them, and send them off. And probably about a dozen of them are really good. Just kidding! They’re all good, but some are noteworthy. So these are the best of the best of those Valentine's songs.

 Off Radar: Do you think that's helped you build a better relationship with the people that listen to your music?

JW Francis: Totally. It’s funny, because now at almost every show someone comes up to me and tells me that I wrote a Valentine's Day song for them, so I’ll start singing it and they’ll join in.

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching. Some of us hope for chocolates (or maybe just a text back), but indie-pop rock artist JW Francis pledged and successfully delivered hundreds of original Valentine’s Day songs for the past several years to lovebirds worldwide. In fact, his 2023 record Dream House was born as a compilation of some of the best Valentine’s Day songs, composed while he was on the road from the Appalachian Trail to Europe to the West Coast and back again. To kick off the start of this year’s songwriting bonanza, we’re revisiting an interview with JW from Austin, Texas, last year. After his unofficial SXSW showcase on March 17, 2023, JW sat down at Fairweather Cider Co. to discuss his unique sound, sunny energy, and outlook on performing with a flair that proves his character is as groovy and upbeat as his tunes.

Off Radar: Do you remember all of these songs?

JW Francis: I'd be lying if I said I remembered all of them, but I really remember a lot. Now people will say something like ‘Hey, we're getting married, And we want you to come to the wedding.’ It looks like I might start playing weddings.

Off Radar: Your early stuff, like Lo-Fi sounds like fewer instruments are involved, which makes sense. Was that a conscious choice to move into more of a more elaborate kind of sound style? 

JW Francis: It wasn't a conscious choice. The natural progression was to get more sophisticated with the production, and my producer has just gotten better. I've worked with the same guy the whole time; he's gotten better equipment, and we have more time to play with it. It doesn't rule out a stripped-down acoustic album.

Photo courtesy of @jwfrancis on Instagram

Off Radar: You said throughout the set that the energy was great. What created that, and how do you carry that into your music? 

JW Francis: That's a great question. After my show, the most common thing people say to me is, 'I love your energy.' From the beginning, it was clear that performing is mainly about exchanging energy more than anything else. Smiles and body language contribute; you can feel people's attention. 

Off Radar: In Casino, the lyrics are depressing, but the song is instrumentally super upbeat the whole time. Can you talk about that kind of dichotomy?

JW Francis: That was written during the peak of the pandemic when we were trapped inside. I didn't feel great like most people, but I wanted to feel the way the song's sonics are. I wanted to feel upbeat and happy. It was the mood I wanted to put myself in, but I didn't really have a choice over my words because they just came out. 

Off Radar: I heard you were hiking the Appalachian. Did that affect your music?

JW Francis: It affected my lifestyle. I hiked alone from Georgia to Vermont for 123 days. The last time I rented an apartment was before I walked the trail. I've just been on the road because I know I can live like that now, sleeping in a different place every night. That's basically what a tour is, but its conditions are better than sleeping outside. But I've written a lot of music since then that I am excited to share.

Off Radar: You hiked alone, and you performed alone. Do you find happiness in doing things alone?

JW Francis: I get a lot of energy from doing things alone, but at the same time, I love being with others and my bands. I have bands all over the world, and I love playing with them. I have bands in the UK, California, Oklahoma, and New York. I am not a control freak or anything like that. I know what I like. I wanted to play too many shows, so I didn't want to put anybody in a position where I was a dictator. So, I do things on my own.

Off Radar: I wanted to ask about your upbringing. From Tulsa to Paris, how do you think that's affected your outlook?

JW Francis: I have met a lot of different types of people and listened to different kinds of music. I try my best to take it all in, and I feel very porous to vibes and things like that.

Off Radar: I hadn't been to any of your performances before this, but I enjoyed how, between each song, you included an eccentric 'thank you!' I have to ask, where did that come from? 

JW Francis: I am just very grateful. Just really grateful.