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Interview with
FRANCOIS KLARK

Interviewer – Dave Bruce

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Have you always wanted to be a musician?
I’ve always been interested in music – I sang in every choir I could get into, took part in all the music related school performances, and started a garageband with my high school friends. However, it never occurred to me that I could actually one day have it be my life. It wasn’t until my second year of University while studying graphic design that I realized I wanted music to be more than just something that I occupy myself with after class. 

When did you get the song writing bug?
I was very lucky to grow up in a house with an old baby grand piano that has been passed down in our family for many years. My favourite place to be was, and still is, sitting at this piano while writing songs. I loved making little songs and recording it on our tape player. I guess the songwriting bug already bit me way back then. 

How would you describe your sound? 
My sound ranges from tribal pop anthems doused with provocative hooks, flickering synths and band instruments, to stripped down delicate piano ballads underscored with orchestral arrangements.

Which artist’s music and/or performance, past or present, inspires you today? 
I don’t know if you’ve ever had a lightning moment – it happens when someone or something suddenly makes you see or experience the world completely different from before. The first time I experienced such a moment was when I was in grade 7. One day after school my sister pulled me aside right as we got home and said: ‘Listen to this’. The artist she introduced me to was Lauryn Hill. As soon as I heard Lauryn’s voice it was as if I could see the world in it’s true full colour for the very first time. 

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Your new music video ‘Always’ has just been released. Describe its origin and evolution. 
Though not blessed with the gift of dance, I have always been infatuated with choreography and dance. I’m a big fan of Koharu Sugawara, Keone and Marie Madrid, Choreo Cookies,  and I also might have had a slight dance crush on Chachi Gonzales after seeing her YouTube video for Big Sean’s ‘I Should Have Kissed You’. Years ago I attended the Toronto Choreographer’s Ball where I saw an incredibly beautiful contemporary piece by LA based choreographer Matthew Fata. We have since become friends and I have eagerly been waiting for an opportunity to collaborate with him. 
Since ‘Always’ was picked up by Resonate Entertainment to appear in their Netflix dance film, ‘Feel The Beat’, I thought that it would be very fitting to collaborate with Matthew on a music video featuring his choreography for this specific song. 
Making a music video under Covid19 quarantine restrictions not only sparked the idea for the concept of the video, but also directly dictated how we would execute production. My initial idea was to have a dancer self tape a video on their phone while sitting at a table as if on a Skype or Zoom call like so many of us during isolation. Convinced that the meaning of the song would be better delivered by a duo, Matthew recruited dancers Ian Chubb and Katie Hazard.  Katie and Ian were in Colorado at the time, so we changed the location and placed the table in the beautiful isolated hills of Colorado. The new outdoor location also allowed enough physical distance to get videographer Jesse Lozano onboard with the project. Matthew choreographed and rehearsed with the dancers over FaceTime from Los Angeles, and a couple days later sent the footage over to me in Toronto for some final tweaks.  
Thanks to ‘Feel The Beat’ actress, Shaylee Mansfield’s instagram movement #InstaCaptioning, I realized how important it is to make all mediums of media accessible to everyone.  Shaylee’s movement has inspired me to not only caption my music videos moving forward, but also to release a version of the ‘Always’ music video that includes an American Sign Language interpretation. Toronto based Sage Lovell so beautifully signed the lyrics of ‘Always’ for the ASL version of the music video.

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Is there an EP or Album on the drawing board?
Yes, both actually. I’m working on a Spanish EP with beautiful folk and orchestral inspired pop production. This is a small love project for me because I am crazy about the Spanish language and the art, music and culture of Spain, Central and South America. 
I am also almost done writing all the songs for my sophomore album which I plan to release in 2021. 

If you could perform with any music artist, Alive or Dead, who would you choose? And why? 
I would jump at the chance to sing with Chris Martin. It doesn’t have to be a big to-do…just a little acoustic duet on an old upright piano would do. Why Chris Martin? Well, I love his songwriting – his lyrics, melodic choices and chord changes. I also, more than anything, love to be around and work with good people, and Chris comes across as a genuine mench. 

Do you have any long-term aspirations as a music artist? 
I aspire to make music and write songs till I am old and grey. 

What is the best thing about performing to a live audience? 
The supportive and positive energy of a room full of people who came to enjoy music and to be taken on a journey is incredible. There is also nothing like stepping onto a stage with musicians who are your friends – there is a freedom in a live setting during which musicians can go to creative places that we would not have thought to go in any other setting.

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What’s been the career highlight so far?
The first time that I stepped on stage to perform music that I wrote. It was during my second year at University while studying graphic design in South Africa – It was the pivotal moment that made me decide to pursue music as a career. 

Finally, a few questions for some quick answers 
FAVOURITE:
Album – Cloudburst and Other Choral Works (PolyphonyStephen Layton, Eric Whitacre)
Artist – Come on. Tis is not a fair question. There are so many. Lauryn Hill is my favourite vocalist though.
Place to visit – Cape Town
Venue to play – Royal Albert Hall (Never played here…by would be my favourite)
Food –  Mexican Food
Drink – Ice cold water on the rocks ;)
Person in History –  My old president, Nelson Mandela
Tattoo – I don’t have a tattoo, but if I were to get one I would get a full upper back floral tattoo.

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Check out FRANCOIS KLARK below
Website | Facebook  | Instagram  | Twitter 

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FRANCOIS KLARK’s
song
ALWAYS’ 
sets stage for new Netflix dance film
FEEL THE BEAT’ 
starring SOFIA CARSON

Francois Klark is a South African born, Canadian singer-songwriter and producer. This Toronto based artist has caught the attention of music lovers, industry professionals and labels worldwide with his incredible songwriting and powerful vocal performances. 

He is a Universal Music Award Winner and has collected a number of other awards including the Oscar Peterson Award, Standard Bank Award for best original composition and Most Promising Performing Solo Artist. Francois was also awarded finalist in the IAMA, John Lennon, and USA Songwriting competitions. He has worked on projects with Universal Music Group UK and has shared the stage with various artists including Grammy winner Jon Bellion (Rihanna, Eminem), Genuwine, Shawn Desman, Karl Wolf and Sebell

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Netflix’s new dance film, Feel the Beat ─ directed by Elissa Down and starring Disney’s Descendants Sofia Carson ─ utilizes indie singer/songwriter Francois Klarks dreamy, evocative song Always” as a character and story piece. The song, originally appearing on Klarks 2018 debut album, Love, captures the beauty and hope of Down’s latest feature. The story follows Carsons character April, who, after failing to find success on Broadway, returns to her small hometown and is reluctantly recruited to train a misfit group of young dancers for a big competition.

In the productions casting stage, Emmy Award-winning choreographer Mia Michaels (So You Think You Can Dance) stumbled upon the song and used it to backdrop the audition process. Down was instantly infatuated with the songs stunning melody, feeling it embodied Carsons character and eventual arc, and decided to weave the song into the film.

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Always not only bookends the film with a beautiful orchestral version performed by Sofia Carson herself ─ but the piano ballad prominently features in the films climax, a dance sequence choreographed by Michaels dubbed the petal dance. Additionally, its melody is peppered throughout the beautifully orchestrated film score (Amie DohertyMichael Yezerski)

The release of the film is accompanied by a Spanish version of “Always” (“Siempre”) performed by Carson, as well as an official ASL music video by Francois Klark starring culturally Deaf American Sign Language interpreter Sage Lovell and choreography by Matthew Fata featuring dancers Katie Hazard and Ian ChubbFeel the Beat (screenplay written by Michael Armbruster and Shawn Ku) boasts an impressive ensemble cast: Wolfgang Novogratz (Sierra Burgess Is a Loser), Donna Lynne Champlin (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Enrico Colantoni (Veronica Mars), and Lidya Jewett (Hidden Figures), among many others.

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AMNPLIFY – DB