By Thomas Crone
arts@c-ville.com
For Michael Franti and his band Spearhead, summers are about touring across America. Churning out smiley hits like “Say Hey (I Love You)” and “The Sound of Sunshine Going Down,” the singer, musician, and documentarian says he typically performs about 60 shows timed to coincide with outdoor amphitheater opportunities, mixed with a few club and theater gigs.
The annual U.S. shows allow Franti to flex his musical talent, while maintaining business interests around the world during the rest of the year, including an ever-growing hotel and service industry role in Bali. Bouncing between being an artist and an entrepreneur can be a challenge for Franti.
“I shift gears between everything that has to do with the hotel and everything else I do in music and film,” says Franti. “With the hotel, we have over 100 employees now and a lot of what I do is working with the team there.”
The family-run retreat is called Soulshine Bali, and the vibe is in line with the messages that Franti and Spearhead have been channeling over the years: a positive approach to life and the human connection.
“I’m super passionate about both,” Franti says. “I do feel that the ultimate pinnacle of music, where the rubber meets the road, is when the music is played to an audience and you see the reaction and feel the reaction. It’s humbling.”
Franti’s music has taken him through a variety of settings, from early punk and industrial bands (like The Beatnigs 1986 to 1990) to hip-hop (notably the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy 1991 to 1993) to Spearhead. The group’s shimmering, invigorating sound is characterized by a soul/rock/reggae amalgam perfected over the band’s 30-year history.
Even with months on the road and his hotelier responsibilities, Franti still finds time for studio work, sometimes just plugging his guitar into a simple recorder and working remotely.
“I love the studio,” he says, estimating that he puts thoughts and music down some 250 days a year. His most recent batch of creative work resulted in the completion and release last November of his latest album, Big Big Love, and his current Togetherness tour.
“Togetherness is the central theme in all the songs on our latest record Big Big Love,” Franti says about the tour. “How do we get that feeling of togetherness, that feeling of closeness, that we so often overlooked and took for granted but now has become so important?” he asks. “How do we bridge these gaps so that people can feel close to one another again? I want to really use my music and my time in my life to bring closeness to people and help them feel like they’re not alone in this world.”
The excitement and sense of community that comes with getting back on tour post-pandemic is something Franti feels deeply. “I went from touring half the year, to mostly the summer months, to not being able to tour at all with COVID,” says Franti. “But when it was taken away, I went into a dark place for a while. Now on the other side of that, I have this incredible gratitude to do this thing we do. There’s a renewed sense of purpose because we all, at some point, go into a dark place.”
He says the hardest part of touring is being away from loved ones—the toll it takes on a family and on the performers. “There’s a general wear and tear on your body and on your mind,” he says. “Physically, you get tired. And as many people as you play for in an evening, you’ll always end up alone in a hotel room or your bunk on the bus. Loneliness can be a real thing.”
Despite the challenges, the multi-talented artist is grateful that his music and his business endeavors allow him to travel the planet in a way that few get to experience.
“I’ve always had a lust for finding a new corner of the world, meeting people and experiencing new cultures,” he said. “Architecture, art, and natural wonders … I’ve had an incredible opportunity to see these places and play.”