MICHAEL FRANTI

Like his heroes, he’s on a mission to change the world through music

For more than 25 years, Michael Franti has channeled his spirited blend of R&B, folk, jazz, reggae and hip-hop to both entertain and raise awareness of social and political issues. On his new album, All People, Franti—who formed Michael Franti and Spearhead in the late 1990s—has been inspired by a host of musical icons who offered him reassurance and hope during his own troubling times. “I’ve had artists who really changed moments for me and made me the person I’ve become,”  he says. “There are so many artists like that—Johnny Cash, the Clash, John Lennon.”

Franti credits their songs with signaling a sea change in the culture. “I was moved by how much they care about changing the world,”  he says. “I was really drawn to the social message. It gave the music more power.”  Franti knows that power well, but acknowledges that creating art often requires a state of emotional stress. “When you write a song, you have to go to the dark side at first,”  he explains. “I feel like it’s my responsibility to make the songs that are inspiring. Music can be very healing. Even when the sun isn’t shining, sometimes you can find it within.”

Unlike many artists who keep fans at arm’s length, he prefers to engage them and learn more about their problems. Franti invited the public to participate in the video for the new album’s first single, “I’m Alive (Life Sounds Like).”  “After every show I walk offstage and talk to people in the audience,”  he says. “You’re standing there listening to their stories, finding out what’s going on in their lives. It’s important to have that interaction between the audience and the performer.”

Franti’s connection with his fans underscores his mission of unity. He began by performing new tunes before the album’s release, and with the emergence of new technology, feedback was immediate. “It used to be where artists would only receive letters from fans by snail mail,”  he says. “Then, there was a time where you’d get thousands of emails, and now we’re in an era with social media where you hear from them in an instant. It’s incredible.”  Yet Franti’s goal of bringing people together extends well beyond his fans. “This record is a celebration of diversity and about the differences among people,”  he says. “It’s hard to understand how someone could shut people out rather than accept them.”

–Blake Boldt