Deemed by NPR as “equal parts musician and activist,” Michael Franti is a globally recognized artist, humanitarian and award-winning filmmaker revered for his high-energy live shows, inspiring music, devotion to health and wellness, worldwide philanthropic efforts and the power of optimism. Franti & Spearhead’s latest single “Good Day For A Good Day” is available everywhere now, with plans to release a full, 12th studio album in the Summer of 2022.
“‘Good Day For A Good Day’ speaks to the fact that sometimes we have to retune our minds to feel like we can have a good day, because we’re not always going to get one,” shares Franti. “Not every day is perfect, but we can retune our minds to find those good days and good moments.”
With additional new music on the horizon, Franti notes, “One thing I learned during these last 18 months is that people need people. I wrote many songs, including ‘Good Day For A Good Day’ about connection, resilience and finding the light even in the midst of all the crazy. It’s possible to find ease of heart. Somewhere in there we find resilience and sometimes in between all the disastrously rough days we get a really good one.”
Franti & Spearhead recently closed out the 2021 leg of their Good Day For A Good Day World Tour following a run of 20 dates throughout the U.S. featuring multiple sold-out shows and the band’s momentous return to Red Rocks earlier this summer.
In addition to the band’s traditional touring, Franti & Spearhead headlined their own cruise in a new partnership with Sixthman, Soulshine at Sea, Nov. 3-7, 2021. After supporting over ten cruises in his career, Franti embarked on his first-ever hosted cruise which not only had an incredible and diverse musical lineup including Fitz and The Tantrums, Allen Stone, Niko Moon and more, but featured a heavy focus on health and wellness, too. Soulshine At Sea is returns for Year 2, Nov. 4-8, 2023 setting sail from Miami to Costa Maya, Mexico!
Although written prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the band’s latest album Work Hard And Be Nice connects with listeners as it offers solidarity, opportunities for gratitude, observing and celebrating how we get through the greatest ups and downs of our lives with our body, mind and soul still in one piece.
“Every song on the album is about the power of optimism to get us through our darkest moments and find the light in our loves, lives and for the planet,” the California-native explains. “I collaborated with so many different incredible songwriters and it was amazing to hear how all of them understood completely the idea of how important it is for people to have ease of heart in these troubled times. The need for emotions to be able to pass effortlessly as they arise. Music helps with that, and sometimes it brings out feelings we never even knew existed. As I set out making the record, I hoped that it would move people’s hearts and bodies and inspire people to take on the great challenges the world faces today, with courage, love and bold optimism!”
Throughout his multi-decade career, Franti has earned three Billboard No. 1’s with triumphantly hopeful hits “Sound of Sunshine,” “Say Hey (I Love You)” and “I Got You,” as well as six Top 30 Hot AC singles, nine Top 25 AAA Singles and three Billboard Top 5 Rock Albums.
“I Got You,” the lead single from Work Hard And Be Nice, marked Franti’s first No. 1 in nearly
10 years and landed on NPR’s “Most Popular Songs of 2020,” while the music video boasts over 1 million views since its release. “It’s about how we support those around us, dream beyond our four walls, and grow deeper in connection to those we love (despite physical distancing), no matter what we face or how hard it seems in the moment,” shares Franti.
Praised as a “groundbreaking musician” by Entrepreneur, Franti launched a virtual event revolution in June 2020 with his Stay At Home Concert World Tour, a creation prompted by his first summer in 33 years in which he wasn’t on the road due to the global pandemic, performing for over 50,000 fans worldwide with seven uniquely themed ticketed livestreams. In order to better connect with his Soulrocker community, Franti developed a dual-screen model, allowing fans to join a “Backstage Zoom Party Room” and interact directly with one another.
“It’s been amazing to see how our community has come together during this time when most of us are required to be physically distant,” expresses Franti. “These shows have proven that just because we are physically distant doesn’t mean that we have to be socially, spiritually or musically distant.”
In January 2019, Franti released his self-directed documentary “Stay Human,” which won an array of awards at film festivals worldwide and influenced his writing for his album Stay Human Vol. II (Thirty Tigers), which debuted at No. 1 on both the Americana and Independent Album charts and received critical acclaim from USA Today, Billboard, Associated Press and Paste. Influenced by the film, Franti’s Stay Human podcast was initially launched in May of 2020, receiving a sponsorship from Gibson, and featuring creatives from all walks of life, including guests such as Niko Moon, Matthew Ramsey (Old Dominion), Dr. Oz and Ziggy Marley, garnering over 215,000 downloads.
Michael Franti & Spearhead continue to foster their community with a wish granting non-profit,
Do It For The Love, founded by Franti and his wife, Sara, featured in Variety’s 2020
Philanthropy issue. Do It For The Love brings those with life threatening illnesses, veterans, and children with severe challenges to concerts worldwide, fulfilling over 3,300 wishes and touching the lives of over 12,000 people to date.
Taking time in 2020 to further reflect, Franti continues to pen op-eds for SPIN, notably with the musician sharing his insight on the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement.
Franti also owns SOULSHINE Bali, a 32-room top-rated hotel located in Ubud, Bali, and has used this time off the road to focus on opening Phase 2 of the hotel, which includes 16 additional rooms, a new yoga studio, restaurant and pool adjacent to the property’s serene rice terraces.
