Frankie Elliott is an emerging talent from Kāpiti who has just released her first soulful single ‘Rich Man’ on Spotify.
Frankie, 19, from Ōtaki, says the musical styles that inspire her most are soul, rock n roll, and blues.
“My inspirations come from Dad – rock lead singer and bass guitarist, Steve Elliott, Auntie Deidre Elliott – a professional opera singer, Amy Winehouse, Etta James, and Elvis Presley,” says Frankie who has been singing since she was two.
Describing her music ethos, Frankie says it well, “My hopes and dreams as a musician are simple. I think no matter where you come from, who you are or what you have been through music has a way of communicating. It is like a language we can all speak.”
Her music influence comes with her strong rooted love in Jesus and faith. “I aim to influence hope, light, faith, and good ole soul through my music.”
As a songwriter Frankie says she is looking forward to recording more tracks for an EP. Rich Man was produced with Jacob Callwood (Shehatesjacob) in his Wellington Studio. Jacob is also a Kāpiti Coaster from Te Horo Beach.
It wasn’t until after high school at Kāpiti College that Frankie started writing songs and singing again, creating Rich Man and her as yet unreleased numbers, Souls Wonder, and Angels Pain. She hopes the three of them will form her first EP release.
Frankie says growing up in a family where singing around the piano replaced TV time, she soon taught herself to play acoustic guitar and then began learning her instrument of choice, alto saxophone under Wellington teacher Andre Paris.
She joined a school band at age 10 doing backup vocals. By 11 she had lined up on guitar. At 12 her band competed in Bandquest and with Frankie on saxophone they came second. In her final year of primary school, playing saxophone, her band came first in the Regional Rockquest competition playing Kiwi classic ‘How Bizarre’.
At Kāpiti College under the musicianship of Dr Gioia Brunoro at the newly opened Te Raukura ki Kāpiti Performing Arts Centre Frankie performed tunes such as ‘Someone Like you’ by Adele, Ariana Grande and Bruno Mars numbers on saxophone in her solo performance music exam credits. She says after-school time was busy with amazing teachers Sherelyn Harris and Shaan Singh fromDrax Project.
Frankie won her first Te Horo school talent quest covering Lorde’s ‘Royal’ as a wee seven year old in a tutu and soon after had her first public performance, singing a medley of pop covers.
She credits the musicality at Te Horo school, saying, “It was a solid supportive learning ground and I love continuing to collaborate with my childhood band mates as we grow in our professional music careers. We are each other’s biggest fans. School mate, Jacob Callwood created all the amazing studio work on my songs.”
Rich Man can be found on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/7ahMdzlSqrrBSdTJValL7c