FEATURING FIRST SINGLE “Brighter Day”
Available Everywhere Now – Watch the Official Music Video HERE
Pre-Order/Pre-Save Franti & Spearhead’s 12th Studio Album HERE
Follow Your Heart World Tour Kicks Off May 13 + Brighter Day Livestream
Set for Friday, April 22; Tickets Available at MichaelFranti.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Michael Franti has long been revered for his inspiring music, worldwide philanthropic efforts and the power of optimism. Deemed by NPR as “equal parts musician and activist,” Franti continues to offer opportunities for gratitude, solidarity and celebrating how we get through the greatest ups and downs of our lives with our body, mind and soul still in one piece with his upcoming album Follow Your Heart, set for release June 3 via Thirty Tigers / Cooking Vinyl Australia. Pre-order/pre-save the album HERE.
“One thing I learned these last couple of years is that people need people,” shares Franti. “I wrote many songs about connection, resilience and finding the light, even in the midst of all the crazy. Somewhere in there we find resilience, and I hope Follow Your Heart gives fans the courage to continue looking for and holding onto that perseverance.”
Along with today’s announcement, Franti & Spearhead release “Brighter Day,” an anthemic call to endure life’s hardships, to find resolve and strength in those around you and stick around for brighter days ahead:
Don’t give up when your heart is weary
Don’t give up when your eyes are teary
Don’t give up when your voice is trembling
When your life needs mending
Don’t give up when the hurt is near you
Don’t give up when the world seems to be broken
I’m still hoping with my heart open
For a brighter day
Don’t give up when your pride is bruised
And don’t give up when you fear you’re losing
Don’t give up in your darkest hour
‘Cause you got that power
Don’t give up when you feel divided
Don’t give up, I’ll be by your side
I’m broken
I’m still hoping with my heart open
For a brighter day
And if you stay with me
I will stay with you
For a brighter day
Today’s release follows lead single “Good Day For A Good Day,” which marked the band’s 10th Top 25 AAA hit. Joining “Good Day LA” to chat about and perform the song live in-studio, Franti shared that the song is “speaking 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. Not every day is perfect, but we can retune our minds to find those good days and good moments.”
Following numerous sold out shows and a triumphant return to Red Rocks Amphitheatre last year, Franti & Spearhead are preparing to reunite with Soulrockers across North America this summer with the Follow Your Heart World Tour, kicking off May 13, performing nearly 40 shows with plans to announce additional dates. Tickets are on sale now at MichaelFranti.com, with the option to upgrade to VIP for many of the dates.
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 virtual livestreams. 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. Franti is set to host his Brighter Day Livestream on Friday, April 22 at 9pm ET/6pm PT.
Work Hard And Be Nice, Franti & Spearhead’s 11th studio album, was released in 2020, which included lead single “I Got You,” the band’s first Billboard No. 1 in nearly 10 years, and was also featured on NPR’s mid-year and end-year “Heavy Rotation: Public Radio’s Most Popular Songs of 2020,” sharing, “Michael Franti’s infectious groove is unmistakable. From the opening chords to the percolating rhythm, it’s easy to get caught up in the positivity he exudes.”
Follow Your Heart Track List:
- Follow Your Heart
- Better
- Baby Let Your Soulshine
- Brighter Day
- Life Is Amazing
- No Makeup
- Good Day For A Good Day
- Best At Loving You
- People Need People
- Trying To Keep The Lights On
- Life Reminds Us We’re Alive
About Michael Franti
Michael Franti is a globally recognized musician, humanitarian, activist, 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. 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, 10 Top 25 AAA Singles and three Billboard Top 5 Rock Albums. “I Got You,” lead single from his latest album 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.
Franti has been back in the studio for the band’s 12th studio album Follow Your Heart, set for release on June 3, while current single “Brighter Day” is available everywhere now, while lead single “Good Day For A Good Day” marked their 10th Top 25 AAA hit.
Michael Franti & Spearhead will embark on the Follow You Heart World Tour on May 13, performing across North America through the summer with plans to announce additional dates. Tickets are on sale now at MichaelFranti.com.
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 presented by Gibson on the American Songwriter Podcast Network features creatives from all walks of life, with new episodes available each week.
Deemed 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 virtual 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.
Michael Franti & Spearhead continue to foster their community both on and off stage with a wish granting non-profit, Do It For The Love, founded by Franti and his wife, Sara. 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. Franti also owns SOULSHINE Bali, a 32-room top-rated yoga retreat hotel located in Ubud, Bali.
For more information, visit MichaelFranti.com or follow him on Instagram and Twitter @MichaelFranti and Facebook.com/MichaelFranti.