Marie Franc Interview
- Feb 10
- 4 min read
Meet Marie Franc, born out of Manchester grit and late night chaos, Marie Franc are dark pop heartbreakers with dirt under their fingernails and poetry in their pockets. Led by Rachel’s haunting, unflinching songwriting, the band sit somewhere between smoky indie melancholy and mythic romanticism, pulling from folk, desire, and emotional unease in equal measure. In this interview, they talk honestly about how the band came together, how their songs take shape, and why vulnerability should always feel a little dangerous. Expect drunken origins, creative fear, dirty laundry on stage, and a glimpse into what lies ahead as Marie Franc step into their next chapter.
How was Marie Franc formed, and what inspired you to come together as a band?
Initially, I (Rachel, lead singer) wrote the EP Birthday during Covid and quickly realised I am in fact NOT a jack of all trades and needed a band to help play the tracks live. Me and Trav (guitar) had a drunken night in our living room and I realised Trav is talented. That was the initial line up, we found Dan on Facebook marketplace and then we picked up Ben & Ben off the side of the street after a drunken punch up
When you start a new song, what usually comes first: the story, the emotion, or the instrumental?
When we start a new song, it’s usually the instruments that come first, most often a guitar riff. From there we build out the arrangement and start shaping the melody. The melody tends to define the emotion, and once that emotional tone lands, the story reveals itself. It’s a bit like musical problem solving.
That said, it’s rarely a strict order, everything feeds into everything. We’ve got a lot of stories to tell, so when the music opens the door, the narrative comes through naturally.
Is there a theme you find yourselves returning to in your lyrics, even unintentionally?
We keep returning to love and desire, the messy, aching parts of it and the fallout: romance, heartbreak, obsession. Sex threads through a lot of it too, but not always in a horny or glossy way… more like a hunger and a haunting. I write about my relationship with spirituality and the natural world, and I’m heavily drawn to folklore, you’ll see some of this in our 2026 records - our current records nod to it but I want to bring back some more of my folk roots in 2026.
Lyrically, I'm inspired a lot by Leonard Cohen and Joanna Newsom, the way they can make something intimate feel mythic, and something tender feel dangerous.
What can your audience look forward to from your show at Strongroom on the 14th of March?
We’ve got a new member Ben, so he’s the second Ben in the band, Ben’s brought a fresh perspective, he’s a seasoned pro, we’ve been writing some new songs, so by March 14th there’ll be a bunch of new music in the set list - some of which we will be releasing in 2026 via our label!
Buy tickets HERE
How has creating music in Manchester shaped your sound, particularly compared to artists based in cities like London?
Our band was born in an ex cotton mill, I don't think you can get more mancunian than that. It’s cold, it’s industrial, it’s loud, you’re surrounded by old brick, concrete, and the sound of other bands working away. Manchester is an industrious city. People get on with it, they make things happen with what they’ve got and there’s a natural grit that comes from that. The songs carry a bit more weight, a bit more dirt under the fingernails. That lineage of honesty and defiance is part of the air here. I don’t love comparing ourselves to artists in other cities. This is just where we’re from and we’re really proud of it.
Can you share a moment from a live show or a fan interaction that really stood out to you?
Our Drummer’s girlfriend Antonia has opened a gym in Manchester, called Her Strength Studios, he was stood getting coffee and someone clocked him in the queue and introduced themselves having been to our gig a few weeks before, that was a cool story.
What is the best piece of advice you have received, or could give, that might help other musicians looking to grow?
Work really hard, work as hard on your admin/outreach as hard as you work on your music, pay for the unsigned guide subscription in the early days, grow your network, be easy to work with and don't go to soundcheck late. People want to work with sound people .
Have you ever written a song that felt emotionally or creatively scary, and why?
If a song has any real emotional intelligence or biographical truth in it, I think it should feel a little scary. There’s a lyric by Father John Misty that sticks with me: “What would it sound like if you were the songwriter… would you undress me repeatedly in public just to show how very noble and naked you can be??”
Writing songs is basically airing your dirty laundry on stage knowing (hoping) people are going to listen. Honestly, all our songs scare me a bit.
If being musicians was not an option, what do you think each of you would have ended up doing instead?
Trav would be on a remote island spreading the word of NU Metal, I’d own my own laundrette, I love clean clothes, Dan would be an accountant he looks after all of the money we don't have, the Bens, I really can’t imagine them doing anything else they're extremely unemployable.
Are there any exciting projects or plans coming up?
We're releasing our next single on Feb 28th, its called Fabric and we’re super excited to share - might already be out when you’re reading this! We’ll have a few more songs out by this time next year, and some very exciting live plans on the way.
By the REAL Editorial Team | 10 Feb, 2026
