“I started producing on a cracked version of FL that was on the family computer at the house. It was initially more of a fun side project than anything else.” Tells us Nashville rising pop artist Frank Samuel.

“Eventually I started working at the music studio Lab 32 in Waukegan, Illinois as a manager and engineer cause someone overheard me singing at the deli I worked at lol. That’s why I’m never afraid to sing out loud.”

“You never know who’s listening. From there I was introduced to a lot of the local DIY scene. I decided to try putting together a full length album of myself singing, something I hadn’t done previously. Wasn’t exactly sure how well it would go over.”

Since then his pursuit for music and creativity has never slowed down a single bit.

“I dropped a song called Heaven’s Cabaret, which was left field of everything I’d ever put out. A jazzy piano ballad of sorts. I think it surprised some people. I played a show at a venue called the Mic in Waukegan and debuted the song. I realized that everyone already knew the words. THAT feeling. Since then, I’ve been chasing that feeling.”

Frank just came out with another hot track called ‘I Want To Feel Something’ which according to the man himself “is some combination of punk and synth pop. I wrote the main melody line on a strangely busy morning at the house. 

I remember Zack and Max and Javi all hustling about. There was lots of coffee too. I plugged up an SR-16 drum machine and had the basis for the track rather quickly. Before Javi got back from work I sent him a demo. After he gave it high regards, we decided to finish it.“

Frank is one of the most prominent members of a rising and thriving pop scene in Nashville. The caliber of musicians who challenge a city and a scene notoriously highly immersed in country and americana music is noteworthy, to say the least and Frank is quite aware of it.

“Nashville has some FANTASTIC pop artists. Great house music too. Nashville has a large influx of people moving in and I hope the music continues to embrace these different tastes. I wouldn’t mind if this city lost the country music moniker. I love pissing off a purist.”

Art is therapy for Frank. He reveals to Mundane how for him “it’s a way to process life and express it in a way that can hopefully relate to others. And even if it doesn’t, at least I got to scream it out loud. 

I like to create universes in my head that serve as the backbone for album structures and stuff. Generally though, most of the specifics are just life stories. Perhaps poeticized. Perhaps minimized. I have been blessed with some crazy experiences, for better or worse.

Most of my music stems from this idea of self improvement. You cannot work to make yourself a better person without a raw and uncomfortable understanding of yourself. I’m not always a saint, quite the contrary.

I want to be one though. But it’s important to sing of your ugly self. And your pretty self. My music is just a way of expressing the subtlety of it all. Or that’s what I intend to do anyway.”

His journey is just at the beginning and it’s going to take twists and turns without failing to leave your jaw on the ground.

“I plan to expand into some non-musical arts as well. Poetry. I’m slowly working on a screenplay. Two actually. I’d love to have writer’s credits on a movie. I’m trying to build a VST synth. Harder than it looks. Whatever is interesting at the time. I’m hoping to end this year with the last album of my color trilogy, but we shall see.”

We shall see. Indeed. We’ll keep an eye on Frank and so should you!