Frankie Archer composes and plays with heart and sensitive curiosity. She started out surrounded by Northumbrian folk music, and draws deeply on this in her own fiddle playing, singing and writing, described by Mark Radcliffe as "fascinating and intoxicating". Frankie has travelled, taught, learned and performed in many different places around the world, enriching her style and musical identity.
Over The Border, Frankie's debut single, was accompanied by "a kind of awe", Jon Wilks of Tradfolk wrote, and gained plays on local and national radio including the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Folk Show.
This was followed up by a powerful and original version of Alex Glasgow's Close The Coalhouse Door; bare, stark and demanding attention. Frankie's second single gained a lot of praise and airplay, described as "stunning", thanks to its "darker, more ominous feel" - Rick Stuart, Roots and Fusion. It was also chosen for the BBC Introducing Mixtape and hailed as “extraordinary” by Tom Robinson.
Frankie Archer - Over The Border (official video)
This is a very strong entrance to the folk scene for the "Northumbrian Wunderkind". Tradfolk's Jon Wilks asked "Is it too soon to petition for an album?". It's certain that Frankie has a clear grasp on her identity and sound and fans can expect more to come.
Frankie's unique, fresh sound has pricked up the ears of fans and journalists in the folk world and beyond, earning wonderful reviews from Tradfolk and Fresh on the Net, and being chosen by Fatea for their latest Showcase Session.
As one fan said after hearing Frankie's music on a radio show, "We listened in complete silence from start to finish." That is the effect of Frankie's music, which grabs the attention of the audience with its bare and honest sound and brings them into the song. "Breathtaking" was the word used by Neil March of Trust the Doc, whilst Adrian McNally of the Unthanks says: "Not many manage to sound so modern and traditional at once".
Frankie's take on music respects traditions and brings them into a fresh context through her own perception: "There’s a kind of lifeblood which runs through folk music, which will never dry up. When a tune is learned it’s shared from one human to another, and something is passed on that’s more than just the pattern of notes. It’s like a tiny part of history or a tiny bit of emotion is captured every time a song is passed on. This is what makes traditional music so special, because every tune and song is soaked in meaning and energy from all the mouths and hands that have shared it. This is what I feel and what I aim to preserve when I compose and perform."
As well as her fresh and exciting solo venture, Frankie also plays with Kenyan musician Rapaasa Otieno and with folk-infused prog bandleader Joshua Burnell.
At home Frankie can be found around Newcastle upon Tyne, in sessions or attending gigs for inspiration.
We're currently taking bookings for a select, short run of concerts in Spring 2023, and festival bookings throughout the year.
