James Francis King
Singer/Songwriter (musician)
“IT'S NEVER GOING TO MAKE ME RICH, BUT AS LONG AS IT MAKES ME HAPPY…”
James, where are you in life right now? What's going on?
Honestly, just kind of going with the flow right now. Professionally, not all that much is going on. I'm a little stuck in my ways, I think. Might have to shake things up.
What can we expect from you in the near future?
In the near future? Probably just some more Instagram Reels. I've been struggling with a massive writer's block and the short format helps to keep it interesting. Keeps me on my toes. I have a whole lot of unfinished material but the drive has just kind of disappeared, to be honest with you. Like I said, I have to shake things up, get myself going again.
On your instagram you've added "I make music sometimes" on your bio? What does music mean to you?
Music is everything to me. The bio is a bit tongue-in-cheek and at the same time a very real reflection of how I talk about myself. I still don't feel very comfortable calling myself a rapper or an artist because I feel like I haven't earned that title yet, somehow. And yet, it also always felt like music was the only thing I was actually good at. Like I'm just cheating my way through everything else I do and getting by on sheer luck, whereas with music, I've always kind of felt like I knew what I was doing. Looking back, there were a number of years where I obviously had no clue but you know, you get older and wiser, I suppose.
Does art/music help you in other areas of your life?
For a long time, music was really my only outlet. I've written some dark stuff over the years. Nowadays, I'm in a better place mentally and I have a great support system around me, so while it can still sometimes help to get some negative emotions out, it's not the only thing I can fall back on anymore.
I suppose making music makes you listen to music differently. Sometimes I'll be vibing to a song, only to stop myself and start analyzing why exactly I was vibing. Is it the flow? The melody? Something in the production?
I'm also a videographer, which means I often listen to a bunch of tracks to try and find the right one for a specific video. Which song translates the vibe of whatever I was shooting? How can I use certain elements of a track to enhance the edit? I've also shot music videos, where you're really just trying to capture the atmosphere of the song through whatever means necessary.
So does art help me in my life? I don't think I could live without it. Art is what makes life worthwhile. A world without art is a world that has lost its humanity. I could go off on a rant here but I'll uh... I'll spare you.
If you could tell younger James something, what would it be?
At first I thought "nothing, maybe I'd give the little shit some fashion advice but that's it" but on second thought... I lost my mother last year. So if I could tell my younger self anything, it'd be to hug her more. Make sure she knows exactly how much you love her. I am extremely appreciative of everyone around me, but I don't show it often enough. So I mean, I suppose this doesn't only apply to the younger me.
What strengths do you have that you believe make you a great musician?
Oh man, I don't know. I'm honest. Apart from technical skills, I think that's my main thing. James is kind of a caricature of myself, I guess, but even so, I don't exaggerate anything to the point where it's no longer believable. Everything comes from a very real place. Even when I come across cocky, for example, that's years of building up confidence and finding my voice and my self-esteem.
Describe your ultimate goal (as James Francis King) for us!
The ultimate goal was always to live off of my music. I suppose it kind of still is, but I've become more realistic in my expectations. I just like making music, man. I like performing. It's never going to make me rich, but as long as it makes me happy... What else is there really to wish for?
