Grammy-nominated Frances England’s new album features Hung Kei Shiu’s art
Frances England, Bay Area transplant and prolific indie musician, has a strong connection to Creativity Explored as a volunteer, licensee, and now guest performer. In 2019, England found CE after searching for a creative opportunity to inspire her own art (music). Since then, she has been volunteering with CE and supporting artists with developmental disabilities in many different ways.
Last year, England branched out from her usual children-and-family genre to create an entirely new identity for her music called Oscilla. With her new music, England also needed new album artwork. Although she typically designs her own album artwork, this time around England knew she needed something artistically abstract that mimics the feel of her new music - dream-like, light-hearted, imperfect, and full of love. She decided to license original work from CE artist Hung Kei Shiu which gives her music a fitting visual identity.
Hung Kei Shiu, “Untitled”, on the cover of Oscilla’s single “This Kind of Love” from her upcoming album “Everlasting”
The artwork was chosen to specifically represent Oscilla’s song, “This Kind of Love” which tells the autobiographical story of England and her husband driving across the country from Georgia to San Francisco to (unknowingly) start a new life on the West Coast.
We were able to interview England at the newly established Variety Hour, a weekly Zoom session dedicated to any and everything CE artists request to see or do. On February 9, 2021, England gave a beautiful virtual performance of four brand new songs featured in Oscilla, including “This Kind of Love.” Many artists commented on her beautiful, calming voice and her catchy but peaceful melodies.
Screenshot from Frances England’s Zoom performance at CE’s Variety Hour, February 9, 2021
Q&A
CE artists and staff shared some questions for England as Variety Hour came to a close:
Kathy Wen:
Do you write songs a lot? I wish I could sing.
Frances England:
I try to, yes! One of the things I love about CE is it isn’t always about inspiration. It’s about repetition and to just keep doing it and doing it. That’s what I try to do with music.
Joseph “JD” Green:
The song you sang called “A Friend in Me” is good - way better than the Toy Story one.
Frances England:
*laughs* Thank you! Thanks so much, JD.
Michael Napper:
Can you talk about the comparison between creating a song and creating visual art?
Frances England:
That’s actually one of the reasons I wanted to volunteer for CE. I wanted an arts-based experience, but something not directly related to music. I wanted to be inspired. I’ve been super inspired at CE by how people just move between mediums. It’s the same with music. I get stuck sometimes, but it’s helpful to switch it up. Moving around different instruments and styles really helps, and I see that at CE every day.
Michael Napper:
Do you think that this Covid/quarantine-era is helping your art or is the lack of community effecting you?
Frances England:
It’s a rollercoaster. Some days I’m very happy with the solitude, and sometimes I feel so sad not to see people.
Leeza Doreian:
Does writing songs and making music change how you experience life, how you see the world around you?
Frances England:
Yeah, definitely. One of the things I love about music, my favorite part is when you get the first thread of an idea. You get excited about it, and you think about where it could go. Being able to create my own bubble, with just me, is great. I feel really lucky I can create that for myself.
Joseph “JD” Green:
Do you get inspired by other musical artists similar to your music style?
Frances England:
Yeah, definitely. Some examples are Waxahatchee’s ‘St. Cloud’ album, Big Thief, Elliott Smith, and I like indie-folk artists as well. Sufjan Stevens is one of my favorites.
In concluding the hour, one artist who she built a relationship with while volunteering with CE piped up to encourage England once again. John Iwaszewics said, “I told her to keep playing music, and obviously she listened! Great job, Frances.”