Meet Francis Macharia | Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Francis Macharia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Francis, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Growing up, I was good at a lot of things but never really passionate about any of them. As such, I never really knew what I wanted to be. My immigrant parents wanted me to be a doctor, and my teachers wanted me to be everything else. Despite being good at school, I didn’t always have the best circumstances growing up and music was always a place to escape to. I loved how when music was playing in the house, my family got along better and the world seemed a little brighter. When I was alone, music was a friend to me. As I’ve grown, my relationship with music has changed, I create it now as well. It serves as an outlet for me and it seems a lot of times, it’s the only way I can truly express myself. As soon as I started creating music, I knew there was never really any other option.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I like to joke to my friends that I make therapy music. My therapy. I create music to express my unique and sometimes painful experiences. I am a first generation immigrant who grew up poor in a rich area; the son of 2 very Kenyan and very Catholic parents. On the other hand, I grew up a metal loving, cliff jumping, hard headed kid with a big heart. You get the picture.

It wasn’t easy to get where I am now. Over the years I had to overcome my own inhibitions and fears, 2 bouts of homelessness, and much more heartbreak. I didn’t think I would ever make it out of some of the dark places I’ve been. Redefining my relationship with music was one of the things that helped me rise. Creating my own music gave me a passion, and with that came focus, hard work and determination. Along the way I found people to lift me up when I couldn’t go on by myself.

I’ve learned that not everyone that smiles at you is your friend, and that sometimes the best thing you can do is just start and see where you end up. Overthinking things rarely changes outcomes for the better. I want the world to know that I’ve worked hard to get where I am now, and that this is only the beginning.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Truthfully, the first place I would recommend is my home studio for a jam session. They’d more than likely roll their eyes at me, then I’d take them to Ponce City Market or Little 5 points in Atlanta. There are so many shops and eateries that they would need more than a week to experience it all. For dinner, one of my favorite places is Iron Age, a Korean BBQ restaurant where you get to cook the food to your taste. To get one of my favorite drinks, I’d take my friend to the Pao Pao Ramen Factory right next to Iron Age. There you can find the Dirty Taro, a delicious bubble tea like no other. For a more outdoor oriented friend, I would take them to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, and/or Your 3rd Spot, a new restaurant and hang out spot by Chattahoochee Food Works with an outdoor area, bowling, and many more games.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My girlfriend Princess Dikko has been there for me in times when no else was. She’s supported me at my lowest points, and continuously encourages me to reach my goals. I wouldn’t be as far as I am if it was not for her. My best friends Connor Merkle and Mack Harrelson have also helped me in very desperate times. I will always be grateful to all three of these very special people, and many more I can’t mention. I am also grateful to my siblings, my original fans, and my original band mates. Additionally, I would like to thank Antonio Sifuentes for giving me the final push I needed to get into making music professionally, and mentoring me throughout the years.

Website: https://linktr.ee/itsroman14

Instagram: @itsroman14

Twitter: @REALitsroman14

Youtube: @itsroman14

Other: Twitch: @itsroman14

Image Credits
Princess Dikko