Michael Franti & Spearhead Find Healing With 'Hands Up To The Sky'

09-24-2023

(EBM) On the heels of the announcement of their 13th studio album Big Big Love due November 3, Michael Franti & Spearhead release "Hands Up To The Sky," written by Franti, Greg Hvnsen and Daniel Lubwama Kigozi.

"This is such a special song for me," shares Franti. "The whole world experienced a lot of loss the past few years, time apart from loved ones, worry, stress; and I lost my father to COVID. It's a song of release, letting go of emotions that I've perhaps held on to for too long, and it's a song about finding ease of joy and the triumph of the joy that follows when we come out the other side.

"Writing it was an important part of my healing journey and putting together the video was cathartic - it gave me an opportunity to not only mourn some of the losses we've encountered over the last few years, but to be inspired by the connections we make and all of the beautiful parts of this world."

With the announcement of the album, Franti & Spearhead released "Vibe Check (My Kinda Party)," a fan-favorite anthem from this summer's live shows, as evidenced by Franti polling Soulrockers on social media, along with "Out In The Sun," originally written in 2022 as the perfect soundtrack for San Diego Tourism.

This summer, Franti & Spearhead embarked on the Big Big Love Tour with a 60+ date trek featuring 20+ sold out shows and iconic stops at Red Rocks Amphitheater, Summerstage in Central Park and the Greek Theatre. Spearhead is rounding out the fall with festival plays at Oceans Calling and Farm-to-Fork Festival, among headlining dates benefitting The VT Flood Response & Recovery Fund with The Vermont Community Foundation on Oct. 4 and Notes4Hope on Oct. 6. For a full list of dates and to purchase tickets, visit MichaelFranti.com.

Following the release of Big Big Love, Franti's Soulshine at Sea Cruise will set sail Nov. 4-8 from Miami, Florida to Costa Maya, Mexico with a lineup featuring John Butler of John Butler Trio, SOJA, Tank & The Bangas, Hirie, Fortunate Youth, Tropidelic, Southern Avenue, The New Respects, Bombargo, Navio and Shut Up & Dance. Soulshine at Sea includes unique curated activities with Franti and his wife Sara as well as soul-renewing wellness opportunities with instructors including Gina Caputo, QVLN & Sunshine Zerda, Jillian Keaveny, Kate Mak, Daphne Tse, Cappy Franti and DJ Shoshi.

With Franti's second voyage with Sixthman, in an effort to offset their carbon footprint, they have partnered with Environmental Bamboo Foundation, an Indonesian non-profit organization that promotes bamboo as a sustainable alternative to timber. Money raised throughout the voyage will go towards the foundation's work to help reduce deforestation while encouraging biodiversity.

Big Big Love track list:
Meet Me When The Sun Goes Down (Michael Franti & Dav Julca)
Good Life (Michael Franti, Greg Hvnsen & Daniel Lubwama Kigozi)
Big Big Love (Michael Franti, Philip Larue & Jared Hampton)
Hands Up To The Sky (Michael Franti, Greg Hvnsen & Daniel Lubwama Kigozi)
Vibe Check (My Kinda Party) (Michael Franti, Greg Hvnsen & Daniel Lubwama Kigozi)
Nobody Like You (Michael Franti & Greg Hvnsen)
When It Ain't Perfect (Michael Franti & Dav Julca)
Anyone Can See (Michael Franti)
Lost But Not Alone (Michael Franti)
All I Need Is You And Me ((Michael Franti & Greg Hvnsen)
Happy Is The New Sexy (Michael Franti & Daniel Lubwama Kigozi)
Visa Visa Visa (Michael Franti)
All Night Long Forever (Michael Franti & Greg Hvnsen)
Thinking About You (Michael Franti & Daniel Lubwama Kigozi)
Out In The Sun (Michael Franti, John Gomez & Stephen Gomez)
The System (Michael Franti)
*Calling My Name (Michael Franti & Chris Stevens)
*Digital bonus track

Upcoming Shows

Sept. 23 Farm-To-Fork Festival Sacramento, CA
Sept. 29 Oceans Calling Festival Ocean City, MD
Sept. 30 Point of the Bluff Vineyards Hammondsport, NY
Oct. 4 Spruce Peak Village Green* Stowe, VT
Oct. 6 The Bruns Amphitheater* Orinda, CA

*VIP available