Francheno stakes claim
Dancehall-reggae firebrand Francheno is staking his claim as one of the top dancehall-reggae acts in the island with his savvy lyrics, complex rhymes and powerful vocals.
His latest radio hit, Inna Di Ghetto Mi Born, on the Chiney K Production label, has been getting a lot of airplay on IRIE, ZIP and Hitz FM in recent weeks, winning him a legion of new fans.
“I see life and music on a different angle, I sing about reality, real people, real things. I am on a mission to represent for the ghetto yutes who don’t have a voice. I am trying to reach them through my music, to make them wise up and make better choices with their lives,” Francheno said.
Some of the artiste’s sizzling singles include Life Set A Way, Ghetto Youths Be Strong, Party Time, and My Red Rose have been scorching the airwaves like airstrikes over Beirut.
However, it is his live performances which have made him a legend on the stage-show circuit. He shared the stage with superstar dancehall artiste Sizzla during a recent show dubbed the ‘Maddest N the Baddest in Action’ on February 16th at the Wet n Wild venue in Rock, Trelawny.
He rocked the packed venue with singles such as ‘Life Set a Way’ and ‘Ghetto Youths Be Wise’, showing great command of the stage. Sizzla closed the show with a barrage of his hits, leaving many patrons to say that Sizzla and Francheno were the stars of the night.
“When I go on any show to perform, I humble myself and submit to Jah to take over and I just do the ting, and people show mi crazy love. The key to good music is to encourage and strengthen one’s heart, that’s why mi ah maddest and the baddest, the people dem say me and Sizzla crush it and mi feel good say dem a use my name inna the same sentence as a true dancehall icon,” he said.
He is looking forward to upcoming shows such as Clarendon Music Awards on March 13th, Follow Di Arrow on March 2nd, and the Portland Curry Fest in March.
“The shows dem a come in,” he said.
Francheno’s biggest hit-to-date is the soulful Life Set A Way which addresses the challenging economic times in Jamaica, something Francheno identifies with as he grew up in one of the country’s toughest communities.
He is now promoting a new single, Party Time, and there are plans to shoot a music video for the single in February, and he is planning a series of performances to promote his first album which was released in December last year.