THE PERMANENT RAIN PRESS INTERVIEW WITH CONNOR FRANTA
“I think people in this generation are the most aware of the uniqueness of humanity than they have ever been before. It’s very important that we continue to preach equality amongst everything besides just sexual orientation, religion, race, gender equality... and I thoroughly believe that this generation is and will change that into a very equal future for everybody.”
A strong statement from a passionate young artist—one who himself, inspires a flourishing generation of creators, dreamers and advocates. Connor Franta is no stranger to the Internet and its powers. Following his first YouTube video upload in 2010, his channel has amassed over 5.5 million subscribers. Labelled the “Next Millennial Mogul” by People Magazine in 2015, Franta’s debut novel, A Work in Progress, was a New York Times bestseller. Late April marked the release of his sophomore book, Note to Self. A more vulnerable, inner piece of dialogue in comparison to its predecessor, Franta writes about his experiences with clinical depression, anxiety, and acceptance.
“I find myself over an interesting point in my life writing down my thoughts, experiences, and my quite literal, words of wisdom to myself for cathartic purposes. 6 months after I began, I realized I had such a large collection of these different things. I felt like I could put it into a book, and hopefully it would relate to other people in some sort of small way,” he says of its contents. Writing from the heart, Franta is candid in each little “note to [himself]” and involved in all aspects of Note to Self’s composition–including its stunning visuals.
A newer aspect to his writing, and dispersed throughout the book, is short-form poetry. Described as one of his favourite parts of the writing process, sharing the poetry with others was new territory. He uploaded a spoken word reciting of poem “frames” on YouTube, not knowing how it would be received. “Poetry always makes me dive deeper into topics that seem so simple. It was the first real poetic video I uploaded and it’s all about the words. It was very vulnerable and quite difficult for me to upload, but I think that’s always a good thing–to push yourself and feel uncomfortable.” Listing “perspective” and “depth” as 2 words that illustrate what poetry means to him, Franta plans to continue developing his passion for the art form, whether it’s shared in text or video form.
As I speak with Franta on the phone, he is in Houston, Texas for a book signing. Shortly after the bookstore run, he will be heading on an 18-date North American tour in support of the new novel. It begins in Vancouver, and will mark his first appearance in Vancouver since his visit in 2014 with YouTube group Our2ndLife. “I always say that the Pacific Northwest... I feel incredibly comfortable in and I feel like at one point in my life, I will live somewhere up there, whether it’s Portland, Seattle, or even Vancouver. Every time I go to any of those places I’d always felt that utter peace. I don’t know if it has something to do with the nature, but I just look forward to existing in Vancouver once again,” he says of his return trip to the Canadian city.
Aspiring to give his audience less of the traditional, archaic tour experience, the Note to Self Tour is noted as being “a sensory installation of visuals and voice.” “I thought my book was so visual and since I’m trying to place [readers] in my footsteps as I’m going through my journey, we created a moving art installation that essentially puts you in the book,” he explains. A walk through the 3 rooms will greet guests with moments captured from the pages. Each event will conclude with an interactive dialogue session with Franta. “It’s going to be pretty relaxed, there will be Q&As, me speaking and giving a TED Talk-esque speech, and interaction with the audience. There will be ups, downs, it will be happy, sad... all the things.”
Emotions have been a constant driver for Franta, who is vocal about being both a member, and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. Speaking about the expansiveness of the online community and its global reach, he is quick to point out that people are interconnected now more than ever. “Millennials... such a buzzword,” he quips. “This generation is very accepting of all differences, seeing others as equal purely because of the exposure of awareness.” Having active participation in this discussion is crucial. “I think it’s an essential part of life, of growing up, and of being a human, which is interacting with all types of humanity.”
It’s a spirited outlook taken into all aspects of Franta’s life, including his lifestyle brand, Common Culture. Originating as a premium coffee line in 2015, the brand has thrived, now offering trendsetting apparel and music compilations. He looks forward to continued development in each of its 3 avenues, singling out fashion as a primary goal. “Common Culture clothing has definitely been the part that I’m the most passionate about, and I think the audience is the most passionate about as well,” he shares. “I see expanding that [lane] as far into the future as possible.” On the music front, the popularity of the music series propelled the creation of Heard Well, a label that partners with social tastemakers to release compilation albums, elevating both the artist and influencer’s voices in the process. Founded with Andrew Graham and Jeremy Wineberg, the label is currently working with close to one dozen YouTubers. “We’re looking into working in different formats of the music industry, hopefully actually signing an artist and doing some distribution as well,” he says of their future plans. This past week, Heard Well Radio launched on TuneIn, allowing listeners to stream its curated content 24/7.
As for artists who Franta is looking forward to hearing more from, he names Oh Wonder and Betty Who as 2 acts on his radar. “Oh Wonder has a new album coming out in June, so I’m really excited for that. They put out one in the past and I enjoyed every single song on it, and I’m always looking forward to what Betty Who is doing.”
We talk briefly about his rise to fame, put into perspective in a March encounter that saw Franta seated at a table next to Beyoncé, Jay Z and daughter Blue Ivy during brunch. “It was great for many reasons, but I did feel bad for her. They were being watched every second... people were taking photos of them like they were animals at a zoo. It just felt very strange,” he says. A dehumanization aspect of celebrity status, he agrees upon. “I definitely struggled with [fame] by no means even one one-millionth of what Beyoncé does, but I think it just roots back to my childhood. I grew up in a small town in Minnesota where I never wanted the spotlight or attention, I was always by myself.” Doing YouTube and being in the entertainment industry for nearly 6 years has been a learning curve, but has taught Franta how to cope with the notoriety – including how to avoid it if need be.
“To be honest, there are so many more upsides than downsides. I get to communicate with others on a daily basis, and be a voice of a generation [where] a voice is so important to have.” Knowing when to unwind helps keep him grounded. “Like every person, the way I unwind is just by unplugging from anything that feels stressful, anything work-related. Typically there is a lot going on on my phone, so I unplug and go hang out with my friends, even if it’s just sitting in their living room doing nothing. That’s where I find my joy, laughing with my friends or being with my family in any capacity.”
As we close with our signature question, Franta is playful in his response describing himself as an ice cream flavour. “Oh god, this is such a ‘me’ answer,” he laughs. “I’m going to say espresso chocolate chip because there’s a little extra-ness to me, and I’m also very energized and happy.”
Visit http://www.connorfrantabooks.com/ for information on where to purchase Note To Self, full tour dates, and how to keep updated with all things Connor Franta.
