Music
Press
First Day Back a feeling of of music that was more so missed for a while… A passion for the game that seemed to come out absent for so long, the fun with the music, the love for the game, the respect for the craft, the joy of the production, real music, hip hop, etc. This project embodies all of that, from the vibe, soul, feel, to the artistry. This is the first day back. - Joey Franchize (HOT 93.7)
It was an electric atmosphere inside the Garde Arts Center Friday night, when more than 1,400 people packed the place to celebrate some of the city's talented young people.
It wasn't just the polished stage performances or the enthusiastic audience that made the first annual New London Youth Talent Show so remarkable, but a combination of the talent, the adoring crowd and an intangible understanding among all those assembled that despite some dark times, there is a lot of positive energy in the city.
The talent show was the brainchild of Frank Colmenares, a 21-year-old New London High School graduate who suggested showcasing what is good about city kids following the homicide of Matthew Chew last October, allegedly attacked without provocation by six city teenagers.
"Society stereotypes New London's teens as troublemakers, gang members, drug dealers and worse, but if anyone stopped to look closely at the situation I think they would see a very different picture," Mr. Colmenares wrote in The Day last December. "From where I sit New London's teens are our future doctors, lawyers, generals, and, yes, professional athletes and music icons. Instead of people spending all their time and energy on showing them that they are wrong, why not spend that time and energy showing them how to be right?" - The Day (Connecticut)
"The youngest winner, Frank Colmenares, only 22, was described as a New London musician who came up the hard way. Long an advocate of the city’s youth, Colmenares is best known for arranging a Youth Talent Show at the Garde Arts Center in response to the stabbing death of resident Matthew Chew". - The Day Paper - - The Day (Connecticut)
Discography
First Day Back - NOV 2012
No Era Any Era - MAR 2013
Photos
Bio
When Franc Grams takes the stage, you would think he was seasoned industry veteran. He oozes confidence and appears to be more comfortable in front of the flashing lights than most people are in their own homes. But pressure is nothing new to the twenty year old hailing from the Boulder Dr housing projects in New London, CT.
Determined to make his name synonymous with success, Connecticut bred artist Grams is about to embark on yet another journey with his debut single, “I have arrived,” which happens to also be the name of his newest mix tape.
Grams is riding high on the local acclaim that his first two mix tapes garnered (For Your Eyes Only & Voted Most Likely to Succeed), which featured popular records such as “What’s Your Name”, “Do the Damn Thing”, and “You’re the One.” Those records generated significant spins on local stations Jammin 107.7 FM and Hot93.7 FM. Grams also boasts staggering plays on his MySpace page (www.myspace.com/itisgramz), in addition to his followers on Facebook (www.facebook.com/francgrams) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/francgrams).
These days Grams has learned to loath the term local. “I feel like I owe myself an opportunity to bring my sound to the whole world, not just New London”. Grams set his sights on the national stage after catching the attention of famed Miami music powerhouse Slip n Slide Records. Grams even enlisted Slip N Slide DJ Correlation to help break his first smash single “Get like me”.
When asked if his baby face and trademark smile will hurt or help him, Grams had this to say, “Girls buy albums too, so I figure it can’t hurt“. Not too many artists today are capable of making sultry records like “Phone Tag” without losing credibility from more lyrical street fueled tracks like “I Have Arrived,” which growing into a certified street anthem especially with the success of the video is having on YouTube.”
It is his ability to transition smoothly from one style to the other, that sets Grams apart and above from most of the newer artists in the industry today. “Hard work is like a second language to me,” he says when asked how he has built a diverse catalogue that boasts close to 200 recordings. “I grind,” He states enthusiastically, “You don’t grind, you don’t shine”. “Grams wasn’t a word I stumbled across while in search of a stage name,” states Mr. Colmenares.
Grams was raised by his mother in the Boulder Dr Housing of New London. It was there that he saw everything the outside world had to offer, from the glamour and glitz of the drug trade and all of its “allure.” He watched as his brother began to slip further into its clinches ultimately landing his older brother James (Hood) Bowers, in Corrigan Correctional Facility. However, not easily deterred by obstacles, Grams vowed to his mother and his incarcerated brother that he would one day afford them a better life.
There is a lot of meaning behind his moniker. “The word grams is symbolic of the hustle, it just happens my hustle isn’t a street corner, but my hustle is music. I’m still selling Grams.”
Grams likes to tell everybody to “Go for yours, statistics are unreal, I am currently living my dream because I put forth the time and effort to make it happen, not because the numbers worked out in my favor. Holding true to your dreams is almost as hard as achieving them.”
To date Franc can boast being young, talented, and motivated. Honestly what can you expect from Connecticut’s winner of the Top 40 Under 40 Award. Franc now accompanied by a management and PR team is scheduled to release his debut single in a March of 2013. Tune in, Fran Grams is definitely taking his local success and his headed for mainstream.
Franc Grams is currently signed to the indie label Don Diego Entertainment, LLC.
Links
