Music makes me feel everything – Frankie Archer
For Frankie Archer, music is more than just notes on a page. It’s a source of connection and joy. As an electrofolk musician and Artist in Residence at The Glasshouse, Frankie’s journey highlights the power of music to inspire, empower, and create a sense of belonging. Her story reminds us why the “Music Makes Me Feel” campaign is so important.
Discovering folk – where it all began
Frankie’s love for music started early, with a pitch perception test at her primary school. She chose the violin and began classical training, but it wasn’t long before her family discovered The Glasshouse, which had a community of folk lovers. For young Frankie, joining Folkestra, the youth folk band, and attending the Folkworks Summer Schools opened a whole new world.
“It gave me somewhere to belong,” Frankie reflects, recalling how the folk community became her “other family.” At summer school, she was surrounded by young people from all over, connecting through the universal language of folk music. She found it freeing to move beyond the “dots on the page” and experience music that felt vibrant, close and deeply connected to people. “I did feel like I found my fellow trad music weirdos,” she laughs.
This welcoming community had a big impact on Frankie’s confidence. When one of her early compositions was arranged and performed by her peers, she remembers feeling a real boost of confidence. And performing at the Royal Albert Hall in the Folk Proms? That, she says, showed her that folk music and her identity as a musician belonged on any stage.
Music as a place of belonging
Growing up, music became a constant source of joy and confidence for Frankie. “Maybe sometimes I didn’t feel 100% like school was a place for me,” she says, “but I knew I had my music family.” Busking around cities like Newcastle and York from the age of 14 also taught her build resilience and gave her an immediate way to connect with people. “It was good to be able to share some joy, just playing fiddle – and get some money from it!”
Reflecting on how music made her feel then, she shares, “It was about the excitement of learning fast tunes and playing with other people. You can actually feel your brain working out when you’re learning tunes by ear.” Today, as a solo artist, Frankie has moved beyond her comfort zone of fast-paced fiddle tunes to explore music technology through her work.
Frankie is a strong advocate for music education, especially the hands-on, ear-based approach of folk music. “Learning by ear gets you right to the tune. It’s essential for young people to have access to that.” She encourages young musicians to embrace their own journeys, even if they don’t plan to become professionals: “You don’t need to do it all perfectly or all at once. Take your time and enjoy it.”
“Music Makes Me Feel… Everything.”
When asked to finish the sentence “Music makes me feel…,” Frankie replies, “everything.” Whether joy, nostalgia, or reflection, her music is a way to explore every corner of the human experience. Through her performances, she aims to create a sense of unity, inviting audiences not just to listen but to become part of the sound itself. “I’d like them to hear something new and feel like they’ve experienced something they haven’t before,” she says.
As an Artist in Residence at The Glasshouse, Frankie is now experimenting with new forms of audience interaction. Using tech to integrate audience voices and touch-activated sound, she is creating immersive experiences where everyone can contribute to the music. “It brings out the human in everyone,” she explains. “When people participate, they’re not just consuming the music – they’re part of it.”
Amid a busy tour schedule and the recent release of her latest EP, Frankie continues to experiment and push her music in fresh directions through this residency.
This residency is a homecoming of sorts, bringing Frankie back to the same place where she began as a young folk musician. She’s excited to use the space and time to push her music in fresh directions. “It’s a rare thing to be given space to just create,” she says. “If you’d told me years ago I’d be doing this, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
Through her story, Frankie Archer embodies the spirit of the “Music Makes Me Feel” campaign, showing how music offers joy, confidence, and connection that lasts a lifetime. She’s grateful for the communities that welcomed her as a young musician and hopes her own work will inspire young people to find their path in music.
And whether through the lively joy of a fiddle tune or the unexpected magic of audience-created soundscapes, Frankie reminds us of the amazing ways music makes us feel.
