Pop punker Frenchie just released a brand new single called "SMR GRLZ" and to celebrate we asked mastermind Justin" Frenchie" Workman to tell us about the track. Here is the story:
"SMR GRLZ" was an interesting one. It was written so strangely and recorded about three different times before I got it right. I lived in San Diego when I wrote the line "I wanna feel your heart beat faster" but I didn't really know what to do with it. I sat on it for like a few years just in the back of my mind. I knew the line was special, but I had no idea where it would be placed, or even the melody exactly. It reminded me of driving on the west coast highway.
Fast forward a couple of years and I had started with this little silly riff on guitar. I just started building it, and it honestly came completely together over the course of a few days. I still have the voice memos from my phone.
It was missing a prechorus, and I just randomly remembered this line from years ago that I never even wrote down. It worked PERFECTLY, and added a weight and emotion that hadn't been as present prior. It honestly changed the whole context of the song to me.
I recorded it originally over a couple days in my home studio at my apartment, and it even had a guest spot by my friend Katelyn Turner. It was really fun but I wasn't nearly as good at recording and stuff as I am now, so i released it, but it wasn't very good. It wasn't radio quality.
I recorded a version in Nashville. The producer kinda dropped the ball and just left it� unfinished. It was really kind of weird. It really bummed me out; as an artist you develop an emotional bond with your work. They become this thing that's not just in your hand. Other people can hear it! It's very strange. It's like watching your child fail in life and you can do nothing about it. It really got me down.
So a couple months later I hit up the intern that was working under that producer. His name is Marshall Bastin, and he is BEAST. He is an amazing engineer. He is really young, and he is so intelligent and well rounded. He really got what I was trying to do.
We worked really hard on it. During the editing process we seriously edited for like 3 weeks, trying different things and making everything PERFECT. That Starbucks probably got so sick of our faces. We drank so much coffee. I remember hearing the rough cut after we wrapped the vocals, I remember crying. Hearing this real thing that I had such huge dreams of finally coming out of speakers was just a huge moment for me.
The opening synth was like a last minute addition. I'm talking I added it AFTER it was sent to mixing. I sent it to Matt (Qualls, mixing engineer) heard it was stoked on it.
It's crazy to reference those voice memos to what it became and it was just so wild!
Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself here and learn more about Frenchie right here!
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