Francis and the Lights is the musical project of singer, songwriter, producer, and musician Francis Farewell Starlite. The artist’s unique synth-driven pop-R&B blend has made fans and collaborators of Drake, Kanye West, and Chance the Rapper, among others.
• Francis was born Abe Morre Katz-Milder in Oakland. Heavily influenced by The Beatles, he decided to start a musical project after dropping out of Wesleyan University in Connecticut. • His band members have included childhood friends like Jake Schreier and Aaron Lammer. But “the Lights” isn’t actually a backing group—it refers to stage lights, computer pixels, and anything the artist uses to reach his audience. • Drake was an early fan. In 2010, Francis and the Lights opened for Drizzy on tour and produced “Karaoke” for his album Thank Me Later. • Francis runs the label KTTF, which stands for “Knees to the Floor”—an homage to James Brown. Francis used “Knees to the Floor” as a song title on his 2010 EP It’ll Be Better. • He coproduced three songs for Chance The Rapper's Grammy-winning 2016 mixtape Coloring Book, including “Summer Friends,” which he also sings on. • Kanye West and Bon Iver guest on Francis’ 2016 debut album, Farewell, Starlite! A 2017 remix of the song “May I Have This Dance,” featuring Chance the Rapper, became a major streaming hit. • Kanye West told The New York Times that Starlite is “a true original with an unorthodox style.” Chance has dubbed Francis “the new Prince.”
