‘Back Yourself' and art film 'Goddess' collaboration
(released on IWD March 8th 2021)
‘Back Yourself’ is a track I recorded back in November 2019. It is a clarion call to all women to believe in yourselves no matter fucking what, EVERY DAY not just International Women’s Day. 4 years ago I started a female empowerment movement The Woken Women and this record is an anthemic tribute to that community. 2017 was the beginning of a 3 year soul initiation, trauma excavation and a radical reclamation of my inner power. I was the Queen of low self esteem yet in me was a dream for my creativity to be seen and an ache for my expression to be set free. That dream seed called in the souls of other women and through the WW community I would meet the director of this incredible film ‘Goddess’ by Carolina Aguirre first released in 2018 which I acted in.
Despite the song and film being made nearly 2 years apart, I realised the lyrics fit the visual perfectly. As if by magic, like a glove, the song is exactly the same length as the film. It’s like they were meant to be. I am so grateful to Carolina for giving me the permission to use her incredible work and collaboratively re-edit the film for the song- a super enjoyable process back in early March 2020. I've included the Back Story to how I wrote the track and in the description in the vimeo link. It's worth a read if you want to know how the track came to be! Carolina's exquisite and empowering vision for the film is also in there in her own words.
Music/Lyrics/All Vocals by Francesca Filippa of Hunter And Her
Drums/Engineering Production by Raphael Mann
Mastered by Ed Deegan at Gizzard Recording Film directed by Carolina Aguirre
The Cocoon
Hunter And Her
The release of The Cocoon marks the rebirth of Hunter And Her, my come-back-from-the-dead-track if you will after a 7 year hiatus. I’m so bloody proud of this record. It literally has been a transformative reckoning on all levels to make this one song. It’s taken 5 years to write and an intense process of overcoming so much self-sabotage shite to bring it to the light.
I never expected this to be the record I put out first after beginning to write songs again three years ago. Something clicked in the first lockdown that the image of a cocoon (one of my favourite words) would be the perfect symbology to bring all of the strands of my artistry as a musician and creative/spiritual arts community facilitator together. Then, on a 2020 summer road trip with my best pal and support bubble Steve, I remembered my old song ‘The Cocoon’ that I began penning in 2015, finished writing in the summer of 2017, yet just couldn’t quite figure out bits of the harmony or arrangement to fully realise it. Until now. All of the dots connected in my heart. What began as a song to a lover has become a humanitarian love song for all. I couldn’t have done this without my incredible production team and the love and passion they have nurtured me and this song with whilst working from our solo bedroom studios in a pandemic. A challenging task but we made it through the birth canal! My wee baby has blossomed into a butterfly with the resurrection of my music and now the anthem to the Hunter And Her online creative community platform; a safe nurturing cave called The Cocoon.
This song is a part of my heart and so vulnerable to bare. I’m charging £36.00 for it as that is how many years I’ve breathed on this earth and if there is one thing I do before I turn 86 is to change how music is valued. To do that I have to value myself.
Like a child, this song will come more alive when it is given love, nurtured and engaged with and therefore so will I. You aren’t just paying for a product, you are supporting a human’s sustainable creative process and the music industry’s survival and long term success. I lovingly ask you to help me rewrite the struggling artist story so musicians begin to win. It is a burning ache in my heart that we the people must work to come together to put this unfair shameful streaming system in the bin. Musicians are not an algorithm. We are heart beats making a soulful rhythm.
Let us change the patriarchal paradigm. If this track touches your heart. I humbly and full-heartedly ask you, my beloved community, to support me and others like me by buying the record. I was inspired by a female recording artist in Australia who did this. This is how we change the world. Be inspired by trailblazers and blaze a trail for future generations. Can we please put our money where our heart is and let money be love in the form of compassion in action.
10% of all proceeds will go to the incredible South East London music charity ‘The Midi Music Company’ that provides free support and resources to young people seeking careers within the music, film TV, visual, performing arts and creative industries. www.themidimusiccompany.co.uk
Thank you from the highest place in my heart.
Real love,
Francesca x x
Woken Women
Highly inspired by her powerhouse guides of all female mentors and teachers; Francesca wrote, performed and directed her first independent short film ‘Woken Women’ in November 2017. This was a tribute to all those who heard and held her through some rough ass dark nights of the soul.
Soon after, she began holding seasonal sxster circles to honour the ancient and archetypal divine feminine spirit. This has helped her transform and reclaim her artistry after many years of struggling with impostor syndrome.
The Woken Women community has become a source of strength, inspiration, solace and profound healing in the lives of all the sxsters who co-create it-once a sxster circle is opened its power never ends.