Francesca Batti.... what? That's Francesca Battistelli. While it may take writing it down ten times to remember how to spell it (or even 10 minutes to learn how to pronounce it), she's flowing through the airwaves and making music history. She's this week's featured artist for Music Monday.
Armed with her passion for writing and hope for a hurting world, Francesca put pen to paper and crafted heartfelt, personal reflections on life and faith for what’s now her major-label debut, My Paper Heart. Inspired by everyone from the jazz greats her dad introduced her to as a kid, to contemporaries like John Mayer, Sara Bareilles and Nichole Nordeman, Francesca set out to write “soulful pop music that someone pops in the morning and says, ‘Now I can start my day, I feel encouraged.’”
One of the first tracks Francesca wrote upon moving to Nashville, her first single “I’m Letting Go,” not only highlights Francesca’s expressive vocals but her overarching desire to encourage her peers not to settle for anything less than what God has for them.
“I’d just moved to Nashville, and I was sort of letting go of everything that someone can at 22 years old,” Francesca shares. “And it’s far better and different in more ways than I could’ve expected. There’s a line in the song that says ‘I feel like I’m falling/And that’s what it’s like to believe.’ Walking in faith is like free-falling, yet that’s the best place to be. But so many of us are afraid to do that.”
On the title track, Francesca tackles another universal fear—the fragility of the human heart. “This has been the hardest, scariest, most rewarding year of my life. I have known sorrow, and I have known joy,” she shares. “God has spoken quietly the words of His heart, and He has shown me colors in the grayest hues of winter. He has sung songs over me in solitude, and He has never let go of my fragile, paper heart. He knows every corner of it—the tattered, torn, and untouched places. He knows the songs that move it, the words that pierce it, and the people He uses to change it. I am forever safe in His hands.”
And while pouring out your heart doesn’t always come easy for some, the songwriting process has been both cathartic and fun for Francesca. Describing it as “the most fun she’s ever had professionally,” Francesca’s enthusiasm can’t help but find its way into her music. In fact, whether she’s talking about the spirited, funk-laden title track or the buoyant, accept-yourself-as-you-are anthem “Free to Be Me,” Francesca bookends her commentary with “I really love this song. It’s so much fun to sing.” And that pervasive joy, along with Francesca’s adventurous musicianship and relatable songwriting make My Paper Heart an impressive debut.
But even more important to Francesca than offering up a collection of catchy songs for the masses is speaking a message of truth and purpose.
“Ultimately, I want to be an encouragement as an artist and a fellow believer,” Francesca says. “The Lord has continually called me to do things that are outside my comfort zone, whether it was accompanying myself on guitar for the first time in front of seasoned players or packing up and moving to Nashville last year knowing hardly anybody. Still, He's never left me, and He constantly shows me that it's worth it. I have parents who pray and encourage me to be bold and to take bold steps for Christ. I don’t think that’s common enough in the Christian culture. We have these big dreams, but many aren’t willing to take the steps to go after them. Yet this is the moment. We’re not promised tomorrow. So today’s the day.”
Francesca Battistelli, the talented singer/songwriter who just released her debut project, My Paper Heart, with Fervent Records in July, has officially made radio history! According to R&R (Radio & Records), Battistelli is the most-added new artist in the history of Christian radio, thanks to her new single, "Free To Be Me."
Obtaining the most adds within the first week at radio's AC and CHR formats, "Free To Be Me" has achieved top airplay on 94 out of 118 reporting radio stations. This puts Battistelli in the elite company of Chris Tomlin's "Jesus Messiah," Casting Crown's "East to West," and "Spoken For" from MercyMe.
I hope you'll take a listen to Miss Battistelli's song, "I'm Letting Go," below and let me know what you think. For me, it's one of those songs I'd love to have playing when my alarm goes off - which coincidentally was her wish for the album. I haven't reacted to a song like that since Mandisa released "Only The World." You can hear more from Francesca Battistelli on her website.
Francesca Battistelli - "I'm Letting Go"
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