Florrie - Explanations & Experiments
Thursday, July 21, 2011 at 3:34PM 
Experiments EP - photo by Lee Jenkins
Hello everyone :)
It's a really exciting time for me, so first of all (and most importantly) I want to say a HUGE thank you to all of you for your support, enthusiasm, and encouragement over the last year. You guys have been more than amazing and I feel like now is a good time to fill you in a bit more on what I'm up to, and how the project is going…
How the Florrie Project is Funded
Everything involved within my music project is paid for 100% by the money that I make - that means recordings, management, videos, my band, press agents etc etc
So this is how it works …The first thing I did once I’d decided to stop the in house drumming, and dedicate myself 100% to becoming a recording artist, was to try and get a sync for my music. Getting my music on an advert or in a film can really help build an audience, and generate income. I went to my publishers (Warner Chappell) and introduced myself to the lovely people in their sync team. Two weeks later they asked if I was interested in writing music for a perfume campaign for the famous french fashion & fragrance house Nina Ricci. I looked at the brief and wrote 2 songs which I then sent off with a short video clip of me singing them. Lalala! A week or so later I was asked to go to Paris, and sang one of my songs accapella to the board of directors. It was terrifying, but it worked, and the next day I was offered the chance to front their new world wide campaign! WOW.
I did a 10 day shoot in Paris and agreed to represent the brand by doing gigs at various worldwide launches. I perform all my own songs plus my version of the Blondie classic “Sunday Girl”. I get paid for doing these appearances as well as the fee I was given for appearing in the film. This is one of the ways that I support what I’m doing.
As well as this i get paid an advance once a year for my songwriting and publishing by Warner Chappell. The money that I get from both these sources helps me to keep doing the things that aren’t making any money (yet!), but are really important. I love gigging and getting out there to play for you guys, and although it doesn’t always pay for itself - I lose around £450 per gig when I am on tour, the experience is invaluable and it’s the only way to make sure my live show is the best it can be. However, I’m getting lots of offers offers of bigger gigs, like supporting BRYAN FERRY this summer in a roman amphitheatre in the south of France (!!!!). It’s gigs like this that help pay for the gigs where I lose money.
Along with the paid gigs, my music also continues to pick up syncs. For example "Left too late" a song from my previous EP has recently been selected for a Scandinavian TV advert for a Fashion company. They’ll pay a fee for using both the song and the recording. All of this money is 100% profit which I can then put back into the project. It’s SUPER exciting when stuff like that happens cause it means I can keep doing what I’m doing!! AWW YEAH.
And lastly, I want to thank you guys for buying my tracks on iTunes, my t-shirts and vinyl, and coming to the gigs.
In total the project makes more money than it spends, which allows me to keep my independence :)
PHEW. Now we’ve got that bit done, I wanna talk to you about….
Major Labels
A lot of you come up to me at gigs and say “I can’t believe you’re not signed!”
I want to make it clear that it is my choice to stay independent, BUT at the same time I am absolutely NOT anti label and I am definitely not on some sort of crusade!! I just want to succeed and keep moving forward. For me right now it’s about gigs, releases, videos, building a fan base (you guys!), and making sure I look after you guys too :) - all that sort of stuff, never giving in, never worrying about how long this is gonna take, cause I’m in it for long run!!
As I mentioned a while back, I continue to get a lot of enquiries from major labels in the UK and, very importantly, North America. If anything can tell me that I am on the right road, it is enthusiasm from North America for an unsigned UK based artist. So, when the time is right, I’ll find the best one to partner up with.
Music
As much as I LOVE both of my EP's I don’t think my music is particularly “chart friendly” right now, but I have this incredible opportunity to make the music I want to…AND you guys like listening to it, which is the most important thing!
I’m not trying to follow the trends of the day and I’ll continue to put out material that I love and enjoy making. I hope one day enough people will like my music for it to become “chart friendly” but without specifically trying to achieve that. I’ve heard the expression “chasing a hit” and I don’t think I’d be much good at it to be honest. I obviously want to be successful but I also want to keep being me.
Having said that (fear not my friends) "Call 911" has not been forgotten!!! Of all my songs I think this one is the most “friendly” to the radio waves so I’m gonna get stuck into preparing the definitive version of this song, which will be released later in the year, hopefully around October! YEEEEEHAAAAA! COME GET YOUR BEAT BACK! boomboooomboombo
RIGHT, back to the EP! Iv’e got a new video coming out for a track off the new EP – “Experimenting with rugs” THIS THURSDAY, a little something for you before the EP next week!! I hope you like it!
I’ve also collaborated with Dolce and Gabbana on a short film with another new song “I took a little something” as the soundtrack. Its not a music video as such, more of a cool fashion/music project. They’ve been great to work with, and very supportive!
Style
I’ve met some incredible people in the last 12 months particularly in the fashion world, and I want to give a special mention here to two in particular. Richard Mortimer and Phoebe Arnold. They are the creative directors on the non-music side of the project, and help shape the images you guys see in my photos and videos. They know all sorts of amazing people (like Price James who directed the Begging Me video) and have pulled so many favors…from shoots to shoes!! They’re brilliant.
PHEW!! Well, I’m JUST about finshed ;) Guess you guys might need a little nap now? It’s a lot to take in but I think it’s important that you know whats going on… BYE! X
Reader Comments (32)
Eagerly waiting for new EP! You rock for sure!
Ps: Take the drums from Fred Falke Remix and the Synths from Florrie
Remix and Call 911 is almost perfect. Well, perfect.
I saw you at a gig on Lille, you were singing before the TDCC, and that's where I've discovered you. You were just amazing and I wish you are coming back to the north of France soon. You've done a really good job and that's good to see such a singer who performs not to earn money but to do what she wants, and that is so closed to her "fans".
Much love x
i'm glad you're able to make the music you want without having to worry if it will be a hit or not; looking forward to the upcoming ep and especially the final 'call 911', the fred falke remix is great :)
ohh how i love the internet! ever since i got online years ago i got to know incredible artists that have never ever received radio airplay here in brasil, such as norwegian genius annie. and now you!
i got to know about you via "hard candy music" twitter and decided just now to give a try on your music downloading the "introduction ep" - and it's been playing on a loop for an hour and a half now. your music is my favorite kind: joyful and dancey!
i really hope you make it big this year and come to brasil one day so i can see you live. best of luck florrie!
oh I see I got a friend from brasil reading your blog too!
anyway, just wanted to let you know how inspiring you are. don't ever give up 'cause I'm pretty sure one day you'll be big and still be true to yourself, and many people will enjoy and get inspired by your music as much as I do.
I run a blog on Mtv Brasil and I've already mentioned you twice. People seem to like you more and more, and I plan to keep on supporting you as much as I can!
good luck on your carreer
stay inspiring! xx
Hello, pleaseplease can you post acapella, stems etc. for remix for Summer Nights? If it's allowed?
P.S. Your too amazing. It's selfish really. Share some amazing.
I can almost feel your excitement!
I love your mindset, I love your reasons for making music, I love your interaction with your fans, I love the input and control you have in everything you do and I love how excited you feel towards touring and making music.
Your the future of music and I LOVE YOU!!
I just heard your new song and I have to say I love it !
I can't wait for your EP next week and I feel like a criminal for downloading good music for free :P
I wish you the best Florrie, I am hoping you will come back to LA/USA some time soon so I can attend one of your concerts!
Much from Sunny California.
So, Florrie is beautiful, and I will not deny that she has talent. However, (I mean, she is quite young) she has a long way to go to making really good music, and I hope she knows this. I find it interesting she feels her music isn't necessarily chart friendly. I wonder if she likes this because she feels it is hip, or that it truly gives her more creative freedom. In my opinion, this music does not sound all that different from mainstream music of the '90s and some stuff today. I feel like if this were mainstream, she would get washed out, lost in the crowd, or prevail because of her good looks and fashion sense alone. It already seems as though her ability to model is gaining her more fans and media attention, being then brought to her music, than her music herself. If you put her on The Voice, or a show of its equivalence for a band, I honestly wonder, who would care? And if someone does care, would it be for very long? Florrie seems like a wonderful young girl. But, sometimes people do not take you seriously/encourage you to reach your full potential when you are attractive, specifically an attractive female. I hope this does not happen to her. She is especially interesting because of her ability to both sing, drum, and song write, and I like her interests in 50's music, Prince, and The Spice Girls. But, I don't think she has combined all of these styles of music in a way that is interesting, unique, and insightful yet--and those styles could truly be well blended. If she stops here, satisfied with her caliber of musical talent and ability, she likely won't go far. Keep moving forward Florrie. Don't let anyone tell you your good enough or done yet. If you never quite think you are, then you will push yourself and achieve what you are capable of. Best wishes.
Hey Florrie, it's Pauline (the girl with the Two Door Cinema Club T'shirt) I don't know if you remember me at your show in Paris (''La maroquinerie'')?
I thank you to have taken the time to walking with your fans and to be accessible. Anyway, the show was INCREDIBLE!!!!!
Could you tell me if you come in paris?
(Now i have a twiter which is pauline 252)
Take care
Pauline :)
Hi,
Just bought Experiments and I think its so amazing; I love that you aren't trying to limit yourself to mainstream music - some artists seem to lose their personalities when the try to follow 'chart friendly' hits.
I love how down to earth you are about your music and I can't stop listening to the new EP - not really helping my revision but its kind of addictive!
Good luck with your career!
Wishes from not-so-sunny Lincoln
x
Thank you for the great music,
its very refreshing to read about your experience, thank you for being so transparent about your work and sharing your passion with us.
-Sea Dweller watches conusThe empty vessels make the greatest sound . (William Shakespeare , British dramatist )
A contented mind is the greatest blessing a man can enjoy in this world.
Hi
I saw you (and discovered) you last thursday in Arles before Bryan Ferry and it was really really great. I love your music. Good luck with your career.
Love love love the music and the videos. Will the videos be available for purchase???
Hello Florrie,
I am French and I wanted to tell you that I have seen in concert Arles, you were wonderful! I hope to see you soon!
kisses
Hi!
Will the EP have a physical release? I hate downloads.
Hi Florrie :)
I'm Lucia (Lulu for friends) I'm 15 and I live in Spain. You've got to know that I'm your biggest fan.
When I first saw you in the Nina Ricci's advert I was impressed. I loved the music, the dress and "the girl" (yes, you) so I went to YouTube to find out more. I was very shoked to know that this pretty girl that appears in the advert was the same that sang the song.
A couple of days later I started sewing the dress while I lisented to your INCREDIBLE music.
Since then you're my favourite singer.
I was searching for somewhere to buy the CD of your first EP (Introduction) when I saw this page and read this. Girl, you're amazing. I feel proud of being your fan.
I know someday you'll be famous and then I'll say "I knew this girl was amazing since she started, I supported her until she became a star."
Well, I wish you the best.
x
I'm one Scandinavian who saw this fashion commercial and just really loved the short recording. Thankfully we have a song commercial website where I could find out who made it, which lead me to iTunes store and then here. =)
Keep up the good work!
Was at a party the other day, and while we were playing some games in the other room, i heard a great song from the living-room. I was wondering who had put it on, and saw the TV playing a commercial. I didn't hear the lyrics, so i just HAD to know who the awesome musician was that had made that song. I had to watch a painful 15 minutes of "days of our lifes" before it went to commercials again, and there i heard "boys boys with their toys toys". Went directly to the computer and found your song Left too late on YouTube. Speakers on, sub-woofer on max, then play... Instant dancing :D
Everyone there was amazed, like Barney would say: "legendary". Your music and voice makes me feel alive like never before. I would love to see you here on stage in Sweden next summer. You will have a huge group of fans doing anything to come see you perform live :D
Love from Sweden
Christoffer