Graziella Affinita and Shar Alexandra are two of the original Miss Frank members. After performing outstandingly well in 2009’s The X Factor, the girls became what we now know as the core of the titular group.
Since leaving The X Factor, the face of Miss Frank has changed to include another show contestant, Cherelle Basquin, who was recruited after the group decided to reform. While looking through their phones for potentials, Graziella and Shar came across video footage of Cherelle singing at the piano at boot camp. Both ladies knew that she could offer the band a complementary vocal range and merge their voices into a fuller, more uniform sound.
Having performed over 100 shows in the past 12 months, sometimes performing as many as four in one night, Miss Frank has yet to be signed by a major label. The group have been doing everything themselves from web design (Char put their website together with JD creations) to organising photoshoots. Which, by default, has resulted in them acting as their own label, as they are doing it all themselves. This independent hustle is familiar to those in the UK music industry who are as yet unsigned and passionate about getting their music to the masses.
Flavour managed to catch up with the sexy girl trio during a break between one of their many recent live performances.
So what have you ladies been up to since The X Factor?
G: From the moment we came out, we went on a massive tour; we were performing every day for five months and doing shows every night. Over four months, we did 125 shows and sometimes as many as four in one night, racing from Blackpool to Chester, then back down to London. That was the time we needed to bond and get to know each other –business-wise, musically, creatively – and understand where Miss Frank really stood. Me and Shar felt like we wanted to keep it going and we had to find another band member.
How did you find the experience of being on The X Factor?
S: We enjoyed it, but we were fighting to say what we wanted to do – like with the rapping and dancing. Ultimately, the show’s producers didn’t really understand how to push us and get the best out of us.
How has it been having a new member of the group?
S: We’re just trying to get the work done. Well, we are doing everything ourselves, so she’s done really well and fits into our puzzle. She brings what we need, and helps us to create a sound that pans out across the room. It’s a perfect match!
Where are you now, musically?
G: We (Graz and Shar) decided to just continue doing this and take things to another level. We are in sync and both want the same things. We’ve experimented with a lot of different sounds like electro and disco, but neither worked and we were getting further away from our true selves. But we’ve now found our sound and we’re gonna stick with it!
What is your core sound?
G: It’s got that 50’s soul vibe that we all love – like Sam Cooke. The pioneers of soul. You know, the
time when women were women.
What is Miss Frank all about?
G: We want to encourage other women to just be and enjoy themselves and love what they have. We’re not trying to be perfectly polished and fit into the ideal; we’re a little bit rough around the edges.
S: We’re just humble and down-to-earth girls who love what we do.
Any plans for the future?
S: Well, we’ve been doing more writing, recording and are trying to get enough songs together for an album. We also want to release a video. The sky’s the limit.
G: I want us to go global, and have the longevity like other outside acts like Natalie Imbruglia, who may have been out of the game for a while, but can still reach audiences with her presence and songwriting.
Have you cemented Miss Frank?
G: I think we’re at a point where we can do anything. We can change our name and still maintain the group’s core. Although we’ve taken the name from The X Factor, we can still do something completely different and grow and progress to create something that represents us and is able to take us anywhere. Miss Frank hasn’t had her time yet!
S: Viewers got the opportunity to watch us grow from the beginning and we hope that people find us endearing. That’s what Miss Frank is all about; we keep pushing and punching every day.
Three words to describe you?
G: Sexy, classy, bolshie!
S: Raring for it!
So as you can tell, Miss Frank has a lot more to offer the British music scene. With their eclectic take on RnB and soul, and having supported big names like Omarion and Dru Hill, without a doubt, the sky is the limit.
To find out more about the group visit www.missfrankuk.com
Interview by Natalie Vincent