Francis of Delirium

Francis of Delirium returns with a new Catherine Marks (boygenius, Wolf Alice, The Killers) produced song, ‘Real Love’.

‘Real Love’ comes following a busy year of touring with the likes of Soccer Mommy, Briston Maroney, Horsegirl, The Districts and hitting Eurosonic, Iceland Airwaves and Tree Fort Fest, as well as opening for The 1975. Through her music, Francis of Delirium, the moniker of 21 year old, Luxembourg-based, Jana Bahrich is giving a defiant new voice to Gen Z, soundtracking a radical and hopeful youth culture for her own generation. 

‘Real Love’ hints at the songwriting direction Jana sees for Francis of Delirium, eschewing the lyrical darkness of her first three EPs to embrace a more optimistic and vulnerable sonic palette. Deftly mixing pop music with her undeniably cool rock sound, Jana is crafting a softer and more open lyrical world, whilst honing the nuances and flair of her playing and production. ‘Real Love’ pulls on influences from Sheryl Crow, Jeff Buckley, and Joni Mitchell, underpinned by her love of Pearl Jam, Car Seat Headrest, and The Smashing Pumpkins. 

Speaking about ‘Real Love’, Jana says: 

‘“Real Love” at its heart is a simple song about being in love with your best friend. For years, timing got in the way. I got in my own way, and then finally, it worked out. Coming out of a two-month-long tour in the US and heading into summer back at home, it felt like my world was opening up. I wanted to write a song that reflected the feeling of leaning into vulnerability, a song that embraces telling the people you love what they mean to you and truly meaning it. Spending every night watching The Districts on tour really impacted me. There was this hopefulness I heard in their music that I really connected to. After writing our last EP ‘The Funhouse’ which was all about darkness and the feeling of being engulfed by the chaos of the world, I just couldn’t write anything super dark and heavy at the time, it just wouldn’t come out. My body and brain were just guiding me to writing lighter, more open music'

Since first emerging in early-2020 with the anthemic ‘Quit Fucking Around’ and releasing a critically acclaimed 3-part EP trilogy between 2020 and 2022, Francis of Delirium gained praise for distilling the angst and despair that plagues a generation who faces an uncertain present and future. 

Francis of Delirium was recently shortlisted for 2022’s highly prestigious ESNS Music Moves Europe Award, as well as gaining accolades from the world’s music press and supporting some of the biggest artists on the planet, at still only 21 years old. A restless energy and desire to connect with the listener lies at the core of the project, with Jana’s personal lyrics being underpinned by a fierce rock sound that is as liberating as it is intense. Hailed as a Gen Z’er excitingly redrawing 90s classic indie rock, a deep admiration for contemporary acts such as Car Seat Headrest, Japanese Breakfast, Mitski, Phoebe Bridgers and Sufjan Stevens is also abundantly clear.

Having returned from North America after playing 26 support dates with The Districts at the start of 2022 - plus a debut headline show in New York and festival slots at both Shaky Knees and Treefort - Jana arrived back to the UK/EU for a run of support dates with Soccer Mommy, Horsegirl & Briston Maroney as well as a support show with Kings of Leon in Luxembourg City. Her music has traveled far beyond its place of origin and has seen praise from Stereogum, FADER, Paste, Pitchfork, The Line of Best Fit, Clash, 6Music, Radio 1, KEXP and NPR, to name but a few.