Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Francisco Martin with Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie at his Season 18 American Idol audition. (ABC Photo)

Francisco Martin says auditioning for American Idol Season 18 was something of a last-minute decision.

It might be the best last-minute decision he ever made.

Thanks to a performance video American Idol leaked over the weekend, we already know Francisco makes it through the Hollywood Week duet round.

That means he’s advanced through three rounds of the show, dazzling the judges with her performance of “Alaska” during his audition and impressing them again when he performed “Hold Back the River” during the Hollywood Week genre challenge episode, which aired Monday.

At this point, it looks like the biggest challenge facing the college student from San Francisco will be his own nerves.

Here’s what Francisco, 18 when he auditioned, told Idol Chatter about his Idol experience so far, his plan for battling that case of nerves and his original music.

Idol Chatter: How did you wind up auditioning for American Idol Season 18 (Season 3 on ABC) and what prompted you to do it this year? Had you ever tried a singing show in the past?

Francisco: My parents actually encouraged me to audition for American Idol. I remember feeling very anxious and nervous about it days before and only decided to do it the night before the audition day. If it hadn’t been for my parents’ support and belief in me, I probably wouldn’t have auditioned. Obviously now I’m so happy and grateful to have done it!

Idol Chatter: Can you explain your song choices so far — “Alaska” in the audition round and “Hold Back the River” in the genre round? Do you have a performance history with those songs?

Francisco: I discovered Maggie Rogers back in 2019 while I was going through a very rough patch in my life. I was lost and very unhappy. When I played “Alaska” for the first time, I had never heard anything like it. It was like a breath of fresh air. Her voice, the sound and the meaning resonated with me so much. I could honestly say that her music single-handedly changed my life for the better and in my own music. I guess you can say I truly did find myself through her music and it inspired me to branch out into different types of music and to write my own.

That’s what I love about artists, they make you feel something. You find that connection and it can alter your emotions and your perceptions in life and in your own creativity. So I’m so glad that I sang her song because she is one of my all-time favorite artists. She’s such an inspiration to me and my music and when she noticed it was one of the most happiest things that has happened to me.

James Bay is also another one of my favorite artists. Such an incredible voice and an he has an endless amount of creativity. I love his songs so “Hold Back The River” was always a definite choice for me to sing.

Idol Chatter: What’s the experience been like so far? You’ve gotten amazing feedback from the judges?

Francisco: It’s honestly been so surreal. I’m so grateful for the experience and where it’s led me in life. I couldn’t have asked for anything better and I can’t believe the support I’ve received. It’s unreal. Growing up, I’ve always wanted to have an audience listen to my music and understand my artistry, and American Idol has given that to me.

In addition to that, the feedback from the judges was also a dream to me. I never would have thought the judges would give me a yes, and I never would have thought I’d be performing in front of them. They’re amazing people, so genuine and so supportive. I love them.

Idol Chatter: And do you have a strategy for combating your nerves in future rounds.

Francisco: As advice taken from Bobby Bones, my strategy to fight off nerves in further rounds is to just accept that I have them. I can’t ignore them and I can’t get rid of them because that’s just who I am. I’m hoping that this strategy is effective!

Idol Chatter: Lastly, do you have original music? If so, can you tell me a bit about it? How would you describe it? And do you have plans to release music anytime soon?

Francisco: I have original music, but it’s not recorded or released yet. I song-write almost every day and I’m constantly altering my songs and adding new things to them. I’m very picky and choosy when it comes to my original music because I want it to represent myself in the best way possible. So that the people who do hear it get a sense of who I am as a person. I also always want the listener to feel the songs and to resonate with them just how I do with many of my favorite artists.

My original music is singer/songwriter infused with subtle elements of folk, pop, soul, alternative, and indie. I love all genres of music so it’s very difficult to label my original music as one genre. I can’t seem to place it. I get inspired every day to do different things in my music, whether it be in my songwriting, melodies or guitar progressions. I’ve written a lot about personal experiences and past loves.

Not to get too “hopeless romantic” on you, but I do tend to write a lot about the concept of personal heartbreak, love and loss. Sometimes I write about current events, but I primarily write about personal experiences. Not that I try to, I’m just always drawn to writing about something that has happened to me personally. Whether it be a past love, a person I fall in love with or a brief intimate encounter. Songwriting about that just seems a lot more genuine and relatable to me, they make me feel the song and the creative process way more. It’s like a story you tell to your audience and it lives on with you until the day you die. I want to be old and frail and listen to one of my songs and reminisce about that certain time in my life and the person I wrote it about. That’s how you know you wrote a great song. I tend to lean on a more vulnerable and more personal approach to songwriting and I don’t like to write what isn’t true to me. I write what I think needs to be said. Every word or lyric has almost always a personal meaning behind it.

I have a constant fear of being misunderstood as an artist and as a person. Things that I’ve done in the past with bands and with other artists doesn’t necessarily shape who I am as a solo artist. I always say that my solo work is different than what I do for cover bands and for gigs and I do mean that. To be on American Idol has given me the chance to share my artistry to the world and finally showcase who I really am. I’m very thankful for that.

I do plan on releasing music. I just don’t know where to start on the recording and the production side. I do have my own studio at home and can play multiple instruments. But I feel like I would want my original body of work to be professionally recorded, mixed, and mastered. Plus, releasing original music is a very vulnerable and emotional thing to do. It’s essentially releasing an intimate account. I’m still learning as I go. I’m progressing as an artist and as a person every day.

Today I could love a song that I had just written, but the next day I could totally hate it. It’s all about consistency though; I write because I love to write not because I feel pressured to do it. That’s why I’m not forcing myself to record originals in such a hurry. I want to love and be proud of what I create and I want to make sure that I give the listeners a very honest and genuine piece of work that they can all relate to. I want my music to represent who I am and if and when I release it, I want it to solidify who I am. So stay tuned in the near future for any new originals of mine.