Close

BU Today Sessions: Francesca Blanchard

Singer-songwriter finds expression in two languages

Full Story Play Video

Francesca Blanchard gracefully finger-picks the opening notes of a song she calls “The Wanderer.” The acoustic guitar is followed by her voice, then by several layers of sound produced by her six-piece band. The song blossoms with harmonies, refined fills, and an occasional melody from a muted trumpet. A listener would never guess that the band had been assembled just a few days ago.

“Music is meant to be a collaborative effort,” says theater arts major Blanchard (CFA’14). “I’ve wanted to put together a band for the semester, and I knew I didn’t want to sing alone for the ‘BU Today Sessions.’”

The French-born singer-songwriter, whose original band is back home in Charlotte, Vt., searched the campuses at BU and Berklee for a new ensemble to perform the “Sessions,” and elsewhere in Boston. Distributing flyers and a little bit of “online stalking” led her to musicians “who understood my style and could pick it up in a second.” Of the six band members, five are from Berklee and one, Tessa Sacramone (CFA’14), from BU.

“It’s all about putting yourself out there and not being afraid to ask,” Blanchard says. “It’s always a fun process—you get to meet musicians and talk music.”