Today we’d like to introduce you to Franki Raine.
Franki, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am currently on all social media platforms as Franki Raine. I moved to Atlanta, Georgia three years ago to attend college at Georgia State University. After retiring as a collegiate cheerleader, I started modeling about two years ago. It took a lot of dedication, but within the past six months, I have had the opportunity to model for some of my favorite companies and brands.
To start, my collaboration with Wish ATL included campaigns for Levi, Nike, Adidas Consortium, Raf Simons/Stan Smith, and Stussy. I have also worked with Lucid FC, No Signal Atlanta, and God Is Dope. Additionally, I am a part of the music video “Get Dripped” by Lil Yachty featuring Playboi Carti.
Regarding my musical career, in September I started recording and releasing music as Franki Raine. My first single, New Beginnings (ft. Tyl3r Davis), is officially streaming on all platforms. I have also been recording music videos for my debut album, “You’re Invited.”
My album, “You’re Invited,” is absolutely my biggest focus right now. Thus far, the tracks are very experimental and new age sounding. I am very influenced by hip-hop music, which will be apparent on “You’re Invited.” With my music, I just want to empower people, especially women, by inspiring and bringing girls closer themselves. The best advice I can give is to just fully accept yourself and your talents. This life is beautiful, and it is meant to be enjoyed. Overall, I love Atlanta and I am blessed for these opportunities.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing in life that is worth it will come easy. I strongly believe in that because things that do come easy are usually not worth it from the perspective of longevity. It was initially very mentally challenging for me to fully accept myself as a recording artist and model. For the most part, I hate labels, but once other people started recognizing me as an artist, the idea became easier to adopt. I believe in letting the work speak for itself.
Modeling is harder than it seems. It took me about a year to truly find myself comfortable on camera. Since fully committing to the art, I have at least one or two photo-shoots a week, and it is only increasing. This week, I have seven shoots within a five-day period. I love staying busy, and I love what I do. Passion is everything.
Recording music is not easy, it takes a lot of practice to get comfortable on the mic. Since I have started, I’ve recorded about a song a week. No matter what the skill is, the only way to get better is with consistency.
Raine – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My company is Quite Frankly LLC. I registered myself as a business because I am releasing an apparel line called “RAINE.” The clothing is all designed by me and will be manufactured in Atlanta. I love local business and I am trying to fully immerse myself in the city.
All my designs are based off sacred geometry and psychedelic concepts. I am trying to push the boundaries of fashion when it comes to originality. I believe that high-quality clothing is worth the price if it can be worn and washed countless times. Longevity is everything to me and that ideology is incorporated in Raine.
I am influenced by people stepping out of their comfort zones regarding fashion, and I hope my apparel can represent that.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
On my way back to Atlanta from a studio session, it was about 2 AM and I was a witness of a terrible car accident on I-85 South. I pulled over because there was an unconscious woman lying on the side of the highway. She had physically been hit by a car, after exiting her vehicle that had been destroyed in the accident. The incident was fresh when I arrived and there were no medical personnel on site at that time.
I have previous CPR certifications, so I conducted chest compression on the unconscious victim. Due to my CPR experience, I was lucky to revive her. Shortly after, the ambulances arrived and transferred her to Grady Hospital.
I never knew the victim’s name, nor did I know her state of wellness until Fox5 got involved. They got hold of the story via Facebook and set up an intensive search to find the victim for a reunion segment. After three months, the victim, Jortoria Walker, and I had the opportunity to reunite at the Fox5 station in Atlanta.
It was wonderful seeing her so happy and healthy. She was so thankful, and she thinks of me as her walking angel. It is one of my proudest moments, knowing I had assisted saving the life of such a lovely woman.
When the story aired on Fox5, they incorporated my single, “New Beginnings” into the segment and mentioned that “Franki Raine, an Atlanta based singer, had been the rescuer of a stranger caught in a car accident.” The story itself was an honor, and it was a surprise to hear my music on the news.
Overall, I am blessed to have been a witness to the accident. I may have saved her life, but I give all credit to God. I could have not revived her any other way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fanlink.to/FRANKI_RAINE
- Phone: 678.989.8800
- Email: info.quitefrankly@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_quite_frankly/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNMGzx3TQVT2fH28yasOTnQ?view_as=subscriber
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/frankiraine?lang=en
- Other: https://fanlink.to/RAINE
Image Credit:
D. Adams, Monroe Media, Drew Amandolia
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