{{Short description|Pop Duo}} {{Distinguish|text=singer songwriter Neal Francis}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = NEIL FRANCES | image = | caption = | genre = Indie-Dance Music | years_active = 2016-present | label = Nettwerk Music Group | current_members = Jordan Feller and Marc Gilfry | website = https://www.neilfrances.com/ }}
'''Neil Frances''' are an indie-dance duo formed in 2016 by Jordan Feller and Marc Gilfry. Their 2017 cover of Stardust's "Music Sounds Better with You" was certified platinum in Australia and gold in Canada, with 5.9 million views on YouTube, over 197.2 million streams on Spotify<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spotify – Web Player |url=https://open.spotify.com/artist/587PA35pRGL1JwQr6idJbb |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=Spotify |language=en}}</ref> and it went viral on TikTok with 631 million views.
The band's name is an amalgam of Feller's parents' names as Neil is Feller's father's name and Frances is his mother's name.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rosen |first=Craig |date=2022-03-24 |title=Neal Francis & Neil Frances Embrace the Confusion As Their Separate Careers Take Off |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/neal-francis-neil-frances-interviews-1235048802/ |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDw5Axo09dU |title=Neil Frances Talk Debut Album, 'There Is No Neil Frances', Origin of Their Name, Live Shows |date=2022-02-09 |last=B-Sides® with Pete Mar |access-date=2025-11-20 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Gilfry was raised in Rancho Cucamonga, California. He comes from a musical family: his mother is a choir teacher, his father, Rod Gilfry, is an opera singer as is his sister, Carin,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Carin Gilfry |url=https://www.laphil.com/musicdb/artists/2023/carin-gilfry |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=LA Phil |language=en}}</ref> who is also a voice actor.<ref>{{Cite web |title=America Awards 2024 |url=https://www.onevoiceconference.com/america-awards-2024/ |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=www.onevoiceconference.com}}</ref> He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Audio Engineering.
Feller was raised in Sydney, Australia. His father, Neil, was in construction. Feller got his degree in business/economics. He was into disco, AC/DC, and West Coast Rap music, in particular anything that Death Row Records and Priority Records released. When he left school, Feller discovered dance music and self-taught himself how to deejay, which deepened his understanding on the integral nature of sampling in the music he was inspired by.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIXL-JyaQBk |title=EP180: Interview with Jordan of Neil Frances - Ableton Music Producer Podcast |date=2025-03-18 |last=Ableton Podcast |access-date=2025-11-20 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
== Band history ==
=== Early years (2012-2018) === Feller and Gilfry met in 2012, each pursuing musical careers, when Feller remixed and produced two tracks for Marc's previous project. At the time, Feller was creating club music with his project, Light Year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Light Year |url=https://soundcloud.com/lightyearmusic |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=SoundCloud |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Light Year - Come Together · Single Review ⟋ RA |url=https://ra.co/reviews/14665 |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=Resident Advisor |language=en}}</ref> Feller moved to London, Gilfry went to New York and a few years later, they coincidentally moved to Los Angeles in the same week.<ref>{{Cite web |last=LADYGUNN |date=2021-12-23 |title=LADYGUNN Neil Frances's December EP...the gift that keeps on giving... |url=https://www.ladygunn.com/people/interviews-people/seaside/ |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=LADYGUNN |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2016, Feller and Gilfry formed their band, NEIL FRANCES. Feller told the ''Village Voice'' that “when we shared the songs we'd written with some friends they gave us positive feedback, with one friend in particular sharing the songs with Chris Douridas at KCRW. To our complete surprise, Chris played one of the songs on the radio and the rest is kinda history.”<ref>{{Cite web |last=Callwood |first=Brett |date=2023-10-18 |title=NEIL FRANCES Feels Fuzzy |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/neil-frances-feels-fuzzy/ |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=The Village Voice |language=en-US}}</ref> Douridas called their cover of “Music Sounds Better With You,” an “elemental homage.”<ref>{{Cite web |last=DJ |first=Chris DouridasKCRW |date=2017-07-21 |title=Neil Frances covers Stardust’s ‘The Music Sounds… |url=https://www.kcrw.com/stories/neil-frances-covers-stardusts-the-music-sounds-better-with-you |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=KCRW |language=en}}</ref> Feller and Gilfry told ''Complex Magazine'' that they'd covered the classic because "the track perfectly exemplifies sampling and the utter joy of finding a hook and repeating it at nauseam. The hooky repetition found in many of these late 90s house and French Touch records is a big influence on us."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rising Duo Neil Frances Debuts New "Music Sounds Better W... |url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/zach-frydenlund/neil-frances-new-song-debut-music-sounds-better-with-you |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=Complex |language=en}}</ref>
NEIL FRANCES released their first EP in 2018, ''Took A While'', which includes the tracks "Coming Back Around," "Ask Me Anything," "Dumb Love," "Daydreamer," "Show Me the Right," and "Took a While."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vigil |first=Dom |date=2018-08-14 |title=Neil Frances - Took A While |url=https://preludepress.com/album-reviews/2018/08/14/neil-frances-took-a-while/ |access-date=2025-11-21 |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== 2019-present === NEIL FRANCES' full band includes Rhythm Luna<ref>{{Cite web |last=Winter |first=Mark |date=2024-01-23 |title=NEIL FRANCES: “Slightly under the radar, not chasing pop stardom… that’s the sweet spot” |url=https://www.nme.com/features/music-interviews/neil-frances-interview-3572122 |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}</ref> on drums and Greg Cham<ref>{{Cite web |last=Menachem |first=Michael |date=2022-02-01 |title=Neil Frances funk up The Fonda |url=https://passtheaux.co/neil-frances-funk-up-the-fonda/ |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=Pass The Aux |language=en-US}}</ref> who played on both studio albums, ''There Is No NEIL FRANCES'' (2022) and ''It's All A Bit Fuzzy'' (2024).
NEIL FRANCES have been on tour with Rüfüs Du Sol, Jungle, Odesza, Empire Of The Sun, SG Lewis, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra. They have performed at festivals including Coachella,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Join Neil Frances This Week on a New Episode of FLOOD FM’s “Hacked” |url=https://floodmagazine.com/161692/neil-frances-flood-fm-hacked/ |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=FLOOD |language=en}}</ref> Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Portraits from Austin City Limits 2022 feat. The Marías, Goose, Robert Glasper, and More |url=https://floodmagazine.com/119726/austin-city-limits-2022-portraits/ |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=FLOOD |language=en}}</ref> Portola,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bain |first=Katie |date=2025-10-03 |title=Hear Neil Frances’ Set From Their Portola 2025 Afterparty: ‘Some DJ Sets Are Just Way Better Than Others’ |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/neil-frances-portola-2025-afterparty-set-public-works-sf-1236081105/ |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref> Bonnaroo,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Portraits from Bonnaroo 2024 feat. The Beaches, Ashnikko, The Japanese House, and More |url=https://floodmagazine.com/165905/bonnaroo-2024-portraits-the-beaches-ashnikko-taking-back-sunday/ |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=FLOOD |language=en}}</ref> Outside Lands, Life Is Beautiful, Corona Capital, and Floodfest.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FLOODfest SXSW 2018, Thursday |url=https://floodmagazine.com/49426/floodfest-sxsw-2018-thursday/ |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=FLOOD |language=en}}</ref>
=== Club NF === Feller and Gilfry also tour as Club NF, which they created in 2024, focusing on a seamless live club music experience by remixing their studio albums in a live setting, and performing as a two-person set.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Neil Frances Launches New Club-focused Moniker 'CLUB NF' |url=https://www.female.com.au/neil-frances-club-nf.htm |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=www.female.com.au |language=en}}</ref>
=== Collaborations === NEIL FRANCES have collaborated with Poolside on the single “I'm In Love With You,”<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bronson |first=Kevin |date=2020-12-02 |title=Stream: Poolside & Neil Frances, 'I'm in Love With You' |url=https://buzzbands.la/2020/12/01/stream-poolside-neil-frances-im-in-love-with-you/ |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=buzzbands.la |language=en}}</ref> dreamcastmoe on "She's Just the Type of Girl,"<ref>{{Cite web |title=2026 GRAMMYS Nominees Celebrate On Social Media: KATSEYE, Kehlani, YUNGBLUD, Addison Rae & More {{!}} GRAMMY.com |url=https://grammy.com/news/2026-grammys-nominee-reactions |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=grammy.com}}</ref> Benny Sings on “Where I Become Someone,” Grae on “finding rhythm,”<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-26 |title=Song You Need to Know: NEIL FRANCES, 'finding rhythm' |url=https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/song-you-need-to-know-neil-frances-finding-rhythm-34246/ |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=Rolling Stone Australia |language=en-AU}}</ref> “High Notes,” with PawPaw Rod, “Head Straight” with St. Panther<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-21 |title=Neil Frances: ‘Head Straight’ (feat. St. Panther) |url=https://www.kcrw.com/shows/todays-top-tune/stories/neil-frances-head-straight-feat-st-panther |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=KCRW |language=en}}</ref> and DRAMA.
=== Discography === ''Took A While'' (EP) (2018)
''Remixed'' (2020)
''Stay Strong, Play Long'' (EP) (2021)
''There Is No NEIL FRANCES'' (LP) (2022)
''It's All A Bit Fuzzy'' (LP) (2024)
== References == <references />
== External links ==
* [https://www.neilfrances.com NEIL FRANCES website]
Category:Musical groups established in 2016 Category:Musical duos