Exclusive Q&A with Charlotte’s Upcoming Joint Artist Collective “Biking With Francis”

“Biking With Francis” all began when three individual artists, and close friends,

discovered they do their best work when they make music together. Combining Indie pop with Alternative rap, they bring something “bigger than life” to the scene and are expected to quickly make their way to fame. Listeners anxiously await the collective’s unreleased album, which they have been teasing for months. Only three days after releasing their first song, “Type Time,” has already reached 22k views and continues to grow.

The members Joshua Warren (aka Joshua Raw), Garett Sparrow (aka Francis), and Max Leonard have decided to put their solo work on pause to focus on their upcoming music as a collective. By listening to their individual songs, we might get a small idea of what is to come. Joshua Raw’s eclectic rap collaboration with Francis and Max’s Indie sound will take the music

scene by storm. All three balance their studies at UNC Charlotte, working, and dedicating their time to creating music. Excited about their upcoming work, the group sat down to discuss their plans for their work as a collective. Their easygoing nature and conversation with each other showed not only their close friendship but how passionate they were about their new project. 

How long have you guys worked together and how did you meet?

Max: Garrett and I met in high school in band class. It wasn’t like marching band, it was like a rock band, and we would play instrumental music for the school plays and stuff. But Garrett and I started making music together because he invited me over in the Fall of 2019 so that's when he got me into making music and producing. And then we met Josh around this time last year

through a mutual friend of ours. 

Garrett: We saw him [Joshua] and saw that he went to UNCC so we got him over to Max’s home... just to make a couple of tracks. We had already made some beats. And then he just kept– he keeps coming over to our house [the group laughs].

Joshua: Let me say my piece. They keep inviting me over to their house. I’m pretty early in my music-making career so they really gave me the push to lock in. And I feel like we have pretty good chemistry when it comes to music... I think we have the same mindset and the same goals

when it comes to what we want to make. The vision’s the same.

What do you guys like about each other’s music?

Joshua: I hate their music [the group laughs]. uh no, I think for me, especially cause... the music I make solo is a lot different from theirs... I really envy the indie and bedroom pop sound, because I probably listen to that almost as much as I listen to rap music. If I could ideally make any music, that would be the type of music. So it’s really fire I get to work with them, and utilize their styles, to make something that emulates that.

Garrett: I would say about Josh, I think he has the best of both worlds. I mean Max and I can sing and do the Indie stuff, but he can rap over Indie stuff. And you kind of get the best of both worlds. We can’t rap. Like...

Joshua: Garrett can rap, Garrett can rap.

Garrett: With Max, I would say... I get the best of both worlds because it is something I would make, but also, something I could never make.

Max: So my favorite part of Garrett’s music is his voice. I wish I had Garett’s singing voice. Garrett and I share the same two favorite artists of all time, Frank Ocean and Tyler the Creator. Garrett does really pretty “Tyler the Creator” chords with early Frank Ocean vocals. So it's some of my favorite music to listen to. And, not even because Josh is sitting here, but Josh’s music is some of my favorite music. If I didn’t know Josh and I stumbled across his music I would instantly be one of his biggest fans...

What made you want to work together on some of your other projects?

Max: Where we’ve gotten to now, comes from collaboration... That collaboration made us so excited when we found Josh. I remember scrolling through his Instagram and I saw Norm, the UNC Charlotte mascot, in one of his pictures. Like no way. This dude lives in the same spot as us. We need to get him over.

Garrett: I think the combination of all our styles perfectly coincides with each other... I always focus a lot on chords, that’s my favorite part. Max has also got a really unique voice, that’s got a good rasp in it... And then Josh, he’s got that unique rap voice... I think it just works really well.

Joshua: I feel like it's a lot easier collaborating because people can fill in the gaps you would have had to fill by yourself, or they come up with new ideas you wouldn’t have thought of. That definitely makes it a lot easier. The chemistry is also really fun.

What can you say about your new project Biking With Francis?

Joshua: As of right now we are gearing towards being a collective called Biking With Francis. It's a boy band of sorts and right now and we are working on this song. We already released a demo on Soundcloud, called “Type Time.”

Max: We are all putting our solo artistry on pause and really trying to dial in on our group stuff because that is where we are finding the most momentum... For the past four weeks, we have met once a week and made something really good every time. So we are just trying to capitalize on that consistency with Biking With Francis.

Garrett: What we are trying to do with the Biking With Francis, is a little more ‘bigger than life’ thing. A little world-building like the bigger artists are doing. We really want people to be involved with it and actually be involved with the characters in a sense. World-building, characters, and being involved, is definitely the goal for the new album.

How did you know your own visions would work as a collective moving forward?

Max: Everything will happen in due time. Garrett, about two years ago, was working on some solo work. It was a project he was going to call Francis. And I released my first ever song, “Bike.” We had to come up with an email for the distributor to release our music. We were literally sitting at the desk chair, like, what are we going to call the email? We brainstormed for like five minutes and just called it “Biking With Francis.” It was a combination of my first solo song and Garrett’s project at the time... We didn’t know where we were going to take it or what we wanted it to be, but we knew it was going to be something.

Garrett: I think we have just a really good workflow. The way we did it on this project. This isn't the only thing we could do. But it just focuses on our strengths.

Joshua: Their workflow was like something I've never seen before, like we killed, at the time, really fire songs in such a short amount of time. And they just flowed so well... I just want to go back every single time. And I think the sound that they have is just really unique and I really love it so much. I don't know, they just bring something out of me.

What keeps you pursuing music even when life becomes difficult?

Max: That’s when the best stuff happens... If I just sit down with an instrument or sit down and listen to something new... the love of music and  creating things is what keeps me going personally.

Garrett: Music has been like my whole life... It really is like something so second nature that I don't think I could ever stop making music... even when I hate it I just can't not make music.

Joshua: For me, I think I've always just been creative... I always feel like I have to express myself in a creative fashion. And then music kind of filled that gap for me... It's a little bit more personal and it's a little bit more cathartic for me.

What can fans expect from all of you for the rest of 2023?

Josh: Biking With Francis EP merch, videos, anything your heart could desire. Honestly, that's it right?

Garrett: Yeah, that's definitely the Biking With Francis plan for me personally... Consistent releases content and all mediums. As far as videos, music videos, promos, videos, and clothing, which Max has been going crazy on...We're all working on stuff, just content and every media.

Max: Yeah, I was going to say, they took the good answers. Biking With Francis album, clothing, music videos. Anything we make will have a Biking With Francis sticker slapped on it.

I remember first being introduced to the artists through Joshua Raw’s song, “PUPPY,” featuring Max Leonard. The song begins with a euphoric melody, leading its way to Joshua Raw’s contemporary rap lyrics. Every piece sounds like a playful and true embodiment of “puppy love.” I continued to listen, until only a few weeks later, “JUST A FRIEND” played on a Spotify playlist, and seeing the names Max Leonard and Garrett Sparrow looked so familiar. I started seeing who they were as individual singers time and time again. That was until they released, “By My Side,” a song featuring all three of them. They created the song with their friend and hit music artist, Frank Sativa.

After listening to their projects, I wanted to hear how the group collaborated on their latest work. When the Biking With Francis logo started to appear,

I discovered these artists would continue working together. This time as a collective.

Three college students make music together in light of their busy lives: a simplified story on the surface of a group much more than that. As the music plays such an important role in their life, so is it translated into what they create. Whenever these artists get together, their tracks flow effortlessly. When we sat down for an interview, the expectation was to hear more about their songs as individual artists, but after hearing news of their new collective, the conversation was directed toward what is to come. Their continued energy to make something big, makes listeners wonder, what do they have in store?