The Franklin Electric is a Canadian four-piece band from Montreal led by author-composer Jon Matte. They have managed to create a body of work that has appealed to fans worldwide. Critics and fans have responded to Matte’s voice, his intuitive, compelling songwriting and the singular sound of an instrument still uncommon in pop: the trumpet.

Their debut record, This Is How I Let You Down, was released on Indica Records in May 2014 and sold over 18,000 units in Canada and more than 5,000 copies worldwide to date. Their sophomore record Blue Ceilings was released in February 2017 and sold 5,000 units in Canada and 2,000 units worldwide with over 5,000,000 streams and counting for both albums combined. The group has been fortunate to experience a progressive build in both international and domestic markets, which led to the European and Australian release of the records through various licensing and distribution partners.

Following their debut release, the band embraced their road warrior status, playing upwards of 100 shows in a year’s time across Europe, North America and Australia. This perpetual touring is much to the credit of the Radio Starmaker Fund, making the countless days on the road both affordable and a little more comfortable. Opening for bands like Half Moon Run, Ben Howard, Mumford & Sons and Edward Sharpe gave the band invaluable exposure. As Matte says, “bonds are built and when you tour, it all fuses together”. Having found their tribe, they spent 2015-2017 playing over 350 shows from Canada to Australia – five tours of Europe alone – with ecstatic reviews across the board. Their touring efforts came to fruition this summer for the band’s homecoming performance at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, as they were chosen amongst five Montreal acts to represent their hometown for its 375th anniversary celebration in front of a sea of fans. It was a joyous moment for the band and all parties involved in their success up to this point.

The group has seen commercial radio support, charting in Canada, Germany, The Netherlands and Australia, as well as regional streaming service support from Spotify and Deezer. The radio play in combination with the band’s frequent presence in the international press demonstrates the successful international relationships built between Indica Records and its partners. The culmination of international marketing, radio servicing, PR campaigns and excessive touring – made feasible by the support of Radio Starmaker Fund – has helped The Franklin Electric become an international success story.

Mariana Gianelli (Indica Project Manager)
Henry François Gelot (Management – The Franklin Electric)