Bio

Hollywood born folk-rock poetess Franki Pineapple captures a vintage elegance harking back to the 70’s Laurel Canyon music scene, punctuated by a sharp punk edge. Like a pineapple, Franki’s strong exterior and hard-hitting, lyric-driven songs cut deeply into the sweetness of a raw, soulful core. Guitar in hand, Franki interweaves themes of love, addiction, desire, recovery and self-discovery, influenced by icons such as Stevie Nicks, Patti Smith, Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, Lucinda Williams, Alanis Morissette, Madonna and Prince.

Franki came into music in her late-twenties when Hall of Fame songwriter JD Souther (Eagles, Linda Ronstadt) hired her to transcribe his lyric journals for an upcoming album and tapped into her undiscovered appetite for songwriting. Souther encouraged Franki to put her words to music prompting her to forge collaborations with Los Angeles musicians, pick up guitar, start recording and eventually performing live. Souther thanked Franki (Stephanie Carlisi) on his album If the World Was You (2008) for “rendering lyric clarity from chaos.”

Franki’s (solo artist) debut single “Fuck It Man!,” an anti-establishment, punk-pop anthem produced by Nataraj Tribino (P.M. Dawn, Nile Rodgers), underscored the last chaotic months of 2020 meant to inspire individual freedom in the face of uncertain ‘cancel culture’ times. The song also served as an answer to Apple Inc. when the juggernaut corporation sued the independent artist for appropriating a fruit in her trademark. Refusing to back down, Franki won the “fruit suit” and the New York Times interviewed her in the Spring of 2022. The exploding Pineapple Grenade logo, created by John Pasche, English art designer of the iconic Rolling Stones Tongue and Lips logo, symbolizes peaceful rebellion.

Franki’s debut EP Pineapple Grenade released September 17th 2021 with songs produced by Chris Seefried (Andra Day, Lana Del Rey) and Nataraj Tribino; mixed by Chris Lord Alge; drums & percussion by Jimmy Paxson (Stevie Nicks, Sheryl Crow). Her songs have enjoyed widespread traction across Internet radio and select play on terrestrial radio.

Franki’s next single, “I Won’t Remind Me of You,” a seventies-sounding throwback with punk tinges and echoes of Mazzy Star, releases December 2nd, 2022.

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BACKSTORY

Franki Graduated from Pepperdine University where she obtained her BA in Broadcast Journalism with an emphasis in creative writing. Post university, she worked as an assistant for myriad creatives and executives at companies like Paramount Pictures, Showtime, CBS, VH1, Dreamworks, Lionsgate and Concord Music Group, while she honed her writing skills. Franki’s path led her into music when JD Souther (Eagles, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt) hired her to transcribe his handwritten lyric journals for his upcoming album If The World Was You (2008), on which he thanked Franki (aka Stephanie Carlisi) for “rendering lyric clarity from chaos.” Souther recognized Franki’s untapped songwriting talent and encouraged her to put her words to music. Taking his sage advice to heart, Franki dove into collaborating with musicians and fell soul-over-head-in-love with the craft of songwriting. She created a catalog of co-writes; several of which have been released by independent artists, placed in film and in a multi-award-winning music video created for the track, “Ocean,” performed by John Torres. 

Through her collaboration with co-writers Anne Roberts (DJ Annimal) and Tricia Battani (multi-platinum K-Pop songwriter/producer), Franki wrote extensively at Brandon’s Way Recording, where hit makers Kenneth ‘Babyface’ Edmonds and Antonio Dixon invited her to write for artists including Celine Dion, Alicia Keys, Babyface and Toni Braxton.

Franki has collaborated under the name Illuminati on tracks with Nataraj Tribino, including “International Love Assassins” co-written with Nile Rodgers, released summer of 2018. 

A born performer, Franki could contain herself only so long watching other artists sing her songs. She became obsessed with teaching herself to sing, play guitar and perform. Before long she was gigging all over Los Angeles and in different cities.

Ever restless to express her musical vision on her own terms, Franki attended Crē•8 Music Academy at Westlake Recording Studios, where Michael Jackson recorded Thriller with Quincy Jones. At Crē•8 Franki learned to produce her own tracks and record her demos.

Franki has written a novel, Father F*cker!, inspired by her unexpected journey into the world of music as she simultaneously faced her daddy issues and channeled them into a literal soundtrack for her story, which she releases as a self-produced serial podcast that streams on Apple Podcasts, Spotify Podcasts and Buzzsprout. Franki is also a journalist and screenwriter with tv pilots that have been given serious consideration by major networks and production companies.