Acclaimed singer-songwriter-pianist Neal Francis returns with his dance-ready new single, “Back It Up,” available now via ATO Records.
Francis’ first new music in almost two years, “Back It Up” sees the Chicago-based singer, songwriter, and prodigious pianist effortlessly gliding along on glossy synth lines and a playfully swaggering riff, imbuing a carefree spirit into the deliberately over-the-top confession of romantic desperation.
“That song went through a few different phases before we got to the final iteration,” Francis says. “It took me a while to accept that it’s okay to have fun with the lyrics, instead of making everything so serious all the time.”
Neal Francis will celebrate “Back It Up” – and more new music to come – with a series of upcoming headline dates set through an eagerly awaited two-night homecoming stand at Chicago, IL’s historic Thalia Hall on December 13-14. 2025 will then see Francis traveling to Riviera Cancun, Mexico for Bobby Weir’s annual Dead Ahead (January 9-13) followed by a trip Down Under to Byron Bay, Australia for the famed Byron Bay Bluesfest (April 17-20). Additional dates will be announced. For complete details and ticket information, visit www.nealfrancis.com/tour.
Neal Francis’s music is an intoxicating blend of funk, soul, and rock that evokes the glory days of the late ’60s and ’70s but is undeniably fresh. Francis has been making music at the piano since the age of four, sitting in with countless Chicago bands as a teenager before setting out on his own solo career.
What do you think of this one?
