The Midlife Chrysalis Break Up With What You Don’t Need: Michael Franti on Healing & Growth
Jun 2, 2025
This week features Michael Franti, an award-winning musician known for his unique blend of hip hop, reggae, and folk. He shares his inspiring journey of healing and transformation, emphasizing how music has helped him reconnect with himself and others. Michael discusses the importance of letting go of old stories, breaking free from emotional patterns, and the ongoing effort to stay present in a distracted world. His insights on fatherhood and navigating generational bonds offer profound wisdom for anyone seeking personal growth.
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Episode notes
Prison Performance Epiphany
- Michael Franti performed at Folsom Prison and realized he missed an emotional connection in his songs.
- This experience taught him to write about the full spectrum of human emotions, not just social issues.
Wisdom Is Musical Simplicity
- Writing mature music means stripping away everything unnecessary to convey pure emotion.
- Wisdom in songwriting is about including only what is essential and cutting out the excess.
Learning Guitar at 30
- At 30, Michael learned guitar after being urged to play at a musical gathering in Cuba.
- This new skill opened a whole new musical vocabulary for him beyond just rapping.
