Francine Belle has returned. The Paris-born British Nigerian singer/songwriter burst onto the scene in 2018 with her single ‘Beautiful Heights’ and has at long last followed up with a brand new single. The highly anticipated single, entitled ‘Diamond’, does not disappoint. ‘Diamond’ is a beautifully multifaceted pop song. It has catchy orchestral arrangements and afrofusion influences. The instrumental bliss is accompanied by Francine’s candid lyrics and silky-smooth vocals. All in all, it’s a great song to play – whether you’re someone who likes to dance and sing along, or just listen peacefully.
Francine Belle and her team have kindly provided Affinity Magazine with a sneak peek at ‘Diamond’ – a full day before it is released to the public. Read to the end to get an exclusive look at the song and visuals that accompany it!
So, who is Francine Belle? Her story is an impressive one. Francine kicked off her singing career at the BRIT School, a prestigious performing arts school in England. Not long after that, she went on to provide backing vocals for pop legend Elton John and artist Bright Light Bright Light. Also, she did all that while earning an English Literature degree from Cambridge University! Other big collaborations include Grammy Award-winning arranger, director and producer Ben Bram and Pentatonix collaborators Ed Boyer and Bill Hare. Very impressive, indeed!
Image via Francine Belle Press
After taking some time out of the spotlight to work on her debut album (which is set to drop in 2020), Francine Belle recorded ‘Diamond’. ‘Diamond’ was co-produced by Francine Belle and Legend Otwenty. When asked about the inspiration behind the single, Francine said: “There’s something tender about ‘Diamond’ that made me swoon, coupled with the unmistakable afrobeats percussion that you feel in your blood. The song speaks to the way diamonds are simultaneously strong and resilient, but then also delicate and sparkling, like the best and deepest kind of love – ethereal and real at the same time. I love the way the strings and percussion, which perfectly reflect both sides of my heritage, all melt together perfectly.”
“The song speaks to the way diamonds are simultaneously strong and resilient, but then also delicate and sparkling, like the best and deepest kind of love – ethereal and real at the same time.” -Francine Belle
For the music video to go alongside ‘Diamond’, Francine partnered up with filmmaker Qasim Alam (known for his work with Adidas, Levi Roots and L’Oreal). The duo delivered what Francine has described as “my love letter to London, showing two very different but equally quintessential sides to it. We wanted to show elegance juxtaposed with grittiness. We shot the exterior scenes on a rooftop in Soho; the hard lines of the high-rise buildings are like the hard lines that make the facets of a diamond. But then the more luxurious interior scenes, shot in Mayfair, depict the opulence and glamour associated with diamonds too.”
Below is the official music video for ‘Diamond’ by Francine Belle.
If you loved ‘Diamond’, be sure to check out Francine on Spotify. You can also connect with her through Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or her website.
Featured image via Francine Belle Press
