Francesco Yates

Francesco Yates from Toronto realized at eleven that a life in music lay within reach. Viewing School of Rock prompted him to attend rock camp, where he picked up piano and guitar. While still in high school he entered a band. Sessions with his vocal coach opened the door to manager Chris Smith (Nelly Furtado, JoJo), and Atlantic Records offered a deal when Yates turned sixteen. Armed with a commanding falsetto and a deep affinity for funk, he linked with Pharrell Williams, supplying guitar on the track “Gust of Wind” alongside Daft Punk; Williams then joined Robin Hannibal (Kendrick Lamar, Jessie Ware, Cee Lo) to produce the artist’s debut album. The first singles, “Call” and “When I Found You,” appeared in 2014, followed by a self-titled EP in 2015. The subsequent releases “Nobody Like You” and “Honey I’m Home” earned Yates a Heatseeker award at the Canadian Radio Music Awards.