25
Sep
Blackpool musician Karima Francis has made a welcome return this year, with poignant singles tackling big themes of homelessness and mental health. Though unassuming, a fierce will and determination has taken Francis from this seaside town that offered few options – where she was raised by a single-mother facing various challenges, and left school with few prospects – to another stretch of coastline. In her part-time base in LA the weather doesn’t necessarily suit her oversized and monochromatic clothes, but the rich musical traditions suit her soulful tones and vast talent. And despite the deprivation she witnessed growing up, it’s…