From Broadway Roots to Indie-Folk Truths: Ava Nicole Frances Opens Up About American Idol and Her Moving New Single “see you around”

There is a rare, palpable magic when a storyteller finds the sweet spot between theatrical emotional power and intimate, stripped-back indie-folk sincerity. That intersection is where New York City–based singer-songwriter and actress Ava Nicole Frances lives and thrives. A two-time BroadwayWorld Cabaret Award winner, MAC Award winner, and Season 22 American Idol standout (advancing to the Top 56), Ava has commanded stages since the tender age of ten. But behind the powerhouse vocals and cabaret pedigree is an artist whose pen cuts straight to the marrow of human experience.

Her latest single, “see you around,” marks a defining chapter in her musical evolution. Swapping theatrical bombast for reflective acoustic warmth and poignant, diary-entry lyricism, the song captures the bittersweet ache of leaving behind the world you knew to carve out chosen family and independence in New York City. We caught up with Ava to talk about navigating the industry, staying grounded against the noise, the inspirations fueling her songwriting, and what’s waiting down the pipeline.

“I wrote ‘see you around’ about that feeling — being grateful for where I am from, but also growing up and finding home in a new place.”

Where are you from?

I’m originally from San Francisco, but I moved to New York City a little over four years ago to attend NYU TISCH to study Drama at the New Studio on Broadway!

How long have you been making music?

I can’t remember a time where I wasn’t writing some type of song. I think I probably started liking what I wrote during the pandemic but never really shared it with anyone. I started taking it really seriously when I competed in American Idol back in 2023. I was surrounded by these artists who were just so incredible at what they did and it was really inspiring. My good friend Luke Michael was particularly impressive, and he was a big part of influencing me to want to write my own music. I went through a breakup not that long after competing and it was the perfect way to segue into writing my feelings into music.

How many songs /albums have you released to date?

So I have a grand total of one short EP from when I was 15 (not original music), two live albums from my cabaret shows, and one 8 song album of all original music. Three of the songs on that one were released as singles before the album dropped. And now this new song!

What is the story and inspiration behind your new single, “see you around”?

My new song “see you around” is, at its core, a song about growing up. I was lucky enough to be raised in beautiful San Francisco with an amazing family (my two dads, my dog, and my not so nice bird). Beginning in middle school and through high school, I got bullied pretty badly. Generally it was because I took my art really seriously and I think kids didn’t really understand that. Think Rachel Berry from Glee. When I moved to New York, I found community in my friends and chosen family, it just felt like such a special home base. So I wrote “see you around” about that feeling – being grateful for where I am from but also growing up and finding home in a new place.

How did you first get into music, and what inspired you to pursue a career in it?

Oh my goodness. Definitely my parents. My dad Frank is a very musical person, so some of my earliest memories are of us singing and dancing around the house to Diana Ross and Liza Minnelli and all the other musical divas. I was put in theater in elementary school and just adored it. I don’t think there was ever another option for me. I’m a performer at heart and I love it so much.

What do you think of the present music industry?

I have conflicting feelings if I’m being honest. I love seeing all the powerful women that are taking over the industry. People like Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Phoebe Bridgers, Chappel Roan, who use their platform to advocate for women’s rights, I think it’s beautiful. I do see a lot of negativity and judgment going around as well. There is, in my opinion, way too much discussion about women’s bodies and appearances, as if that determines how worthy they are as artists. That has always bothered me, but it’s only gotten worse recently. My heart goes out to the strong people who have to deal with that, I know it’s not just women who have to struggle with it, and that is, to me, one of the biggest challenges of the music industry. Also the spike of AI in music, that really bothers me. We have so many talented people who create music that is so much more meaningful and engaging than AI. It’s really sickening. However, it makes the human made music that much more powerful and important!

Who are some of your biggest musical influences and how have they impacted your music?

Because I belong to so many genres, my influences come from many different places. I think musically, I pull a lot from Noah Kahan. I could talk about him for hours. His lyricism is so profound, he’s a no skip artist for me. Renee Rapp is another big influence of mine. She did both theater and pop and is just killing it. I grew up listening to Billie Eilish a ton, Lizzy McAlpine, Brandi Carlile, Hozier, Ben Platt. All some of my all time favorites.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a musician and how have you overcome them?

I’ve been truly lucky to not have run into anything too bad. Aside from the bullying, which didn’t really effect me much, I’ve been so supported. Since I’ve been doing it for most of my life, I’ve had a good amount of time to find my voice and figure out what I want to be. I audition a lot for theater shows, and as it usually goes with these things, I get a lot of no’s. That’s okay, it’s part of the process. The one thing I will say is I do feel the pressure to look a certain way, which is not an uncommon feeling. I tend to base a lot of my worth on how I look, and that can be difficult, but I have great people around me who don’t let me wallow in that for too long. In the end, there hasn’t been anything to discourage me from doing this, and I don’t think there ever will be.

How has your music evolved over the course of your career, and where do you see it going in the future?

I mean, when I started writing it was arguably not that great. I don’t think I had enough life experience and so I just copied what I heard on the radio. Once I grew up and felt all the things, it became more authentic. I taught myself guitar at a young age, and so that improved with me. My dream has always been to be on Broadway, so that end goal hasn’t changed, but it’s expanded. I’d love to succeed from my own music, to do my own tour and to just continue doing what I love for as long as I can. That’s the big thing for me, I want to always love what I do.

Who have you collaborated with so far in your career?

I started out with my dad, believe it or not. We did our cabaret show from age ten to fourteen. Then I met my next partner Charlie Crossley. She was one of Bette Midler’s original Harlettes, she was on Broadway in Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar and Hairspray, she’s done movies and tv, she’s insane. I was lucky enough to team up with her from fifteen to eighteen, and she taught me so much. She introduced me to Ula Hedwig (another one of the Harlettes) who guested in our show. It was such an incredible time in my life. We just had the most fun ever.

Can you describe your creative process and what goes into making a song or album?

Usually, I write when I have something to say. I can write for fun and for practice, but my best work always comes from when I feel something really deeply and the only way to get it out is through music. So I pick up my guitar and I just start fiddling around with it. Usually the lyrics come pretty quickly from there. I record everything on Voice Memos and write down the lyrics in my notes app. Then I pause, record what I just did, and pray for my phone storage.

Dead or alive, who would be your dream collaboration?

I could list 700 names of people I’d die to work with, there are so many. At the end of the day, I think I have to say Noah Kahan. However, Dolly Parton would have been a dream too. Or Billie Eilish. Gosh, I don’t know I can’t choose. Ask a different question, I beg you.

What was the first album you bought?

I couldn’t tell you. There was so much music in my house growing up that there wasn’t one specific album that I remember being first. But early on I definitely listen to the Bernadette Peters version of Annie Get Your Gun a lot. It was a lot of musical theater. And Michael Jackson. Lots of Michael Jackson.

What’s your favorite song at the moment?

If I wouldn’t go to you for advice, I don’t need to take your opinion. That’s gotten me through a lot of situations. Obviously I want to hear people out and I want to learn and grow, but in terms of negativity, if I wouldn’t go out of my way to ask for your advice on something in my life, why would I take your negative opinion of me?

If you had to sell your music collection tomorrow, what album would you leave in your draw?

“I Can’t Play With Flowers” I could never part with. It’s my first original album. If I had to choose one song to keep forever, it’s “Evelyn”. It’s the most personal song I’ve ever written. I almost didn’t even put it on the album, it was that close to my heart. It’s the most special song and truthfully I don’t think I can outdo it.

What is your favourite saying?

If I wouldn’t go to you for advice, I don’t need to take your opinion. That’s gotten me through a lot of situations. Obviously I want to hear people out and I want to learn and grow, but in terms of negativity, if I wouldn’t go out of my way to ask for your advice on something in my life, why would I take your negative opinion of me?

What other hobbies or interests do you have?

I love writing. Music yes, but I’m also writing a book. It’s taken a minute but I’m committed to finishing it. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed, stories, novels, all that. Creative Writing was my minor in college. That’s my main thing. I love movies and books and anything that takes you somewhere else.

Tell us more about your upcoming projects following “see you around”?

I’m just trying to promote this one as much as possible. Now that it’s out, my focus is starting to switch to my next project, which in my opinion, is even bigger.

What’s in the pipeline for Ava Nicole Frances after this project?

Up next, I’m releasing a new song within the month. It’s another really special one to me. With everything surfacing about Jane Doe and the Cornell Seven, I felt called to write about it. I sat down and wrote the song overnight. It’s called “PRAYERS”. It’s a commentary on all of the situations just like the recent ones. It’s really close to me, I’m also a survivor of sexual assault, and while I can’t fix the problem, I can use my voice and my music to help out. 100% of the proceeds will be going to a charity benefiting sexual assault survivors. It’s the least I can do.

How does your theatre and cabaret background influence the way you construct indie-folk songs?

Cabaret and musical theatre taught me that a song is never just notes and lyrics—it is a monologue with melody. Every single word has to earn its place, and the character singing it has to change from the first verse to the final chorus. When I write indie-folk, I bring that same narrative discipline to it. I want listeners to feel like they’ve walked through an entire emotional scene by the time the track ends.

Looking back on your run to the Top 56 on American Idol Season 22, what was the biggest lesson you carried off that stage?

It really stripped away any hesitation I had about trusting my own instincts. When you’re in an environment with that much raw talent, you quickly realize you can’t succeed by trying to be someone else. You have to lean all the way into who you are. Seeing how fiercely the other artists owned their unique sounds made me want to go back to my room, grab my guitar, and write from the deepest, most authentic corners of my life.

If listeners take away just one core feeling after listening to “see you around,” what do you hope it is?

I hope it brings them a sense of peace about outgrowing things. It’s easy to feel guilty when you leave a place, a routine, or old relationships behind to pursue what’s calling you. But outgrowing something doesn’t mean you didn’t love it. I want people to feel that it’s okay to hold love for your past while giving yourself full permission to embrace the person you’re becoming.

Thank you for your time and may you carry on making great, fresh music. *

Thank you so much for doing this! This was such a fun time.

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