Bonnaroo 2022 Artist Spotlight: Frances Cone

Like we’ve been doing for many years now, we’re making it our mission to help you get acquainted with many of our favorite acts from Bonnaroo‘s 2022 lineup. And, for the first time in three years, we finally feel confident that there definitely will be a Bonnaroo this year, after a postponement then cancelation in 2020 due to Covid, and an unfortunate rainout of last year’s would-be September event. Returned to its traditional timeframe of June 16-19, this marks Bonnaroo’s 21st summer and 19th installment, and features a largely new lineup for the festival’s much-anticipated return!

As we dig through the entire schedule, we’ll highlight a spread of performers spanning across genres and stages, big and small, new and old, to bring you some of the most interesting, lesser-known, and most highly-recommended among this year’s crop of artists. And as our time at ‘Roo approaches, we’ll also be bringing you some special features and full list-style daily lineup guides, to help you plan your weekend ahead of the fest. While these previews won’t span every artist, and might omit some more obvious must-see acts, we hope they’ll serve as a way to help you navigate Bonnaroo’s gargantuan lineup, and to make the most of your busy weekend on the farm!

Grab your tickets right here if you haven’t already, and read on for our Bonnaroo Artist Spotlight!

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Indie pop project Frances Cone initially began as a solo vehicle for classically trained singer, songwriter, and pianist Christina Cone, who grew up in Charleston in a musical family, and initially adopted the moniker (named after two generations of musical family members) upon moving to Brooklyn, releasing her debut full-length, Come Back, in 2013, setting the template for the group’s lush, soulful, genre-bending, and atmospheric pop sound. The addition of drummer-turned-bassist and vocalist Andrew Doherty, however, who became both Cone’s musical partner and life partner, helped usher in a second era for the project, who achieved their widest recognition yet after releasing 2016 single “Arizona.” The pair spent some time traveling and slowly working on a new full-length, earning nods from numerous tastemaking outlets (and even a spot on NPR’s Tiny Desk) along the way, eventually opting to settle full-time in Nashville, ahead of 2019’s long-awaited sophomore LP Late Riser. Renowened for their dreamy, lovely, melodic, and inventive indie pop bent, Frances Cone are a gem in the indie landscape and a transplanted act Nashville is incredibly lucky to count as part of our local scene. Like several other local favorites, they were slated to make their Bonnaroo debut on the fest’s intimate Who Stage last year, and we ran a spotlight about them then. We’re happy to see much of that prior Who Stage lineup intact for 2022, even if Frances Cone could easily fit right in with a prime slot on a bigger space, and we still count the duo among our most-anticipated performers of the fest!

WATCH | “Arizona” (Official Music Video)