A quick word with Michael Franti

The chart-topping musician, humanitarian and hotelier on touring with U2 and life lessons from punk rockers.

- By Anna McCooe

Music is a healing art. We’re going to go see Ed Sheeran on Friday and I can guarantee at some point I will cry. I’m not even that big a fan of Ed Sheeran, but I’m certain I’ll be singing along, high fiving strangers. I’ve experienced every kind of wellness modality; yoga, Pilates, meditation, cryotherapy, crystals, you name it. All of them resonate in some way but music is one of the few things I’ve found to be truly universal. It’s like food. When we started doing retreats [in the early days at our hotel Soulshine Bali], we had these really deep experiences; everybody was crying, journalling, processing emotion. I was like, “Wouldn’t it be great to go down a waterslide right now. Play some loud music and dance our asses off.” So that’s what we decided to create.

I live in Bali, the first time I visited was in 2017. It’s a land of creative geniuses, whether it was woodcarvers or silver makers. There were musicians, just in bars, playing cover songs and I’d be like, “This guy is way better than I am.” I started reaching out to musicians in the community in the pop realm but also working in Indigenous and roots music from all over Indonesia. And I was really excited to give people who are so on fire with talent a place to play.