Q&A: The Push and Pull of Francis of Delirium’s ‘Run, Run Pure Beauty’
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY SHEVON GREENE ☆
Photo by Shade Cumini
JANA BAHRICH AND I START OFF OUR CONVERSATION—the same way anyone would when faced with a title like Run, Run Pure Beauty: trying (and failing miserably) to say it ten times fast. She gave me a generous seven out of ten, and the tone for the conversation was set: playful and chaotic but in the best way possible.
Behind indie-rock band Francis of Delirium is Bahrich, a Luxembourg-based artist known for her many talents and hands-on approach to everything she creates, whether that’s writing, producing, directing or designing. Her work is inspired by 90s college rock and expansive, cinematic arrangements and are the perfect combination of both intimate and larger-than-life.
Sophomore album Run, Run Pure Beauty (out May 29) is the perfect example of that duality. It’s an eleven-track journey of hope, despair, fear and love, all existing at once. The title could be read like a contradiction, as Bahrich has previously stated that it could either be taken as a warning or wish. That specific tension is a constant theme trickled throughout the record.
When we spoke, Bahrich reflected on how little of that duality was actually planned, instead simply letting the album take shape naturally through experimentation, instinct and willingness to bask in uncertainty.
We caught up with Bahrich to talk about Run, Run Pure Beauty, the chaos behind her visuals and finding clarity in the midst of the madness. Keep reading for more.
Photo by Shade Cumini
LUNA: I really love the title Run, Run Pure Beauty. It already drew me in before I even listened. I read that it can be interpreted as either a wish or a warning. When did you land on that title, and when did it start to feel like the emotional center of the album?
BAHRICH: It came right at the end, which is pretty normal for me. I know a lot of artists have a title before they even start making the album, and I think that’s really cool; I would love to do that. It seems comforting to have that structure, but I don’t really work that way. Usually the titles come at the end.
With this album specifically, everything felt a bit more challenging, or just less clear than with our debut album, Lighthouse. With that one, once I had the title, I was like, okay, this is it. Same with the artwork; I was very sure. But with this album, it took a really long time, months and months. I had so many versions; over a hundred variations of the artwork and everything.
So yeah, it wasn’t immediate. It kind of just slowly started to feel right. I had the song “Run, Run Pure Beauty” first, and then over time the title just felt like it fit the whole record more and more.
LUNA: I love the balanced theme of despair and hope and how you didn’t fully lean too much one way or the other. Was that something you were consciously trying to do, or did it just happen naturally?
BAHRICH: It definitely just happened naturally. I don’t really go into something with a concept and then try to execute it; I just make things and then try to figure out what they are after. Even with visual things, like the “It’s a Beautiful Life” video, that was one of the only times I had a clearer idea beforehand. Usually, I don’t. I just try things and see what happens.
LUNA: Speaking of, I loved the “It’s a Beautiful Life” video; it was so heartfelt and chaotic all at once. How did you land on that concept?
BAHRICH: That came from working with a director friend of mine. After we worked together on another video, we stayed in touch. I sent him some songs, and he connected most with “It’s a Beautiful Life.” We started texting ideas back and forth, like a voyeur concept, a road trip, and then I kind of jokingly threw out “gay basketball?” and he actually really liked it. It took me a while to be convinced, but then we started referencing things like Napoleon Dynamite and Space Jam, and it slowly turned into what it became.
We wanted it to be really fast-paced, so we actually filmed the whole thing on an iPhone first just to test it out. Then we edited that version to see if the rhythm worked before shooting the real one.
LUNA: That’s so cool. It still feels really intentional, even with how chaotic and fast-paced it is.
BAHRICH: Yeah, it took about nine months from the initial idea to the final video.
LUNA: I really love how “Aliens” opens the album. It immediately throws you into this feeling of dread and uncertainty. Why did that feel like the right place to start?
BAHRICH: Instrumentally, the horns felt like a call to attention—like, okay, we’re starting now. It just didn’t really fit anywhere else on the tracklist, so it had to be first. And lyrically, it introduces this idea of avoiding the present or future, which then kind of evolves by the end of the album with “It’s a Beautiful Life,” where there’s more acceptance.
LUNA: I also read that you’ve described feeling like a voyeur in cities you don’t live in; observing people, architecture and art. Did that perspective shape how you wrote this album?
BAHRICH: Yeah, definitely. I felt like I was writing more from perspectives outside of my own compared to the last album. There are these little vignette moments; watching the world pass by without fully connecting to it. That sense of distance definitely influenced the writing.
Photo by Shade Cumini
LUNA: I love that. It really comes through. I also loved the instrumentation with the French horn, violin and all the layered vocals. How did those elements come into play?
BAHRICH: I used to play French horn, and I almost sold it, but it’s just been sitting in my room collecting dust. I’d tried to use it before, but it never worked. With this album, it finally fit.
Same with violin; I played when I was younger and hated it, but I picked it up again later. I ended up recording parts myself, and even though it wasn’t perfect, it sounded good in a rough way, so I kept it. Working in my room gave me the freedom to just experiment; pick things up and try them without overthinking it.
LUNA: I loved “Higher;” it feels really spiritual, especially with the layered vocals. And I heard your speech therapist is actually on the track?
BAHRICH: Yeah, her vocals are on it. It’s the first time I’ve had someone else’s voice on a Francis of Delirium song. We worked together for a while on my voice, and I asked if she wanted to be part of it. When we recorded, our voices sounded almost identical, which was kind of surreal. But it was really meaningful to have that documented in the song.
LUNA: That’s such a cool full-circle moment. I also loved “Damned.” It feels like you’re wrestling with pressure from every direction. What was the process of writing that one?
BAHRICH: It kind of became about having the courage to be yourself and say what you mean. But I didn’t start with that idea; it revealed itself over time. Production-wise, the guitar riff came in at the end and really shaped the energy of the song.
LUNA: You road-tested some of these songs on tour. Did that change how you approached finishing them?
BAHRICH: Yeah, definitely. It gave me more confidence to fully commit. With “Little Black Dress,” I was still changing lyrics on tour—especially the bridge—just trying things out and seeing what felt right to sing live. It also helped refresh the songs. When you sit with something for too long, you lose perspective. Playing them live brings new energy back into them.
LUNA: Moving onto “Little Black Dress,” I loved the music video. It feels really raw and chaotic but in the best way. How did that come together?
BAHRICH: I had a few different ideas at first, but we ended up just going to a local fair and filming it. We didn’t get permission; we just showed up and did it. My bassist filmed while walking backwards, and his girlfriend was pulling him through the crowd. Some people were not happy about it, but we just kept going and doing takes. At first I was really nervous, but after a beer I got more confident and started dancing. It was very much like, let’s just see what happens. We had no idea if it would work, but it did.
LUNA: What’s coming next after the album release?
BAHRICH: We’re announcing a big tour: Europe, the UK, the US, and Canada. It’s going to be a busy fall. But I’m hoping to take July and August a bit slower and maybe do some writing. Then touring picks back up, and that’s my favorite part.
