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“I Wanted To Get Away From Everything That Felt Too Familiar” CLASH Meets supermodel*
Clash Magazine sat down with Virginia-born artist and producer Frankie Beanie ahead of his headline show at Camden's Barfly, discussing his new project supermodel* and the eight-point manifesto that shaped it. Launched in 2025 after a turbulent attempt to break into the Los Angeles music scene, the project reflects Frankie's rejection of image-driven "vibes-based" artistry in favour of substance, a principle he says he had to consciously resist falling into himself after moving to LA.
The project's October 2025 EP, 'supermodel ep*', includes the standout track 'i used to live in england', a Streets-influenced song recalling his years studying at Liverpool's LIPA (Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts), complete with references to meal deals, rail travel and a semi-fictionalised anecdote about The 1975's Ross MacDonald. The Camden gig marked Frankie's first UK visit in three years since leaving; he also reflected on his path from Virginia to Liverpool, including his earlier band's signing to Liverpool label 3 Beat, which had a prior UMG arrangement and once signed Skepta.
In short
- Frankie Beanie discusses new project supermodel* with Clash Magazine
- EP track references his time studying music in Liverpool
- Interview coincided with his first UK show in three years
Explained simply
Frankie Beanie is a Virginia-born musician and producer who studied at Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts before moving to Los Angeles. He was previously part of an earlier band signed to Liverpool label 3 Beat and has now launched supermodel* as an independent project.
Supermodel* is built around an eight-point manifesto that sets out Beanie's artistic principles, explicitly rejecting what he describes as image-driven, "vibes-based" music in favour of substantive work. His October 2025 EP demonstrates this approach with material drawn from his personal experiences, including a track about his university years in Liverpool.
The project emerged from his time in Los Angeles, during which he says he struggled against the temptation to embrace the style-focused approaches he now rejects. His return to the UK represents an effort to create music aligned with the artistic values he has articulated through supermodel*.
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