Francesca Pidgeon (Dilettante)
Composer recipient 2023
Francesca Pidgeon is a multi-instrumentalist and composer, who performs and composes under the moniker ‘Dilettante’. Her focus is to create challenging, interesting and expansive pop music which bridges the gap between ‘art music’ and ‘popular music’. Onstage she has performed shows on guitar, bass, alto saxophone, clarinet, keys, French horn, percussion, drums and in both lead and backing vocalist positions, and has received frequent plaudits for her unconventional use of the loop pedal.
Since forming Dilettante in 2019, Francesca has released two EPs and her debut album Tantrum. Tracks from Tantrum were playlisted on 6Music, Amazing Radio and Spotify’s Fresh Finds. Francesca has performed with Self Esteem, Caribou, Graham Coxon (Blur) and Philip Selway (Radiohead) and made festival appearances at Kendal Calling, Live at Leeds, Manchester Jazz Festival, Focus Wales and The Great Escape. She is also a touring member of the artist BC Camplight’s band and has performed across the UK and Europe, playing headline shows across both at venues such as Manchester Albert Hall and The Roundhouse, as well as festivals like Glastonbury, End of The Road and Greenman.
“It is difficult to put into words quite what this award means to me. It feels like after years of struggle and rejection and working 16 hours a day 7 days a week that someone has really recognised my efforts and handed me a lifeline. It has made me believe that I really am an artist. It’s incredibly affirming artistically and will allow me the breathing room I need to make the art I want to make; I might even be able to treat myself to a day off once in a while.”
Francesca considers herself a multi-disciplinary artist, hand-making her own merchandise as well as shooting press shots and creating her own cover artwork and music videos, whilst doing the same for other artists. In the past three years she has also begun pursuing work as a film composer, completing scores for two BFI-funded films and earning a Best Composer nomination at Underwire Festival 2022. Francesca has also written musical commissions for Manchester Jewish Museum, Brighter Sound and The Writing Squad amongst others. She is often involved as a workshop facilitator and panellist for various Music Charities and Trusts in the North, after having been a participant in artist development schemes with Brighter Sound, music:leeds, Launchpad+, Help Musicians and Sage Gateshead herself.
Examples of work
KEEP TIME (MUSIC VIDEO), 2022
Track written and recorded by Francesca Pidgeon; co-produced by Francesca Pidgeon and Adam Pardey; performed by Francesca Pidgeon (vocals, guitar, saxophone, percussion, synths and piano), Adam Pardey (bass, guitar, guitar FX + additional vocals) and Jack Mee (drums) and mixed by Adam Pardey and Richard Formby. Video conceptualised, organised, choreographed, directed and edited by Francesca Pidgeon and starring Francesca Pidgeon. 3 minutes 25 seconds duration. This a music video for the final single from Pidgeon’s debut album, Tantrum.
SURROGATE LOVER (MUSIC VIDEO), 2022
Track written and recorded by Francesca Pidgeon; co-produced by Francesca Pidgeon and Adam Pardey; performed by Francesca Pidgeon (vocals, guitar, bass, clarinet, flute, and synths), Adam Pardey (additional drums and additional guitars) and Jack Mee (drums) and mixed by Adam Pardey and Richard Formby. Video conceptualised and organised by Francesca Pidgeon, shot and edited by Light in the Tower and starring Francesca Pidgeon. 3 minutes 51 seconds duration. This a music video for the second single from Tantrum.
BIG FISH (MUSIC VIDEO), 2022
Track written and recorded by Francesca Pidgeon; co-produced by Francesca Pidgeon and Adam Pardey; performed by Francesca Pidgeon (vocals, percussion, bass, sequencing, drums and synths), Adam Pardey (bass synth) and Jack Mee (additional drums) and mixed by Adam Pardey and Richard Formby. Video conceptualised, shot, directed and edited by Francesca Pidgeon and starring Francesca Pidgeon. 3 minutes 7 seconds duration. This a music video for the first single from Tantrum.
MEEK AND UNKIND, 2021
Track written, produced and performed by Francesca Pidgeon (vocals, guitar, bass, piano, drums, synths, clarinet, flute and cello). 3 minutes 11 seconds duration (1 minute 30 seconds preview). This is an album track from Tantrum and received notable airplay from 6Music despite not being a single.