Martti Franca, a singer-songwriter from the Philippines, has already released a short but impressive output of indie music. His previous singles have garnered a whopping four million total streams on Spotify and his latest release is sure to reach similar heights.
“Lucky” is the second single from Franca’s upcoming five-track EP titled Secrets, which will explore the five stages of grief following a bad break up. At the track’s beginning, a delicate guitar is greeted by Franca’s pleasant singing, but it’s his lyrics that take center stage as he recalls a former relationship. “It’s not the first time I’ve loved/ but it’s the first time it mattered.”

Instrumentally, the track is stripped-back, oftentimes only featuring Franca’s resonant vocals and his melancholy guitar playing, giving the whole song a sense of vulnerability. Eventually, “Lucky” reaches its emotional climbing point near the two-minute mark, adding more instrumental voices and giving way to even more breathtaking harmonies and graceful vocal melodies.
This single is a heartbreaking journey of reflectance that could only be told by a musician as attuned as Franca. A must-listen for sure, just make sure there’s a box of tissues nearby.
Stream “Lucky” below.


Derek is a writer, record collector, gardener, and all-around music lover. He lives in Iowa with his plants and his dog, Toby.