Élise Lounici, known as FRANK and officially Elise FRANK from 2025 onward, is a French singer, guitarist and songwriter born on January 1, 1996, in Tarbes (France). She began writing and composing in her teenage years and truly came into her own as the frontwoman of Spooky Poppies, with whom she released an EP in 2019.

She launched her solo career during the covid crisis, turning a confined bedroom into a creative laboratory and using the street as her first stage. This period allowed her to reconnect with emotion, rediscover the sincerity of words, and explore the expressive nuances of the guitar. The result is a bold and distinctive sound that blends deep America blues with the raw energy of 1990s and 2000s garage rock. It stands apart from the polished aesthetic of modern productions and embrace a more authentic and unfiltered approach to music.

In 2022, performing in a newly formed power trio, FRANK returned to the stage after two years of cultural shutdown and quickly attracted local attention. Around the same time, a collaboration began with Cristal Production, who has accompanied her in her artistic development ever since. Later that autumn, the artist and her band fulfilled a childhood dream by touring in Ireland, an experience that confirmed her desire to bring her music abroad and to places where live performance remains central to cultural life.

Back in France, Elise, still performing as FRANK, recorded her fully self-produced debut album as a quartet with Thom Carlton on guitar, Colin Pradier on bass, and Sébastien Gaschard on drums. Released in April 2023, “I’m a Phony and a Fraud” received enthusiastic praise from both the media and the public, including a review in Rock & Folk. The album opened doors to major venues and festivals such as the legendary Cognac Blues Passions in France, where Buddy Guy also appeared on the bill. Following the support of Les Abattoirs in Cognac, La Sirène in La Rochelle also offered her a professional support, leading to opportunities to perform solo and to open for artists including Robert Finley, Delgres, Gaëlle Buswel, Moundrag and Ben L’Oncle Soul.

In 2024, the name FRANK began to resonate more widely within the blues world. A standout appearance at the Rory Gallagher Festival in Ireland drew significant attention. Choosing to focus on the immediacy of live performance and improvisation rather than producing highly polished visual material, Elise embraced authenticity as her artistic direction. This approach proved successful and brought invitations from the UK, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, and Poland to perform at major blues festivals across Europe. Her work was also featured in L’Encyclopédie du Rock en France by Christophe Goffette.

That same year, Elise composed the original soundtrack for Targuia, a documentary by Leïla Artese Benhadj, produced by Justin Pechberty and Nabil Bellahsene, for Les Valseurs.

In 2025, she signed with Ruf Records and joined the roster of On The Road Again, officially adopting the name Elise FRANK. This new chapter begins with the release of her album “I Didn’t Pay For It”, featuring Josselin Fleury on bass, Sébastien Gaschard on drums, and guitarist Laura Chavez as a special guest. Elise will tour this second record throughout Europe, with a strong presence in Germany, as part of Blues Caravan 2026.