Franc Moody, Coco & Breezy, and TALK 

There’s no one way to tour. Every artist and their team have a different experience – from connecting with fans, to lounging at the hotel with your bandmates, to unshakable pre-show rituals, and of course the unique dynamics at play between all the people who make life on the road possible. And though it can be intense, most artists would tell you that they wouldn’t have it any other way. There’s a quintessential element to rock and roll stardom that can only be found on the road.

In celebration of all the things that make life as a touring artist special, Rolling Stone and Marriott Bonvoy have set out to discover what makes travel so special (and essential) for artists of all kinds. Along the way, we caught up with various musicians, including UK-based house music collective Franc Moody in Chicago, bicoastal DJs and producers Coco & Breezy in Los Angeles, and Canadian singer-songwriter TALK in New York City to find out what defines their lives on the road. Now, they’ve all converged at one of the year’s best music festivals, Las Vegas’ own Life is Beautiful.

The Life is Beautiful Music & Art festival, now in its tenth year, is an annual celebration that brings tens of thousands of attendees to the city’s downtown – née “Old Vegas” – beginning on the iconic Fremont Street. Since launching in 2013, its mission has been to elevate the profile of downtown Vegas, drawing attention to cultural centers of the city other than the strip. It’s a festival like no other, with an energy to itself, and the perfect place to find our journey’s end.

The Expansion of Franc Moody

Rolling Stone originally caught up with the collective’s lead duo and founders, Ned Franc and Jon Moody, during their stay at Chicago’s The Blackstone, Autograph Collection hotel, where they walked us through the house music scene of the historic city that originally inspired them to create their own eclectic sound.

This time, after an eye-popping and masterfully plated breakfast at The Pepper Club, we captured the whole group in a rare quiet moment just after their sound check at the JBL Stage, where they’d soon perform on the festival’s inaugural day.

When asked about what makes this trip special, Ned Franc said, “This is the first live band gig we’ve done in Vegas; this is a big experience. Jon and I have DJ’d here before, but we’ve never taken the band here. So, it’s kind of a big thing for everyone, firstly to see Vegas, which is obviously an interesting place, but then also to play is very, very exciting.”

One of the key elements to Franc Moody’s touring experience has been “expansion,” not just of their own personal horizons by visiting new cities and countries, but as people and artists recognizing the gravity of their evolving perspective.

Ned continued, “One of the nicest things amongst all this is that it’s a really good bonding experience, going with a group of people on these tours and seeing the places from this particular vantage point. It’s a real privilege. You go through these highs and lows, and it’s staggering, exhilarating, frustrating, and wonderful all at the same time.”

“You will always have these memories.”

Finding Balance with Coco & Breezy

It’s been a long road for twin sister DJ duo Coco & Breezy. We last spoke with them during a sunny poolside escape at the luxurious AC Hotel Downtown Los Angeles, where the producers and entrepreneurs took a moment to mentally and physically reset after an especially arduous leg of their tour. Since then, they’ve played another dozen shows, leading to Colorado where they say the high altitude really took its toll.

But on this night, in a graffiti-soaked passage alongside Container City’s Mantis Stage, where they’d soon be spinning vinyl on the festival’s second day, the sisters had found their zen.

Coco said, “We’ve gotten to a point where we don’t let the distractions disturb our peace. We used to come to Vegas, and I used to allow the energy to bother me or distract me; there’s so much going on. That doesn’t bother us as much. Earlier, we were walking from the stage, and we were rushing. We were like, ‘Why are we rushing?’ Take your time.”

And time is valuable to Coco & Breezy, especially time to reflect and appreciate their position. That’s especially true on this day, as they’re about to fulfill a lifelong dream.

Reminiscing, Breezy noted, “We dreamed of performing at Life is Beautiful. I remember, years ago, we had never even been to a festival. We were walking around Old Vegas and saw something gated off, and it was Life is Beautiful. We were like, ‘We’re gonna DJ there,’ and now we’re here.”

On their time in Vegas, Coco said, “What I enjoy [about] Vegas is that I know we can give people something that they didn’t know that they needed. I know that sometimes Vegas can be like a super party, a heavy energy type of city but I’m pumped that we can at least give people some balance and some love and some soul.”

“We are at a point in our lives that we are experiencing these things that we dreamed about. So, I’m taking it all in. It’s time to be present and enjoy these moments while we can.”

The TALK Connection

For Canadian singer-songwriter, TALK, the road to beautiful has been lined with good times. Our previous conversation took place at the atmospheric Moxy Brooklyn Williamsburg hotel, where the musician waxed poetic about the people that make his life whole and the beauty of a bacon, egg, and cheese. And just like that evening, which took off at Moxy’s resident club Jolene, this night, too, will end in dancing.

Returning to the JBL Stage for the festival third day, the Sunday vibes were on the rise like the warm Vegas heat as we stepped backstage with TALK and his team at soundcheck. Tuning his guitar and strumming a few chords, TALK took a moment to relish this point in his journey – returning to North America after a long leg across Europe, and how much this all matters.

He said, “I love these kinds of events. You get on stage with your buddies, and you start singing and I don’t expect everyone to know me here, but we are just playing for us. Even after [touring] and playing sold-out European shows, I still just love to be on stage with my friends.”

Friends are important to TALK, as we saw in Brooklyn where he and his friends took the borough by storm. But for him, it goes deeper – those connections are a vital part of his life and career, and something he views as a superpower for him.

“I think it’s something unique to a few artists. I mean, everyone loves their band, but we grew up together and we’ve played together for a decade, so it’s kind of a little bit of a different experience. I think that’s really special. I think that they love it as much as I do, too.”

And unlike his contemporaries Franc Moody or Coco & Breezy, TALK is experiencing Vegas for the very first time.

“I’ve never been to Vegas before, so this is kind of like a thing you check off the list. I haven’t played anything in this area – the closest thing is LA. It’s a whole vibe just being here.”

“The people are really nice and that’s all that matters. Everything else will fall into place. Good people, good friends, good drinks, and good music.”

From there, TALK went on to take the stage for another thrilling show. He, like all the artists that weekend, had reached the end of this specific road – the road to beautiful. For some, the journey picks right back up as their tour continues. For others, Life is Beautiful served as a soft punctuation on a long bout of travel. But all would agree that the greatest gift they have is the experience of being artists on a shared journey, filled with inspiration, wonder, and awe at how their music can touch people across the globe. They all have their own roads to travel.

Where will yours take you?

The Road to Beautiful is a series of stories on how travel inspires Life is Beautiful artists, presented by Marriott Bonvoy and Rolling Stone.

The hotels featured in this series – The English, Tribute Portfolio, The Blackstone, Autograph Collection, Moxy Brooklyn Williamsburg, and AC Hotel Downtown LA – are all a part of Marriott Bonvoy, a portfolio of over 30 hotel brands and experiences that can inspire any stay. Where can we take you?