Following in the same footsteps as the undisputed King of Pop is sixth grade West Orange, NJ middle school student Lil Frankie J. When he was only 10 years old, the child prodigy captured America’s heart last summer on the Tik Tok app with hit single “Roo Walk.”
In the video, Frankie recites simple but aesthetically appealing lyrics on a trap drum beat with references to his idol Michael Jackson’s hits such as “ABC.” All the while, he’s showing off some fancy footwork with his own “Frankie twist” dance.
“What inspires me most about Michael Jackson is that he began his career at a young age just like me,” Frankie explains. “Knowing that he worked hard, even at my age, made me realize that I could follow my dreams of creating music for everyone to enjoy. He was also passionate about his work. When I perform, I put all my effort into my work to show my dedication.”
Born Frank James, Jr., the multi-talented minor was first introduced to Jackson by his grandmother when he was only a year old. For a Christmas present, he to Jackson’s diamond-selling Thriller album. The 60-million-selling album stayed in repeat rotation in young Frankie’s room.
Michael Joseph Jackson was only seven years old when he first stepped on stage at a local talent competition, stole the show with his amazing prepubescent voice and walked away with the first-place prize. Spending his childhood submersed in perfecting his singing and dancing, MJ rose to superstar status as a young adult to become one of the greatest musicians of all time.
“I remember listening to the album all the time,” he recalls. “The music put me in a happy mood, and I would just dance to every song.”
Much like Michael, Frankie first took his talents to a stage at eight years old at a school talent show. He sang the first verse and chorus to the Jackson 5 1971 ballad “Maybe Tomorrow.” Even though, he did not win first place, Frankie knew at that very moment the stage was meant to be his home.
“I really wasn’t nervous because everyone knew already, I loved to perform,” he admits. “Even though I won third place, it pushed me to work harder.”
The following year, Frankie returned to perform in the talent show and won first place.
His father noticed the boy’s tenacity and got his son signed to a New York City talent agency, which afforded him the opportunity to appear as a kid actor on the Larry Wilmore Show, Madame Secretary and BrainPOP.
Also, while continuing to pursue his career in showmanship, Frankie saw the Writerz Block Challenge, so his father brought Frankie to the Writerz Block Studio. There, he wrote the lyrics to “Roo Walk” with the assistance of his producer and dance coach in less than three hours.
“I was really nervous going to my first studio session,” he admits. “Of course, I knew this would-be part of the process, but I didn’t have any experience at a studio. But once I went into the booth to record, I took a couple of deep breaths and my confidence kicked in. It was so cool to learn how music is recorded from beginning to end.”
After posting the video to social media, it caught on like wildfire. Frankie J had become an overnight celebrity. “Because the video was watched by so many people, I started to gain more followers and received positive reviews,” he details. “I was really excited! My friends and family know how passionate I am about becoming an entertainer.”
There’s no denying that Frankie J is a star in the making. “Roo Walk” is currently available to stream on all digital platforms.
