From sitcom to singing: Frances Anderson debuts with EP ‘Drown’
"Modern Family" star Aubrey Anderson-Emmons is all grown up and sharing her true self with a soulful five-track album
Aubrey Anderson-Emmons aka Frances Anderson
Aubrey Anderson-Emmons
Words by Daniel Anderson
Best known for playing the dry-witted, scene-stealing Lily Tucker-Pritchett on Modern Family, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons grew up on one of television’s most beloved sitcoms, appearing in 200 episodes. Now, at 18, she’s stepping into a new spotlight—this time under a new name.
Going by Frances Anderson, she’s turning her focus to music with her debut EP Drown, which dropped Aug. 8. A deeply personal five-track project, Drown explores themes of family, identity, heartbreak, and healing, all told through a dreamy indie-pop lens. Anderson has already introduced listeners to her songwriting with singles like “Telephones and Traffic” and “Don’t Forget Me,” and is now preparing to bring her sound to the stage.
The singer-songwriter recently chatted with JoySauce about her foray into music and aspirations going forward.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Daniel Anderson: Thank you for your time and chatting with me today.
Frances Anderson: Oh, of course. And we have the same last name!
DA: Yeah! I’m an adoptee from China.
FA: Oh my god! My mom is an adoptee.
DA: I really appreciated your portrayal as Lily on the show and just everything that meant for adopted families and cultural representation. But I’d love to start by talking about your music career and your new album. You’re now releasing music under the name Frances Anderson. What inspired that decision, and what does this new name represent for you?
FA: I wish I had some grand old answer, but honestly? Frances Anderson is actually part of my legal name. Frances is my middle name. I was named after a family friend and I just wanted a shorter stage name. People already knew me as Lily, so when I thought about what people would call me now, I figured, well, I can change it if I want. So I did.
DA: Was there a specific moment that sparked this shift into music or have you always had that relationship with music growing up?
FA: There was definitely a shift. In high school, I started going to a lot of house shows around L.A. Pretty much all my friends were musicians, mostly rock, punk, even funk musicians and I had so much fun watching them perform. I remember thinking, “Wow, performing seems so fun.” And it is.
I’ve been playing since high school, and that’s really when I found this amazing community here in L.A. It was also the first time I got to really socialize with people my age. Growing up on set, I was the only kid around, and I was homeschooled. So when COVID happened and then high school started, that was kind of the first time I was really able to socialize.
DA: When you performed for the first time, whether it was in high school, was that nerve-wracking for you compared to being a performer on Modern Family or in theater? Or is there not much of a difference?
FA: It is different. Because the thing is with live performances, you can't be like, “Oh, I messed that up, let me retake that,” whereas on Modern Family—and I would say maybe the adults more than the kids, too—they screw up lines and you just know you can retake it. That's the difference between TV and performing live.
I even did some little cabaret thing, doing covers and little shows when I was younger, like 5 or 6. But performing your own original music is definitely more of a vulnerable experience.
DA: I want to get into that original music. Let's talk about “Telephones and Traffic.” I want to know kind of what the inspiration was behind the track, and how it came together for you.
FA: Um, well, I’ve been really honest about what this song is about so far, and people are like, “Oh.” But I’m just gonna say it. It’s about a family member who left me when I was 13. Usually, I had to go between houses a lot as a kid, and this one person was always on the phone, and we were always in traffic, going back and forth between houses every day or so. That’s why it’s called “Telephones and Traffic.” Lines like, “I try to make your face,” I haven’t seen you in so long, I don’t even remember what your face looks like. I can’t really picture it too well. So that’s what that song is about.
DA: In your creative process, do the lyrics come first? The melody? Is there a particular mood or setting that helps when you’re recording?
FA: I feel like when it comes to writing, I get little bursts of inspiration from everywhere, whether it’s a movie I watch, a book I read, somebody I hadn’t seen in years that I run into in public, things like that. Little conversations I have with people. Inspiration can be pulled from anywhere. Sometimes when I have those little bursts of inspiration, it’ll be a lyric. Maybe that lyric turns into nothing, but sometimes I just keep adding on and adding on. I feel I’m pretty good at writing lyrics on my own. But sometimes it does start with my guitar and just me in my room.
I don’t have a specific process. I never sit down and go, “I need to write right now.” It’s more I need to write or I feel like I should write. I trust that the inspiration will come at the right time.
D.A: I wanted to ask about “Don’t Forget Me.” I really enjoyed the lyric video—the visuals, the cinematography, and how nostalgic it all felt. It made me curious about how you're building out the visual world of Frances and your artistry. Can you walk me through that process a bit?
FA: Oh, that's a good question. When it comes to the visual aspect of things I’m so unversed when it comes to old TV shows and movies. But I feel like my visuals definitely give more of a nostalgic vibe. For example, “Don’t Forget Me,” the cover for that was on a Polaroid. I’ve taken and posted a lot of Polaroids, too. I like that kind of aesthetic. I feel like if you just looked at my Pinterest boards, it’s giving whimsical sometimes.
DA: Has your experience in the entertainment industry helped you in the transition to being a musician? Or do you feel like it’s a completely different world that you’re still trying to navigate?
FA: It’s a bit different. It helps that I have training. I don’t have actual media training like some Disney or Nickelodeon kids got, but the fact that I’ve been doing interviews and red carpets for years, I think that’s very helpful.
And social media, learning how to promote things, that’s a new area for me. I’ve been doing social media for a while and have had a bigger platform since I was like 13, so I’ve learned how to do that. But promoting music is different. And even just all the steps you go through to record music even though I’ve been writing for a while, I only started less than a year ago.
DA: When it came to introducing yourself as Frances and showing this singer-songwriter side of you, was that nerve-wracking at all in the beginning? Or does it feel more liberating because you finally get to share yourself and talk about yourself in a way you maybe hadn’t before?
FA: I would say it’s more liberating. I think putting yourself out on social media like that in general is nerve-wracking, so I’d definitely say a bit of both. And I think learning how to handle things like hate comments, sh*tty DMs where people are really cyberbullying—dealing with cyberbullying is a lot. And while I’ve been on social media more than I probably should be recently—because I’ve been posting all my music and trying to make sure I get that out—I’ve definitely struggled with it. I get way less hate than I do love on social media, which I’m really grateful for. But those types of things obviously affect me. I won’t act like they don’t.
But for the most part, it’s liberating, because I just realized, I don’t care anymore. This is who I want to be, and I get to put it out there. And if people don’t like that, then that’s their business, not mine. I can’t be everyone’s cup of tea. And that goes for anyone in life. We can’t all be everybody’s cup of tea.
DA: You came out as bi recently. Why did you decide now was the time to share that about yourself?
FA: I didn’t have any hesitation, and I also didn’t really think of it as a coming out because it just seemed like this kind of obvious thing that I thought everybody already assumed or knew. It was never meant to be some big, “Look at me, I’m coming out,” thing. I think some people thought I was trying to do that, and were like, “It’s none of our business,” or, “Why should we care?” or, “Damn, the news is slow today.” And I’m like, “Bruh, yeah—the news is slow today.” Why is this what we care about?
I just thought people would get a laugh out of it because of the whole Modern Family clip. And I know people really do. People engage with my posts when it’s about Modern Family. That’s honestly what I was thinking about more than anything. It shouldn’t have to be a big thing to come out. That should just be a normalized thing.
DA: I want to get into the EP a bit more and talk about some of your overall inspirations—sonically or emotionally. Was there anything that really shaped the themes or the feeling of the album? Like something you were listening to on repeat, or even a movie that inspired you?
FA: My EP goes in chronological order. It starts off with “Telephones in Traffic,” which is about my childhood. Then “Turn the Light On,” that’s about my high school sweetheart. Then we have my cover of “Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I dedicated my version to my childhood best friend. Her name is Katie, and if you hear the bridge, you’ll hear two people laughing. It’s this audio of me and her from when we were like 12, just laughing. It was when I was trying to make my first song ever, and we couldn’t get through it because we kept laughing. And then “Don’t Forget Me” is about when I left my high school sweetheart. And finally, we have “Drown,” which is just kind of a mix of it all together. It’s about mental health and struggling a bit and not knowing what to do.
DA: As far as performing the EP live, have you given any thought to what that might look like? Or what kind of stage you’d want to create if people came to see you live?
FA: Oh, for sure! I’ve been playing shows out in L.A. for a while. I’ve played the Bourbon Room, and I’ve played smaller places too. And when it comes to my band, I’m actually putting it together right now. Things aren’t finalized but I’m looking into maybe opening for people on tour. I might even play a show in the U.K. soon. I’m figuring it out, but there is definitely a chance that people will be able to see me live soon.
DA: And any dream artists you’d love to collaborate with?
FA: It definitely depends on what vibe of song I’d want to make. If we’re going a little bit jazzy, I’d definitely say Laufey. And if we’re going with something more indie, which I feel like is more my genre, people compare me to Laufey and Mitski a lot. And it’s literally because I’m Asian. It’s because I’m half Asian! But the thing is, they’re both incredibly good musicians. And they’re so different from each other. If I wanted to make more of an indie song? Most definitely Mitski. She’s so cool.
Published on September 1, 2025
Words by Daniel Anderson
Daniel Anderson is a disabled Chinese American adoptee based in Seattle. His freelance writing specialties include K-pop, entertainment, and food. He believes that any restaurant can be a buffet, and the key to success is to take a nap each day. Follow his adventures on Instagram @danzstan.