Aaron Frazer

Biography

Aaron Frazer is an American multi-instrumentalist and songwriter best known as one of the founding members of the R&B and soul group Durand Jones and the Indications.

Alongside Durand Jones, Frazer continues to serve as the co-lead singer for The Indications, but he’s also recently started his solo career. Since the release of his 2017 solo debut, the single “My God Has a Telephone,” he’s put out a full-length album as a solo artist and continued releasing music with The Indications.

Frazer is now one of the hottest voices in the world of modern soul and R&B. Get to know more about him by reading below.

instruments played

drums

percussion

synthesizer

Vocals

Frazer as a Member of The Indications

Durand Jones & The Indications have been active since 2012, when the group was founded by Blake Rhein, Aaron Frazer, and Durand Jones. Rhein, the group’s principal guitarist, and Frazer met while studying at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. There, they bonded with Durand Jones over their mutual love of retro soul records.

Who Are The Indications?

At the time, Jones was studying classical saxophone at the University, far from his home state of Louisiana. Durand became friends with Rhein – and subsequently, Frazer – after Rhein and Jones spent time as members of Indiana University’s Soul Revue. They were later joined by Kyle Houpt on bass and Justin Hubler on organ, who became the fourth and fifth members of the group. Houpt departed in 2019 and was replaced by Michael Isvara Montgomery, and Hubler left the group in 2017. After Hubler’s departure, Steve Okonski became the band’s new organist, pianist, and synth player.

The Band’s Distinct Sound

The Indications’ sound has been described as a mix of retro soul and R&B. The primary instruments on their recordings are bass, drums, keyboards and organ, and electric guitar – the building blocks for a standard R&B outfit. All of the members of the group provide either lead or backing vocals, often building multi-layered harmonies.

Three Successful Records

From the beginning, Frazer has been an indispensable creative asset as a member of The Indications. With the group, he’s co-written three studio albums – Durand Jones & The Indications in 2016, American Love Call in 2019, and Private Space in 2021. That most recent record became the group’s first to chart on the US Billboard 200, and it’s credited to both The Indications and Frazer as a solo artist.

“My God Has a Telephone”

Aaron’s first foray into solo music was with the double single “My God Has a Telephone” back in 2017. The song is credited both to Frazer and to his side project, The Flying Stars of Brooklyn NY. The project was relatively short-lived, with their only releases being “My God Has a Telephone,” “Live On,” and a remixed version of the latter track. However, Frazer’s work under the Flying Stars moniker was wildly successful, earning over 30 million cumulative streams on Spotify.

Frazer’s Debut Solo Album

In January of 2020, Frazer recruited blues and retro-pop producer Dan Auerbach to assist him with recording his full-length debut, Introducing. Auerbach, an acclaimed producer and member of The Black Keys, worked with Frazer on his solo album while The Indications were in the pre-production process for their third record, Private Space. Introducing has a distinctly retro sound and feel, with the primary instrumentation on the tracks consisting of honky-tonk upright pianos, walking basslines, horn stabs, and tight drums. The biggest hit from the record is “Bad News,” a track that brings back memories of the work of Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, and other greats. That song currently sits at just over four million plays on Spotify.

Featuring on Private Space

The Indications’ third record was a unique release for the group, as Frazer primarily serves as a featured artist on the album. While Jones has provided the majority of the lead vocals on past albums, Frazer takes on that duty on Private Space. Tracks like “Witchoo,” “Ride or Die,” and “Love Will Work It Out” all feature lead vocals from Frazer, and they’re some of the most successful songs from the record. In addition to putting Frazer in the spotlight on a greater level, Private Space is also one of the funkiest efforts from The Indications. The album features swirly electric pianos, disco-inspired string arrangements, and arpeggiated synthesizers, as well as the band’s signature fun-loving soul sound. Another defining attribute of Private Space is that the album was primarily an in-the-family effort – the record was written and co-produced by Frazer, Jones, and the other members of the album, with only a few session musicians and guest arrangers coming in to help out. It’s The Indications and Frazer in their purest form, sounding more alive and vibrant than ever.