With a career spanning over two decades, this nineties heartthrob has taken to the stage with a new look – as fans are left gobsmacked over the unrecognisable star
He’s an iconic indie star that had fans swooning in the Noughties – but can you recognise him now?
Fran Healy, frontman of the band Travis, shocked fans with a completely look during a recent performance at Estero Picnic Festival in Colombia.
The 52-year-old rose to fame over two decades ago, and is known for hits such as Why Does It Always Rain On Me? and Sing. Travis heavily dominated the charts during the Nineties and early Noughties.
Swapping his signature bright red locks for a bleached look, the star looked unrecognisable on stage. He also wore a blue jumper and thick rimmed round glasses as he joined a number of artists, including his Travis bandmates Dougie Payne, Andy Dunlop and Neil Primrose at the Columbian festival infront of a bustling crowd.
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Other performers included The Killers, Sabrina Carpenter, Tyler the Creator and Swedish House Mafia for the three-day festival. Travis joined The Killers for a performance as well as their own set on Sunday.
Fran was born in Stafford but he was raised in Glasgow before he formed Travis in 1991 while studying at the Glasgow School of Art. The band are still going, and are currently performing across South America, with a show in Chile this month and next, and then heading to Viña del Mar, Frutillar and Santiago.
Despite taking breaks throughout their career spanning two decades, they have never parted ways. Travis released their tenth album, L.A Times, in 2024, with Fran writing the majority of their albums.
Away from the bright lights and the stage, the frontman lives in Los Angeles, having moved there in 2017 with his wife Nora Kryst, a German photographer.
The couple split after 23 years together in 2019. They share a 20-year-old son named Clay, who studies at an art school in New York, and has started a band of his own. Of the break-up, Fran said the pair transitioned from ‘lovers to parents’ but still refers to her as his ‘soul sister’.
The star suffered more heartbreak when he lost his best friend Ringan Ledwidge to cancer in 2021. Then, Travis also sacked their long-standing manager after more than 25 years together. “It was like being in a storm and you think you might sink,” he told the BBC in 2024. “Then it clears, because that’s what life does.”
Meanwhile, Fran said sacking their management was one of the “most empowering moments” as it allowed him to take control of the band again.
During a US gig last year, the frontrunner was rushed off stage and taken to hospital after twisting his ankle. He took to Instagram to tell fans it wasn’t broken but just a “gnarly sprain”.
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