What sets this rock star’s reimagined Bali retreat apart from the others

American hip hop musician Michael Franti tells a good story about a song that came to him while house-sitting for his friend, well-known actor Woody Harrelson.

Franti was in the shower and in a flurry of creativity scrawled the lyrics to Life is Better into the mist on the glass. Soon after, while Franti was sitting on the toilet, Harrelson phoned. Franti recalls saying: “Mate, I’ve just written a hit song on your toilet”, to which Harrelson wittily replied “will it be a number one or a number two?”

Such anecdotes speak more to Franti’s natural easy-going affinity with a crowd than to any ego-driven Hollywood name-dropping. The singer-songwriter and lead vocalist of his band Michael Franti and Spearhead is also known variously as a rapper, activist, poet and documentarian. I’m lucky enough to be getting to know him, along with his wife, Sara Agah Franti, as the founder of Soulshine Bali resort, north of Ubud, where I’m sampling the signature “soulrocker retreat”, which is hosted by the couple.

Here amid the towering coconut trees and rice paddies, Franti is as likely to be found talking tunes and telling industry tales as he is recording music and touring.

Soulshine opened a decade ago, but during the pandemic years, the Frantis reimagined it as a wellness retreat with music as its inspiration. A major renovation and extension followed. Now the original 16 suites provide a traditional Bali guesthouse experience, while the extension, with 17 contemporary suites, adds a playful post lockdown dimension that speaks equally to the need for guests to relax and reset, as have a good time.

“We want guests to enjoy a wellness experience without being afraid to have a shot of tequila if they want one,” Franti says.

I’m staying in one of the new Panorama suites, with a central king bed, rear bathroom and sizeable front balcony overlooking tiered rice fields (which the Frantis own and maintain) and jungle greenery. The musical touches set the suites apart from any others in Bali. Before arriving, I was asked to list some of my favourite albums. The reason becomes clear now, with each room sporting a Marley record player, Marshall speakers and a bespoke collection of records pulled from Franti’s 100-strong vinyl record library. Hanging alongside framed prints of John and Yoko, and Prince, is an acoustic guitar. It’s in-tune and ready to be played, reminding me I should have kept up all those lessons. As I’m dropping the needle on Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black, I’m torn between slipping out to the balcony with a stiff drink from the cocktail “maxi bar”, or sliding into the big black terrazzo bathtub for my own version of rock star living.