Midnight Navy

Words Abby L. Johnson | Photos Baptiste Despois

Midnight Navy is revitalizing Chicano soul of years’ past for a modern audience. Songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Francisco Jose Rosales, better known by his stage moniker Midnight Navy, was raised in Corpus Christi on a musical diet of bossa nova and jazz. Inspired by the music his family listened to and enjoyed, Francisco picked up the saxophone, his first instrument, in middle school and has yet to put it down. 

He recalls his father asked him to learn “The Girl From Ipanema,” specifically the 1964 version featuring Stan Getz on saxophone. “To me, the saxophone was always cool, you know? It just set you apart,” he adds, noting the singular allure associated with the instrument. 

Francisco continued his musical education by playing in jazz band and marching band through school, all while honing his songwriting skills in his free time. He moved to Austin in 2016, after finishing up a program studying landscape architecture at Arizona State, purposely choosing not to study sax, hoping to keep the passion in his creative outlet separate from the demands of school. Though he arrived in the city ostensibly for a design job, it was the city that set the stage for creating the Midnight Navy persona.

With this new endeavor, Francisco sought to polish up his sound, brand, and music in a new way. “I really wanted to emphasize a different style of music that I was into but hadn’t fully embraced it. So, it was definitely more songwriting, more singing, more melodic structures, and that sort of thing,” he explains.

Whether crooning in Spanish or English, Francisco’s voice has an airy, gentle quality well-suited to his particular brand of bedroom pop. His work pays homage to Chicano and Latin soul of the early 60s and 70s with a modern twist, a softness and earnestness that offers listeners a glimpse into his world.

For Francisco, the visual aspect of the project is just as important as the sound. “The world of Midnight Navy isn’t just music, but it’s the esthetics as well. I design and draw, sketch all of the concepts and colors, and essentially, I creatively direct my own world,” he says. The Midnight Navy signature look includes tight, slick braids, dark, chunky sunglasses, and tailored outfits emulating 90s Chicano styles. The sum of the look and the music makes for a complete vision rooted in respect for artists’ past.

Francisco’s steady dedication to his project has paid off. He is now working on Midnight Navy full time with a stage band to back him up. He made the leap after he was let go from his design job a week before South by Southwest 2024. “It was really one of those serendipitous moments, I think. Because deep down, I knew this was something I wanted to really invest my time and effort into. And I just needed a sign or a push. Sometimes it’s not you doing that; it’s something else.”

Favorite Haunts
Francisco’s favorite Austin venues include C-Boys, Antone’s, and Mohawk.

@midnightnavy