Spotlight – French 79

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Spotlight – French 79

Today our Spotlight – French 79. We got the chance to pick the bring of the man behind French 79 and talk about his music and the recent project TEENAGERS. It’s not every day we get to talk to someone new coming out of France which always makes it more interesting. Check out the convo right now and leave some love.

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. Can you give a little intro about who you are to new readers?

My name is Simon, I live in Marseille, France. I have been producing electronic music for about 10 years and my third album is out on May 5th. It’s called TEENAGERS.

What inspired you to pursue a career in music, and who were some of your early musical influences?

I have always dreamed of a career in music. I grew up with my mother who played the piano at home and I have always been fascinated by this artistic world where we are very free to do what we want. I don’t really have any major influences but I often refer to the freedom bands of the 60s who had to really do what they wanted without thinking too much about the future!

Your new album "Teenagers" is coming out on May 5th. How has this 3rd album evolved from previous ones?

I took more time to think about the concept of the album and I find that this album presents something more coherent between the titles that are in it. It tells a story, a passage in my life that was important to me because it was the very founder of who I am today. I also took more time on the sound and the quality of the arrangements.

Can you tell us a bit about the creative process behind it?

Each title evokes a precise moment of my adolescence or else refers to a lived moment. I didn’t want to say too much either because I think that everyone should appropriate the music, everyone can feel different things when listening to the titles, and we have to keep that! When creating each track, I try to remember a particular moment, then I go to the studio and I try to transcribe this moment with my synthesizers.

What new themes or ideas did you explore on this album?

I didn’t really tackle new themes but I tried to take a lot more freedom, whether in the rhythms, in the bpm of each title, and also in the construction of each title. For example, I took the liberty of doing a MOOG chorus at the beginning of a piece…. when you start writing titles, in general, you don’t do that. This time, I didn’t forbid myself anything at all!

Your music has been described as "dreamy" and "ethereal." Can you talk a bit about the role that atmosphere and mood play in your compositions?

I would say that my music can be considered like that because the chord sequences and the melodies that I compose can often be accompanied well by images. It can be imaged on a screen but also images that you can create for yourself, a traveling shot of the landscape when you take the plane or the train. I think that’s what makes my music dreamy.

What’s your favorite track you are excited for people to hear?

I would say the title “Teenagers” because it’s a song that evokes a lot of personal things for me and I think everyone can appropriate it in their own way.

Many of your songs feature electronic and acoustic instruments, as well as vocal samples. How do you balance these elements to create a cohesive sound?

It’s a long job that took me several years. It’s not easy to integrate electronic sounds with acoustic sounds. Before we added a little synth in an acoustic piece, or we only used electronic elements. I think you have to spend a lot more time before recording on a synth than on a guitar. If we neglect specific synth settings, then the sound will take up too much space and we won’t be able to add anything more like a voice for example. Sometimes you also have to try to make a synth sound like an acoustic instrument. I often try to make my synths sound like a brass ensemble for example, or a Moog like an acoustic bass.

Your music videos are often visually striking and incorporate elements of surrealism and fantasy. How do you approach the visual aspect of your work, and how do you collaborate with other artists to bring your ideas to life?

To keep consistency in all my video clips, I always work with the same directors. They are childhood friends I grew up with. We know each other very well and it is easier to understand each other. We speak first of a concept, I insist a lot on the coherence of the images with the title itself, we agree on a universe, and from there, I let them do what they do much better than me. In work and in all things I think, you have to know how to trust people. If I give my opinion too much, or if I take the place of others, then the result will always be worse! If I’m not happy with the result, then it’s because I made the wrong choice around me!

You've collaborated with several artists and producers throughout your career. Can you speak to the importance of collaboration in your creative process?

I thrive on collaborations. Each artist has something to teach the other. Collaborating also allows me to go do things that I would never have done on my own. In the word collaboration, there can be many different things: inspiration, motivation, solution, admiration…

What has been your most memorable live performance to date, and what made it stand out?

Live at the Olympia. For me, playing in Paris in the most mythical hall in France touched me a lot. For lots of reasons, the pressure was high, the audience was crazy, the place is magnificent, the sound was crazy…. and then I was in the same box as Edith Piaf, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Nirvana, and so many others. And even if I will probably play it again, the first time is always the most memorable!

What’s something on your go-to playlist that people might not expect that you are listening to?

Lots of jazz. I’ve always been fascinated by this music, I listened to it a lot when I was little at home.

What are your plans for the future, both in terms of musical projects and personal goals?

In terms of music, I think the tour is going to take me a long time. It has not started and will surely last more than a year, even two! In personal terms, I wish I could take more time to do nothing… but it’s going to be complicated 😉

Are any artists out there that are on the come-up that you think we should be paying attention to?

There are so many and you are probably more aware than me being music journalists, but I would say that you have to listen to the Indian electronic scene…

This Spotlight – French 79 has come to a wrap. Big thanks for taking the time to chat

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