10 minute read
Loïc Nottet
We could crown a new « pop prodigy » every two days but this one really deserves the title. Three years ago, Loïc Nottet’s flashing debuts through the Eurovision Contest or the French version of «Dancing with the Stars» only showcased part of his talents… In 2017, with his dense and mature debut album « Selfocracy », the young Belgian developed both an original and an immersive universe. Several months after the end of his tour, a new era is opening for the singer-songwriter… It brings new sonorities, new preoccupations and a new image already perceptible in his new single « On Fire ». Let’s meet the brilliant performer, at the dawn of a new chapter.
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On The Move: Hi Loïc ! Thanks for having us. The « Selfocracy » era linked to your debut album has come to an end a few months ago now, with the end of your tour. What has happened since then?
Loïc Nottet: Thank you for featuring me for the second time! So, it was a period of both rest and creation for me. I had composed a lot during the tour. More than after it, even if I continued after the festival season. I had a bit of a vacation for a week and then, off to work... Well, that seems negative told this way : creation more than work!
On The Move: You released a brand new track a few days ago called « On Fire », which sounds more urban than your previous material. What did you want to bring with this single?
Loïc Nottet: I wanted something a bit different, without letting go of pop music because that’s the music I love and I listen to. I wanted to stay in this pop universe but change the sonorities a bit, and bring some more urban touches as you said. I teamed up with the producers Skydancers [also known as a band : We Are I.V] which understood well what I wanted for the track. As in my previous album, I composed the track in an imaginary language, with a piano base and then, I brought them this piano-voice piece. They worked around it, proposing different versions of it. Then we went to the studio, talked and fined it down... It was the same process as in the first album but I wanted to bring something new, refreshing!
On The Move: There is also an evolution in the themes you tackle... «Selfocracy» talked about narcissism, self-centredness, stereotypes, our internal demons and eventually, tolerance. With «On Fire», it’s determination and empowerment that dominate. Will this be the dominant feeling in your future record?
Loïc Nottet: For now, I really think in terms of singles but it’s true that all the songs I’ve been composing so far are tied to a specific mood I was in. « Selfocracy » reflects what I thought about, what was in my head from my 17 to 20 years and « On Fire » now corresponds to the person I truly am today. I’ve decided to accept myself more as an artist. I needed this time to process and tell myself «yes, if you wanna wear strange things or change your hair overnight, you can do it!» If you can’t do such things as an artist, who will be able to? There was a lot of changes in my mind on these matters, and then, my new single sounds more like a battle song, more self-assured! It’s also thanks to all my experiences from the previous years... I can’t say it allowed me to be fully confident because I’m still not serene, I haven’t slept a
minute the night before the release of «On Fire». When it came out, I was online every 5 minutes to check the comments, I am really not fully confident but I believe a bit more in myself now!
On The Move: The music video for « On Fire » just came out. What has guided you through the creation of this very dreamlike visual?
Loïc Nottet: It’s the most artistic music video I have done so far. I wanted to come up with a very peculiar concept and try to do something unique – even if today, it’s pretty difficult to do something that we have never seen before. I wanted to go back to basics, to use as little technology as possible. I wanted a more colorful video, also more poetic and narrative. Something more imaginary actually! I let go of reality completely, and proposed an indefinite place. Or at least, a place you understand is not real. It is a bit more childish somehow, there is more fantasy!
On The Move : « Selfocracy » was a concept album, where you developed a total work of art through lyricism, music, dance and graphic arts. Will your next album be in this continuity – like another chapter to the story – or do you want to approach it in a completely different way ?
Loïc Nottet : I always think on a 360° scope, even still today. When « On Fire » came to my mind, it also brought the artwork, the music video, the clothes, the imagery, the colors, the stage settings… It all came at the same time. Like a full package! Regarding my next album, I’ve already been asked if it would be the followup of « Selfocracy ». Indirectly, I think it will be… I mean, « Selfocracy » is 100% me, when it comes to the message behind it, or at least that’s what I’ve been through. I haven’t lived much, but this is what I felt like in my teenage years, that’s why I don’t regret a thing about « Selfocracy ». Even if now I can understand why some people thought it was too dark…. Today, I see it because I’m not dived in it anymore. But I don’t regret it because it was what I had to do at that specific time. Today, I want another image, other colors, but yes, it can be seen at the follow-up… Adele named each of her records with a different age. I’m not going to do that, but each record corresponds to an age indeed. In the end, if I’m lucky enough to have a long career, I want to be able to put each record next to each other and say: « Do you want to know who I am? Here it is, 18, 22 years old… My conception of the world and my place in it, it’s all in the songs. » But it doesn’t prevent it from being different each time. Now, I want something fresher, more luminous!
On The Move: Has your creation process changed since the release of « Selfocracy »? I read that, for your debut album, you got inspired by watching movies without the sound… Do you still do that?
Loïc Nottet: Yes, I do. I really need images to get inspired… I really love human bodies, I need to see those characters, those costumes, or even just objects. If I see an abandoned chair, I can find a certain poetry in it and compose something in my head. Then I could write a song whose name would be « Chair » but it would have a whole other meaning. So, yeah, regarding images, nothing has changed. But when it comes to my team, it’s cool because I had the chance to work with new people. I co-wrote « On Fire » with Sacha Skarbek. He is a very talented British producer from London. At first, I was a bit afraid because he composed and co-wrote songs such as « Wrecking Ball » from Miley Cyrus, he worked with Adele, Lana Del Rey, and a lot of other big names. I was scared to meet someone self-centred but he was the complete opposite, so chill. I had also never worked in this country before. But it was a very interesting and brand new experience. As I don’t write everything myself - I give my ideas, we work to put it in form and then I sing to see if I feel it –, it allowed me to grow and learn a lot in this field.
On The Move: We’re talking language here… Has it ever crossed your mind to write in French, your mother tongue?
Loïc Nottet: I already write a lot in French, actually. I have some texts but for now… I love French, especially when it is so well used. I think of artists like Jacques Brel, who absolutely mastered our language. And in his mouth, the words went so well. But I feel like, with the music that I do, it wouldn’t be the same in French…
On The Move: It’s the transition to singing that bothers you…
Loïc Nottet: Exactly! When I compose in this indefinite language, it always somehow sounds English *he sings a bit of « On Fire »* I don’t like to alter the song and enforce words or sonorities that didn’t come out naturally. But never say never ! Maybe one day, I’ll perform in French but for now, I don’t know.
On The Move: Dance is also a big part of your universe. How do you practice it on a daily basis?
Loïc Nottet: Unfortunately, I don’t practice it much these days. For now, we focus more on the creation, the image, the video and stuff. I don’t have time anymore for a daily training, like I used to do. But I think I would need to hire a sports coach to train a bit and to force me to go easy on McDonald’s because God knows how I love junkfood (laughs) I’d really like to go back to sports, also because concerts are coming and I will need to have that discipline again.
On The Move: You had your first festival season this summer. How did it go ? How did you adapt your perfectly crafted show to this particular format?
Loïc Nottet: Well, it was less difficult than what I imagined. I thought I would be frustrated but in fact, it went smoothly. We kept the dancers to the maximum. When we were able to set up the screens, we did it. There was some adaptations obviously, some of the scenes had to be changed – as the one where I’m playing the puppet because we couldn’t use the proper material – but it was also positive, it refreshed the whole project somehow. We toured for quite a while with the « Selfocracy » show and in the end, it was exciting to arrive at the festivals and to make some changes! After all, I coped well with it.
On The Move: Was it hard to perform in front of a public that isn‘t necessarily yours, that you have to win over?
Loïc Nottet: It was very nice actually! But I was pretty anxious because I always think people will throw things at me and tell me to go away…
On The Move: There are little chances!
Loïc Nottet: Yes but I am so paranoid, I was shaking everytime. But in the end, I could see people staying, not leaving in the middle of the set, and clapping loudly so I was so pleased! I could feel like I had conquered something, that I had touched another public than the one following me for several years now. In a sense, it’s more complicated to win over people that have never
seen you before because you start from scratch… If you release a single that’s a little bit less good, your usual public will « forgive » you and say « it’s okay, he’s done better things ». From another perspective, if you disappoint your public too strongly, it can be irreversible too! So it depends but overall, festivals were a great experience.
On The Move: There were some featurings on the tracklist of « Selfocracy », with Lil Trip, Shogun and Raphaella. Is there any collaborations you’re dreaming of?
Loïc Nottet: A lot! For the upcoming songs, we would like to have featurings. But it’s always a game of negociations, talking, to see if it can be done. But it’s a wish, from my part and from the label to have some. Outside of these considerations, a collab with Imagine Dragons -going in the studio and creating with themwould be a huge dream!
On The Move: The Belgian musical scene is very dynamic these days, with a lot of talents who get to cross the borders and meet success abroad. We’re thinking about Angèle, Roméo Elvis, Tamino, Oscar and The Wolf or Tsar B. How do you explain this?
Loïc Nottet: Is there a «Belgian Touch»? Honestly, I don’t know but we do have this particular sense of humour, especially around Brussels… I’m thinking about Angèle here. This vibe –that I couldn’t explain properly- is also very strong in Alice On The Roof ’s latest track « Malade ». I like it, very Belgian in a way!
On The Move: You were telling earlier about seeing your art on « a 360 degrees scope ». I feel like this is a common point : having this strong, identifiable universes like Angèle or Oscar and The Wolf.
Loïc Nottet: Yes, I don’t know… That was the case for Stromae too! Is that because we’re a divided country and we are strongly influenced by the Anglo-American culture on our Dutch side? There are a lot of international artists that forged strong universes for themselves. Maybe we’re inspired by that… I, for instance, have always been
listening to English pop – British or American – I have never listened to another language so I am inevitably inspired and influenced by it. British and American artists are great performers and are going far to create their own worlds. Maybe that’s it, I don’t know.
On The Move: If you could talk to your 18 year-old self, what would you say? An advice, a lesson learnt from all your experiences in between?
Loïc Nottet: I would tell him to carry on, and believe no matter what. If he’s got an instinct, he has to follow it because I’m convinced that, if I can come back today with a song like « On Fire » and a look like that, it’s because I’ve been through all these things in between. So I’d say : go, believe in yourself, your hopes and don’t give up. It sounds cheesy but it’s true and it’s important to say it. To keep dreaming a little! Again, if artists stop dreaming, then where are we going? So, stay true to yourself and keep going!
INTERVIEW BY CORALINE BLAISE PHOTOS BY DAVID FITT EXCLUSIVELY FOR ON THE MOVE
