‘‘
In the current music industry where radios, TV and streaming are the big players deciding to spread the word about an artist (or not), it becomes more and more difficult for a lambda artist to get his music heard if he doesn’t fit some kind of criterias. It takes time, it takes patience, talent but above all it takes a lot of hard work. At On The Move Magazine, we give a particular attention to talent no matter where you come from, your musical genre, the amount of followers/views/fans you have got. We don’t talk quantity, we talk quality. We talk quality because we love music with the big M. We carefully choose the artists you’ll discover in this magazine to introduce you to «la crème de la crème». You’ll find big names, you’ll find unknown names. You’ll love what you’ll listen to, maybe you will hate it but at least, you’ll give our artists a chance. Because at the end of the day, every success story began with a chance given. ‘‘
Pamela Charbit founder of On The Move
EDITORIAL
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8
Rewind 6
INTERVIEW : Amy Shark, a fierce bite of indie-pop music
26
The best albums of 2017
38 Focus on Garrett Lodge
THEY PRODUCE MY $HIT :
SPECIAL REPORT
12 artists to watch in 2018
16
INTERVIEW
Parson James,
a bright future ahead
22
SUMMARY INTERVIEW a dive into the world of
Lo Moon
30
COVER STORY
Marc E. Bassy, the new face of R’n’B
Are they worth seeing live ?
53 What’s next ? The shows not to miss
48
What’s Up In France ? 54 OTM Mag : Meeting the team 57
40
REWIN
#2017
EVERYTHING YOU MISSED AND NEED TO KNOW
january
february
Ed Sheeran is back!
MEET julia Michaels
OTM MAG was born!
2017 was off to a great start thanks to Ed Sheeran! He didn’t give his fans one song, but two: the bouncy «Shape Of You» and the catchy «Castle On The Hill» from his new album «Divide».
She made a name for herself by writing for Justin Bieber but rose to fame this year with her debut single «Issues» and her first EP «Nervous System». Let’s see where this will take her in the near future.
Last February, we published our very first On The Move Mag and what a year it’s been! Different stories, different talents, each month, some amazing artists graced our covers. Here’s to many more memories.
march
april
Loic nottet, The Reign of Selfocracy
The end of the blurryface era
Tash Sultana, rough diamond
Intense and talented. Those are the words we could use to describe Loic Nottet and his debut album «Selfocracy». Definitely one of the best acts of the year, our bet is on this Belgian kid for 2018.
After over 230 shows, Twenty One Pilots have put an end to the «Blurryface era» and we had the chance to be a part of it in Australia. The end of an era but the start of something bigger ?
This young lady is definitely one of the game changers of 2017. From her bedroom to the top of the world, she’s as talented as she’s genuine. She’s the voice you were looking for!
may The phenomenon luis Fonsi During summer 2017, «Despacito» was pretty much everywhere. Right before this song became viral, we talked with Luis Fonsi about his impressive journey and career. Read everything about it in OTM #4.
Avi Kaplan GOING solo This year, Avi Kaplan decided to follow his own musical path and left Pentatonix for good. Soon enough, the singer dropped his single «Sweet Adeline» of his first EP «Sage and Stone».
june Girl power! From Dua Lipa to Halsey, 2017 was all about girls doing stuff! As Dua released her debut album «Dua Lipa», Halsey dropped her second record «Hopeless Fountain Kingdom». Talent and girl power? Yes please!
august
JUly
Camila Cabello Liam Payne took a Makes history with «Havana» solo direction
Lollapalooza paris One of the most famous music festivals stopped by Paris this summer. The 2017 line-up was stacked with worldwide superstars like The Weeknd and upcoming talents like Oscar and The Wolf. Get ready for the 2018 edition...
We had the chance to sit down with Liam Payne to talk about his musical future after being a part of 1D, as well as his inspirations and his upcoming debut solo album. Read all about it in our issue #7.
With her debut single «Havana» the young singer Camila Cabello topped the charts for several weeks and hit No.1. Camila is now getting ready to drop her debut album in January.
september They're back! From Taylor Swift to P!nk and Avicii some of the greatest artists of our generation have made their comeback in 2017. What a better way to end this year than with new music and albums?
october
november
Keiynan Lonsdale genuine superstar He’s young, smart, Australian, and multi talented. Could we ask for more? Not only can he sing, but Keiynan can also dance and act! Now focusing on his musical career, the young sensation graced our cover this year.
december
SAM SMITH, TOO GOOD The Rap god had AT COMEBACKS Nobody could have passed made his return by the Sam Smith storm that hit the world in 2014 with «In The Lonely Hour». Three years later, on his follow-up album «The Thrill Of It All», the British artist hasn’t lost any of his magic on both melodies, words and vocals.
Guess who’s back, back again? Eminem himself! The rapper dropped his new album «Revival» and it sounds a lot like a christmas gift. Featuring Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé to only name a few, we’re talking about quality here.
What's Next ? 2017 is finally coming to an end. From musical comebacks to the rise of upcoming and promising talents, it’s been a great year for the music industry. Now that 2018 is upon us, what should we expect? Taylor Swift is getting ready to embark on a worldwide tour and Fall Out Boy are making a comeback by dropping a brand new record «Mania». Which new artists will rise to fame in 2018? We can’t wait to see what the future holds!
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AMY SHARK If you ever heard her hit-single « Adore », you must be haunted by its heady lyrics and ghostly melody ever since. Amy Billings, a.k.a Amy Shark, is the latest Australian sensation in the indie-pop world. She puts cathartic words on hybrid and surprising melodies, that she builds from scratch, and also finds help into her past video director-career to shape a striking visual identity. Though she toured with Vance Joy or performed at the James Corden’s Late Late Show, we got to sit and chat with Amy Shark like she was a friend, to talk about music, inspiration, «Jaws» (yes, you read that)and her lightning transition from shadow to light.
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n The Move Mag : Hi Amy ! It’s nice to meet you, welcome in Paris ! The French public knows you for your track « Adore » but doesn’t know much about you as an artist. Can you tell us how you started making music ? Amy Shark : I wasn’t like a young child wanting to be a musician, ever. I wanted to do acting actually. But I was really lucky that my parents had a really great library of music. So I was always listening to really great bands and artists all the time so I was well trained. So yeah my grand parents sort of said to me : « You have to learn an instrument, whether you like it or not. » And I said « Ok, then I’ll play guitar. » So I had like a couple of lessons and I just got addicted to it. I was just in my room all the time, playing some songs but I was very nervous to sing. I didn’t sing much. Yeah, I never tought I was going to be a singer because I didn’t sound like, you know, Mariah Carey or someone like that. I’ve got a different voice and I didn’t think that I was allowed (laughs). It wasn’t until I started listening to like punk music that i was like « Ok, they don’t sound great but I love their songs, I love their melodies and stuff » So, I started doing it myself. It allowed me to think that other voices were possible... Just throw the roles out and do what you want to do ! On The Move Mag : What’s the story behind « Adore » ? Amy Shark : Well, I never used to write romantic songs. And « Adore » was quite my first kind of romance song. And obviously it’s done really well so I guess I’ll keep writing romantic songs (laughs). The song was written in about ten minutes and I guess I was just remembering really special moments in my life, like falling in love for the first time. It’s a really special feeling and I guess I was just sort of going step by step through a night I kinda remembered as being really important to me. And it’s such an honest song. So that’s why It stood out. On The Move Mag : Amy Shark isn’t your actual name. Where does it come from ? Amy Shark : I wish it was my name ! I watched « Jaws » really early in life and I got really scared, obviously. But once I’d watched it, I was like obsessed with sharks.I sat watching « Jaws » and then « Jaws 2 » « Jaws 3 » « Jaws Revenge » etc. I even sat to watch the « Shark Weeks » on TV, where they broadcast a lot of shark documentaries. So basically, I wanted to separate my family name from my music. And it felt right to choose « Shark » (laughs)
On The Move Mag : Can you tell us more about the way you approach music ? Through lyrics, through melodies, do you have a specific process ? Amy Shark : It’s actually been changing a little bit lately. Usually, it all happens at once. I just play something that I like first then I’ll come up with the way I wanna sing on it. A lot of the times, it’s when I’m having a good day that I’m throwing out the melodies that I keep. But, what I am addicted to is that I never know when it’s going to come out. There’s something in my subconscious every day. So, I am like « Maybe today I’ll write a good song. » I don’t know. But since, I’ve been on the road, I’ve been coming up with some different lyrics. I don’t necessarily use them, a lot of the time it is just written somewhere in my phone but being on the road inspires me, differently.
« My music is always about me» On The Move Mag : There is something in your music that feels really personal and most of your creative process is a solo thing. Do you only draw inspiration from your own experience or do you happen to put yourself in others’ shoes to write ? Amy Shark : My music is always about me. That’s just how I started. There is no reason for me to put myself in others’ shoes because I do it for myself. I write music about things that I’m trying to digest. I use it as a therapeutic process. I don’t write songs to have a hit song or whatever. And usually, I am heavily involved in the situation I’m trying to talk about. On The Move Mag : Your music is very dense and varied. Your songs are not traditionally structured with verses, choruses and bridges. It is changing a lot from one second to another, going from bold electro to something way more instrumental. How do you work to build your tracks ? Amy Shark : I guess, when I’m writing a song, I like to think about what I wanna hear next, where I would like to go with it. I think I am a pretty good judge of what good songs sort of sound like, in an analytic way, whether or not it abides by the rules. I do a little differently than the verses-choruses-verses-bridges etc. way. A lot of the times, my songs start very edgy. I want the first few words to be striking because that’s how I feel when I listen to a song. I’m like « yeah, you got me, you got me in the first lines ! », right ? And that’s kind of what I take away from the really good and honest
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songs that I have kind of looked up to. That’s where I wanna be ! So every song I have, I try to make it really special from the second it starts. It’s not like you have to wait, wait, wait for it to grow and explode. I want clever lyrics, edgy, bold lyrics, rough from the get-going. Like, « here we go, this is it, are you ready ? Boom ! You’re still here ? Good ! » (laughs) On The Move Mag : Though you do music mainly all alone, would you be interested in collaborating with others ? Amy Shark : Definitely. It’s something that I am a little bit touchy on though, because I had never done it and it is a very unknown territory to me. And because it’s so personal, I think I’d feel kind of stupid seating there with someone else, pouring my heart out. I think I’d feel weird but I will probably do it, one day, when I’m confortable with it.
« I try to make every song I have really special from the second it starts » On The Move Mag : Are there some contemporary artists that you would like to collaborate with specifically ? Amy Shark : I love Pharrell, I am a big fan of Pharrell, I think he is great. I am also a big Eminem fan. I think Lorde is great as well. There are some producers like Jack Antonoff from Bleachers. [Lately, he wrote for Lorde, Banks, St Vincent, Taylor Swift ndlr] I think he is a great writer, it could probably do some stuff with him ! But, we’ll see.
it was kind of fun, hustling. It was like « You’ve got that new camera ? Can I borrow it ? Can you come along this day ? I need you to hold some lights ! I can pay everyone with a case of beers, and some pizza ! I can’t afford anything else.» I kinda miss those days because that was so much fun, hustling, trying to get shit done! Now, there is obviously a budget. I don’t have to do as much as what I have been doing in the past. I don’t know, maybe, I’ll let go a little bit one day. I will always be heavily involved but I’ll try not to be such a control freak about it anymore. And it could be interesting also to see the vision of others on my own music. I need to do that. On The Move Mag : Can you tell us more about « Adore »’s video, as well ? Amy Shark : With « Adore », I knew that I didn’t want a crazy video because I was like « This song is powerful, it doesn’t need anything big, it just needs some pretty imagery ». That’s why I got my friend, who has been a dance choreographer, to work on it with some girl dancers. We shot it at my old school. It was bringing back a lot of memories. That was awesome! And that video was done for free. Now, it has millions of views. There are some shots in it, still, that make me think : « Why did I do that ? If I knew it was going to blow up, I would have tried to put more efforts in it. » (laughs) On The Move Mag : You brought that dance aspect on several of your tracks, on the video of « Adore » but also on « Spits on girls ». Is dance something you’re familiar with ?
On The Move Mag : You previously worked as a video director. You directed your own music videos. How do you see the sinergy between music and visuals ? What does it bring to a track for you ? Amy Shark : I am a very visual person. I love cinema. Usually, when I’m writing, I can see almost simultaneously what the video is going to look like. I do know what I wanna do. For example, for my song « Drive You Mad », I knew what it was going to look like the second I started to work on it. I could see it straight away. It’s very exciting for me. It’s such a fun thing to do, also because that’s what I did before. I can do it, so it’s like « Why not ? ». The problem now is that I am quite busy (laughs) but before, I don’t know,
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Amy Shark : Actually, I have always been a really bad dancer. But weirdly, for some reason, with my own music, I just can’t stop. I love it. It just makes me wanna move. It gets me so excited because I would always listen to songs that make me wanna move to them. And now, I’m doing it, I’m utterly enjoying my own sound. It’s just really stupid, it makes me sound ridiculous (laughs). But I do, I really enjoy listening to the production behind my music. It’s great. But no, I didn’t grow up as a dancer. I grew up with a lot of girls that praticed dance but I was always the loser that couldn’t dance.(laughs) I was always the one waiting for them to finish their dance class to go and hang out. (laughs) On The Move Mag : You are a part of a generation of female artists that aren’t afraid to be deeply honest with their lyrics and also kind of bold with their melodies, like Lorde, Halsey, Tash Sultana. There is also mainly only girls featured in your music videos. Is there any message that you want to give through you music, on political, social matters referring to women ? Or is it completely disconnected ? Amy Shark : I am not really a political nor a commited person. I just like what looks beautiful I guess, what compliments the music. I guess that all the girls that have been dancing in my videos, for instance, it is representing me. That’s the spirit I wanted in. It kind of reminds me of myself, where I was at that age, doing these movements,
care free. Obviously, I am a big supporter of ‘the girls to the front’ movement. That’s really important. I mean, we’re crushing it right now. Every girls are just like, on fire ! I was playing a festival not that long ago and all the main stage artists were girls. One of the stage guy was like « I get to be the biggest perv today because they are all girls. » And it was totally creepy but then, I said « Hang on, it’s true, we’re all girls on the main stage, doing these big spots on a festival, it’s awesome. » This guy was a total creep but he made me realize how great female artists were doing! On The Move Mag : You released your EP « Night Thinker » last April. How do you want to release your music in the future? Is there an album on the way now? Amy Shark : I am so close to finishing this album. The EP was definitely a taste on what the album is going to be like. Yeah, it is going to be one hell of an album, I think. I am pretty biaised though (laughs). I worked with a producer but I wrote the whole thing.
« I am close to finishing my debut album » On The Move Mag : You’ve been touring quite a lot, and also quite far form your home country. Did it bring you some new inspirations, new process ? Amy Shark : Since being away, here in Europe though, I have been sort of inspired to write more so I’ve got another four or five songs that I think are worth exploring. So, instead of closing the album, I am going to go back and record these songs and see where they sort of belong. Being on the road is definitely inspiring and tiring, also. It’s a big job to do. People think that is something that it is not, actually. But obviously, I’d rather be doing this rather than photocopying stuff in a company. It is like a dream, so I absolutely not gonna complain about it, especially playing your own songs. I spent years playing other people’s songs in pubs and in restaurants. Now, I get to play my own songs in cool venues so it’s amazing. On The Move Mag : What can we expect from your live shows? Amy Shark : My show is like an emotional roaller-coaster. One minute, you’re up, one minute, you’re down. One minute, you’re up and then down. It’s crazy! It is full of surprises, you’ll like it!
INTERVIEW : CORALINE BLAISE PHOTOS : DAMIEN PAILLARD FOR ON THE MOVE
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12 ARTISTS
TO WATCH IN 2018
While these past few months have been good to some musical big names -whose return were very much awaitedthere is a bunch of new talents out there that clearly deserve a part of the light. May have they drawn attention through 2017 or may their name be rather unknown, here are 12 artists whose careers are bound to take off in 2018!
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Waterparks
The next generation of pop-punk is here and ready to make noise! Influenced by some of the greatest bands of our generation like Fall Out Boy, Blink-182 or Saves The Day, Waterparks brings a breath of fresh air to the pop-punk scene and it’s just what we needed. After releasing several EPs, in November 2016, the band dropped their debut album «Double Dare» featuring the gems «Gloom Boys» and «Royals». Now, the boys are getting ready to unveil their second album «Entertainment» introduced earlier this year by «Blonde». The single captures the best elements of «Double Dare» and works as a nice transition between the two albums. Pop-punk and talented band members? We’re definitely ready for Waterparks!
Ary
Short for Ariadne Loinsworth, Ary is a Norwegian singer and songwriter who makes fresh and effective pop music. At only 24 years old, Ary just released her 4th single «Already There» a bold and addictive electronic gem filled with discrete pop touches. Defining herself with each note, Ary’s songs continue to showcase her talent and melancholic elegance like in her singles «The Sea» or «Higher». Inspired by Lykke Li or Mø but also the french DJs Daft Punk, she slowly built her own universe made of melancholic sounds and joyful pop. There’s no inbetween and we are loving it.
Halfnoise With two EPs and two studio albums, Zac Farro’s
musical project Halfnoise is definitely worth a listen! You probably remember Zac Farro from the band Paramore and while he’s back in the band after 7 years, he still finds time to create mesmerizing music on his own. Released two years apart, his first EP “Halfnoise” (2012) and first album “Volcano Crowe” (2014) witness alternative-indie vibes while the second album turned in a vintage direction confirmed by the latest EP “The Velvet Face”. Indeed you will find some 60s and 70s music influence embodied by strong synths and steady basslines combined with soft vocals. Authentic, groovy and sunny, “The Velvet Face” also features Hayley Williams, Paramore’s frontwoman and bandmate, which shows a complimentary bond between both bands.
Milk Teeth
Milk Teeth is a 4-piece rock band from Stroud, UK formed in 2013 which has achieved milestones in the past few years. From playing in a basement to opening for Good Charlotte or Tonight Alive and touring all over Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States, the band has gained some recognition since their first EP “Sad Sack” which caught the attention of American wellknown label “Hopeless Records” in 2015. The band released their first full-length album “Vile Child” the year after and since then it’s been a happy ride for the four friends! Milk Teeth is appreciated for their spirit of 90’s rock and grunge. Heavy riffs and melodic choruses are what you are in for and we believe “Be Nice”, their latest EP is not going to disappoint you!
sAINT PHNX America has Imagine
Dragons, and the United Kingdom has Saint Phnx! And yes, they might remind you of Royal Blood or Kasabian, but we can assure you that this duo is one of a kind. Formed by two brothers -Stevie & Al Jukes, the duo impresses by they go-to attitude and willingness to basically do anything to be bigger than the band next door. With their latest release «Magic», they tried to create something different with a new approach to pop music and finding new melodies and paths leading to an unknown universe. As they say, they try to make big music for awesome people so you’re in for a treat!
Sam Fender
Sam Fender was meant to be a singer. Being raised in a family of musicians can help of course, but his special gift was recognized by Ben Howard’s manager as he worked and played in a pub, when and where it all began. The young Brit has something unique and his genuine talent lies in raw and captivating texts about engaging issues or themes which has led him to support Declan McKenna, Daughter, George Ezra or Catfish and The Bottlemen on tour. 2017 has seen him release several singles, including “Play God” his biggest hit so far with over 1 million streams on Spotify. “Play God” invites you to an awakening of emotions, intense and without concessions, with sensibilities of rock combined to soulful vocals, leaving as an addiction in suspense. Sam Fender is going to be the next big thing!
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Matt Wills
If your music references are The 1975, Ben Howard or Ed Sheeran, chances are you’ve heard of this young kid. Matt Wills, a 22-year old self-taught guitarist from Kent, is a soulful artist with a universe mixing pop folk and dreamy sound.At the age of 16, he attracted attention with his love song filled with dance-oriented pop. Earlier this year, Matt released his debut album «Cigarette & City Lights» after 4 promising EPs. While «Set You Free» puts the roughness of his voice in the foreground, «Lights Out» is carried by a soft yet powerful chorus and a more organic melody. Inspired by very different artists, Matt’s sound is diverse and his album is a beautiful demonstration of what he is capable of. Keep your eyes peeled, he’s set to be big soon!
parson james
You know his voice, and you know his song. Back in 2015, Parson James rose to fame thanks to his collaboration with Norwegian producer Kygo on his hit song «Stole The Show». While his vocals are impressive and gospel oriented, his style is something Parson James himself describes as «conflicted pop gospel». In his song, the singer often talks about his life growing up in a conservative Christian community. Soulful and true, with his music, Parson James found a way to express his feelings by mixing classic RnB with gospel and old school soul vibes. At only 23, there’s no doubt that this young artist is promised to a bright future!
Cailin Russo
The music industry definitely needs a bit of girl power! You may know her from Bieber’s «All That Matter» video in which Cailin Russo played his love interest, but lately she’s been kick-starting her own career by launching simple yet catchy singles like «Pink Sand» or «September Rose». The bluesy track, layered with her peculiar vocals is somewhat mellow but still majestic with its dreamy breakdown and jazzy jam. Behind her fragile figure, Cailin hides a powerful voice that goes along really well with the universe she’s slowly building. Needless to say that her 3 singles are already on replay while we wait for a debut album.
PALA
Based in Los Angeles, PALA might as well be your next favorite artist. Producer, songwriter, and musician Pala is driven by his passion for telling stories through pop and electronic music. As complex as it sounds, the artist mixes his emotions with unique rhythmics, which always tends to deliver a meaningful message, like poetry, to his audience. Beside EDM music, Pala also works on projects involving different genres like jazz, Classical, Hip-hop and R&B showing once again his ability and skills to juggle between very diverse styles. Don’t waste any more time, and go check out Pala’s work.
wrabel
What’s not to love when an artist has a voice as beautiful as his soul? For Wrabel, music seems to be a way to express his feelings and to stand up for his ideas. You may know him from his latest release «The Village», a highly emotional song written for anyone who feels like they don’t belong. Initially, Wrabel broke on to the scene in 2014 with the song «Ten Feet Tall» a collaboration with Afrojack, but gracefully earned his place with simple pop ballads and an incredible and golden voice. Whether it’s a piano-voice tune or an electrooriented collaboration, there’s definitely a song made for you in Wrabel’s universe.
FLYTE
With Flyte, here is a band that knows how to write a killer tune with the basic essential stuff : from the melodies to the lyrics, without forgetting the nice harmonies. With a sound a la Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel, Flyte manages to mix their vintage inspirations with their personal experiences to produce dreamy and experimental songs, filled with some touch of rock and EDM music. As weird as it may seem, it works! If we had to pick one song, it’ll probably be «Archie, Marry Me», for its acoustic composition and powerful vocals. Bring on 2018 because we definitely want to hear more from Flyte!
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PARSON JAMES You may not know all of his songs (yet) but you will remember his voice. After getting worldwide recognition with the hit «Stole The Show» by the Norwegian DJ Kygo, Parson James unveiled his debut EP «The Temple» and is ready to take over the world in 2018. Grab a seat and get to know the artist.
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n The Move Mag : Hello Parson, we are happy to have the opportunity to talk with you today. For those who don’t know you yet, how did you get into music? Parson James : Hello On The Move. Thank you for having me. I’ve always been in the music somehow, especially because I took part in the activities in my Church when I was younger. One of the things that really triggered my desire to make music as my job was the movie «Selena», did you see it? We can watch Selena’s very last performance. This movie has been a real inspiration for me and if you didn’t watch it, I would recommend it (laugh) On The Move Mag : You grew up in South Carolina and were heavily involved in the church, which isn’t exactly a gay friendly space. How did you manage to get through this? Parson James : I’ve known I was gay since a very young age but I didn’t want to disappoint my mom who hadn’t been raised this way and didn’t plan this for her son. I moved in New York City and got my diploma and finally was able to live the life I wanted without being stuck in this community where I felt out of place. On The Move Mag : You recently unveiled your new single «Only You», what can you tell us about it? Parson James : Three years ago I met someone when I moved in New York and I was homeless. He quickly became my best friend and soul mate. We loved each other so much that we cared more about the other’s needs than our own. When we broke up I was so heartbroken because no one had ever loved me this way and then I’ve been offered my record deal and moved in Los Angeles. I lost a piece of myself in this relationship and that’s what I am talking about in «Only You». On The Move Mag : You are currently working on your debut album. How is it going to be different from your EP «Temple» ? Parson James : Since «Temple» I had some life changing experiences. The one I told you about, the story about my coming out and how I had to learn to live with that. I think my debut album will be a reflection of my life after a relationship but this is going to be more than just that. It’s going to include feelings, excesses and everything my fans will be able to relate to.
On The Move Mag : Do you know when it will be out? Parson James : Hopefully before this summer (laugh), I am super excited. On The Move Mag : Your recent track «If You’re Hearing His» has a tropical house sound, just like your song «Stole The Show» you did with Kygo. Is the tropical house a musical genre you’d like to explore more in the future? Parson James : In the beginning I didn’t want Kygo to remix my song because I didn’t know him but I am happy that I agreed (laugh). The tropical house wasn’t a genre that existed at that time so I am very glad that I took part in creating this new genre. Kygo is crazy talented, he’s not just a DJ. On my part, I don’t want to make heavy EDM collaborations, I prefer something soft. Collaborating on another tropical house song won’t bother me but I am very picky when it comes to the artists I collaborate with.
« my debut album will include feelings, excesses... everything my fans will be able to relate to » On The Move Mag : Who would you like to collaborate with in the future then? Parson James : I’d like to collaborate with artists like Portugal The Man or Adele. On The Move Mag : You recently played a show in Los Angeles. Do you prefer touring or recording? Parson James : I prefer touring, by far! I am a perfectionist and I always need 1000 takes to be satisfied (laugh). It sometimes annoys the people I work with but I want everything to be perfect, the way I want things to be.
INTERVIEW : PAM CHARBIT PHOTOS : SAM DEITCH (COVER) AND KOURY ANGELO
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OUR BEST ALBUMS
OF 2017 Every week of the past year, a bunch of records were thrown into the world, portraying the singular influences, universe and sound of artists. Did you get lost in the numerous releases ? On The Move Mag is here to help. In 2017, we opened our ears like ever and dived into what matters most : music ! Whatever genre suits you, you must have found something new to discover. Here are our favourite albums released in 2017... which we’ll bring with us in 2018.
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The British crooner released his second album this year, and we are not disappointed. Using the same method that made «In The Lonely Hour» so popular in 2014, Sam Smith is the same old soul with a bruised and fragile heart, and once again poured his emotions and feelings into his songs. If we had to only pick one song, «Burning» would probably be the one! Simple yet authentic and true, the ballad is built around a mournful piano and really puts Sam’s voice upfront. As a whole, the formula remains the same and so does the magic! From the beginning, Sam Smith seemed set for stardom, this record is the proof we were waiting for.
Sam Smith - The Thrill Of it All
With this debut solo album, we can assure you that a star is born -or reborn. Authentic, true and diverse, with 10 songs, the young British singer claims himself as a true rock’n’roll star and sets the tone. If on «Kiwi» Harry Styles dives in a hard-rock sound, with «Meet Me In the Hallway» and «Ever Since New York» there’s a nice touch of John Lennon in his voice and a bit of Jimmy Page in the acoustic guitar. As a lost Prince classic, «Woman» is a romantic jam mixed with some vintage vibes coming straight from the 60’s. Drifting away from the old «boyband member goes solo» image, Harry made a name for himself and we couldn’t be more proud! Here’s to 2018.
Harry Styles - Harry Styles What a year it’s been for the young singer! At only 21, Loic Nottet put his cinematographic influences to good use and delivered an album incredibly mature and relevant. While «Selfocracy» is a powerful introduction to the whole record, with «Million Eyes» and «Wolves» the singer really showcases his vocals and talent. As he once said, Loic is inspired by SIA and we can definitely see a bit of her universe in «Selfocracy» in which the singer poured his soul, feelings and deepest fears. From the Eurovison contest to the top of the world, Loic Nottet is definitely the superstar we were waiting for this year!
Loic Nottet - Selfocracy Two years after releasing his album «To Pimp a Butterfly», the rapper is back with a proper fourth record «DAMN.»From the melodies, to the lyrics, production and artistic approach, «DAMN.» is what we could call a masterpiece. Perfectly blending old and new sound, Kendrick decided to offer something different with this album and it’s not what we were exactly expecting but, from start to finish, this fourth album is varied and very stimulating. Wise and strong, Kendrick’s work is an example of what the hip-hop industry is capable of today.
Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
“Cry hard, dance harder”, that’s the motto of Paramore’s fifth album released this year. After so much change and waiting, the band of friends has released “After Laughter”, a musical jewel which has been so well received over the months. If you’ve been a fan of the band for quite a long time, you probably noticed the dramatic change of musical direction but “After Laughter” is so much more than just a different-sounding album. With vibrant and joyful melodies contrasted to deep and raw lyricism touching the themes of exhaustion, relationships and anxiety, the album is the symbol of hope, forgiveness and growth. Paramore returned with an overflowing creativity that gave birth to a colorful and introspective album tinged with indie-pop of the 80s, thanks to upbeat synths and funky basslines. Where artists renew themselves, Paramore has been able to get out of their comfort zone and take risks without a single doubt.
Paramore - After Laughter
2017 ended smoothly for the Californian rapper G-Eazy. After getting worldwide recognition with his previous album «When It’s Dark Out», the «Me, Myself and I» singer unveiled his highly awaited new record named «The Beautiful & Damned» in December as well as an accompanying short film. Battling his personal angels and demons, the record contains different types of songs. The jazzy «Summer In December» unveiled as a single serves as an example of the album’s duality. The rapper also brought Charlie Puth in the pop-infused song «Sober», adding a soft touch to the record and showcasing G-Eazy’s desire to find balance between drinking for fun and avoiding the mistakes that can come with too much drinking. Halsey also jumped on the track «Him & I» which is a mutual declaration of love between the rapper and the 23 year old singer. Overall, the album was well crafted, including a solid bunch of artists and we are looking forward to seeing the rapper performing the new songs live.
G-EAZY - THE BEAUTIFUL & DAMNED Three years after the successful «The Marshall Mathers LP 2», the rap God is finally back with his ninth long awaited new album «Revival». More politically engaged but also depicting regrets, Eminem managed to publicly apologize to ex-wife Kim in the song «Bad Husband» featuring X Ambassadors after verbally destroying her for years. If the debut single «Walk On Water» was a bit disappointing considering the expectations we had when we heard that the rapper brought Beyonce in, his other collaborations including «River» with Ed Sheeran or «Like Home» featuring Alicia Keys are well crafted and delightful songs. The most surprising but also appealing song of the album is probably «Remind Me» in where Eminem managed to interpolate Joan Jett & The Blackhearts’ 1982 hit song «I Love Rock’ n Roll», creating a rock-rap playful fusion. The confessional work that the 45 year old rapper managed to put out might not be what people expected but it shows that Eminem still got what it takes, and this time it’s the real Marshall Mathers who stood up.
EMINEM - REVIVAL
This year, without his other-half Ryan Lewis, the rapper had a lot to prove, but he still managed to deliver a nice, simple and authentic album, «Gemini». It might not be as big as his previous release, but «Gemini» definitely has a couple of good moments and a handful of hits like the opening song «Ain’t Gonna Die Tonight». As a whole, this album is a true «Macklemore product» with its funky vibe and bouncy melody but also a more mature sound as seen on «Firebreather» and «Excavate». With the help of some new names like Dan Caplen and famous singers like Kesha, the rapper is back and it feels way too good!
Macklemore - Gemini He’s got a voice of gold and a hypnotic charisma we spent months talking about. Finally, in 2017, after a constellation of brilliant singles, Rationale released a proper record ! Even if, all in all, his earliest productions remain the strongest (« Fuel To The Fire », «Fast Lane», «Re.Up»), the British artist leads us in a roller-coaster of emotions and sonorities for his self-titled debut album. A lot of soul («Prodigal Son»), balanced with a refined electro («Loving Life»), often punctuated with poignant choirs («deliverance»), and subtle vintage («losing sleep»), oriental («into the blue») or rock vibes («tumbling down») : this is the whole and rich picture of «Rationale». We are obviously enchanted, though some structures and formats may be little too obvious. And if we express that doubt, it is because we know Rationale can be more daring than the expected 3 minutes-song... and we are dying to hear more! « Rationale » -the album- is a great first step onto the industry, and the world definitely not know enough of Rationale -the man-, his clever sound and unforgettable vocals.
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LO MOON If we had to tell the story of Lo Moon, we wouldn’t talk about music first, but about time…The time Matt Lowell took to build a solid base to the trio now formed with Sam Stewart and Crisanta Baker. The time passed to endlessly rework their beautiful debut single « Loveless ». The time they give to each of their tracks to go into the world, find their audience and live several lives. And the time Lo Moon granted us to talk about their upcoming album and about the universe they want to create around it. Read this interview peacefully, lulled by the soothing sound of this promising American formation.
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n The Move Mag : Matt, Sam and Crisanta, thanks for being here! For our readers to get to know you a bit more, can you tell us how did you start making music as a band ? What brought you together? Matt Lowell : I started working on «Loveless», the first song we released, about five and a half years ago now, in New York. I basically took that song with me to LA to start the band. I decided to move across the country and I met Crisanta through a friend pretty much right when I got there and basically showed her «Loveless» and a few other songs from my time in New-York. She really connected to it. I didn’t really asked her which instrument she played, it was more like «do you wanna be in the band?» and she said «Yeah, definitely!». So we basically started playing a few of those songs live. At the time, the band was called «Stranger», and then, we both kind of felt that It wasn’t the right thing so we basically took another year to write some more material and figure out what kind of sound we wanted to go for. In that period, we met Sam. And then, the three of us got together. That’s when we basically finished «Loveless». And then we carried on with the other material that we had... So, it’s been a long journey !
« the idea behind the band is TO CREATE a world around us » On The Move Mag : So, switching the name of the band was important to you? Where does «Lo Moon» come from? Matt Lowell : It just felt like it was a brand new thing so that, it needed a new name. «Lo Moon» comes from my nephew’s name which is «Lowell Moon». On The Move Mag : Unlike pretty much every artist these days, you took a long time to go onto the scene. You first worked on Loveless quite a while ago and there was a lot of time between tracks. Was it somehow something you wanted or was it just the way things went? Matt Lowell : It did feel natural, I mean, I don’t think we really thought about how much time we were going to take between releases. I think for us it was just about letting the music kind of find its way and it ended up taking nine months between the first two songs but I think it was just more about like «Loveless», we felt that it needed the time and we didn’t really want to fit into the norms. I mean, the zeitgeist in music now is fast.
Sam Stewart : Everyone seems to put something out and if it doesn’t gain attraction within a month, they will go on onto the next thing. That is just not fair because we work so hard and spend so much time, I mean, Matt spent years trying to finish «Loveless», so it would be a shame to put it out and put something else out straight away. Matt Lowell : Things are just thrown into space but people will come and discover it at different times. I am also not into the idea of shoving music into anybody’s throat. I think it is something that all of my favourite artists or bands have been doing because I’ve spent time with them and I discovered them and took time to get to what they are about. And I think that’s something that we hope to strive for as a band. On The Move Mag : We understood that the making of «Loveless» was special but now, do you have some kind of process to work on a track? Matt Lowell : We’ve definitely figured out more of what our roles are, what we are really good at, what we are not really good at. We spent about a year and a half making the album together, and a lot of that, we were like right on top of each other, living together, so I think the process now for getting from point A to point B is definitely much faster. It doesn’t take five years to finish a song (laughs) Crisanta Baker : We all play different instruments so like, live, I play bass, on the record, sometimes Sam is playing bass or live, I play keyboards but Matt played it on the record. So, it’s really whatever feels right for a specific song ! On The Move Mag : If you had to describe the sound and universe of Lo Moon to someone who doesn’t know you yet, what would you say? Matt Lowell : I think it would be emotional and melancholic. There’s a lot of adjectives I think I could use. It has an etherealness, a melancholy, an emotional weight to it. But I think the idea behind the band is, in the end, about creating a world around us so that, when people put something on, they kind of know that it’s us. Which I think we are all really attracted to, because our favourite bands they kinda sit in their own little islands. People turn to them for their thing. I think that this will change as we go on, as we progress and as we write more music but I think it is really special to try to carve out that little area where you can sit and people be «oh yeah, that’s Lo Moon» as Radiohead or anything.
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Sam Stewart : I’d say also, it requires some patience. You can’t say you’re gonna put it on and be that recognizable immediately, it takes a little time. On The Move Mag : So definitely, time is the key! Matt Lowell : Yeah time! The bigger factor! (laughs) On The Move Mag : You’re going to release your debut album early next year. Can you tell us a bit about the process of it? Did you write a lot of songs and selected some of it? Did you collaborate with artists, producers ? Matt Lowell : We wrote a bunch of songs over the years that felt like they could be Lo Moon’s songs but they got thrown away. But the production process we did it with these two producers Chris Walla and Franck Tetaz. They helped us kind of shape a lot of it but a lot of it actually came from us experimenting as a band. I have a back house in Los Angeles that is kind of our little haven and we just kept cracking away at these songs. Some of these songs had like 15 different versions before they kind of found their own little world. Processwise is just a lot of shipping away and experimenting, taking things away and putting them back in.
« ‘Loveless’ really SETS THE TONE FOR THE REST OF THE ALBUM » On The Move Mag : You were talking about LA being kind of your haven but you also travelled a lot lately. Crisanta Baker : I think we just don’t fit in Los Angeles so much. Matt Lowell : We don’t kind of relate to LA the same way. When we are on the road, we are much happier than being in Los Angeles because Los Angeles sometimes can get kind of stale. Especially when you’re in Europe, or when I’m in New York, there is definitely a culture and an energy to the surroundings. There is also definitely an energy in LA but when you’re here, in Paris for example, and there is so much culture, so much energy around. It is just completely different ! Los Angeles is great for the industry, for being a band. Being in America, and in a major metropolis, a place where music is definitely happening. Los Angeles seems to be a place right now because you can get a
studio, you can rehearse so easily. In New York, you can’t really do that for a band in our level. That has definitely been helpful to us. But I don’t think we will be there forever (laughs) On The Move Mag : The video for « Loveless » has a very narrative side. Your other videos for « This Is It » and « Thorns » are going another way, yet are still beautifully crafted. What is the relation you want to establish between your sound and visuals? Is there any specific visual identity you want to develop? Matt Lowell : It’s an interesting thing because when you’re in a band, sometimes, certain things just get in the way of making things the way you want and you kind of have to step back and say : «Ok we didn’t love that». You have to make mistakes along the way, not that I think we made mistakes really but I think the video for «Loveless» really embodies way more of what the band is about. I think we had time and energy to put up that song video. Sam Stewart : That’s a friend who made it. Matt Lowell : Warrenn, who did it, was one of the first people to hear that song when I moved to Los Angeles. I really wanted to do a video and that just so happened that he was an amazing director and a really great friend. So, I think it was like a perfect combination of artists coming around and working together. When you’re making a video, it is very hard to trust. And with him, it just worked ! Crisanta Baker : He knew all of our personalities. I think that song really set the tone for the rest of the album and was a way to visually start the whole adventure. But it wasn’t easy because it was in somebody else’s hands. Matt Lowell : We just shot another video for the next single. We are really excited about. It is a similar situation where we work with somebody that we really trusted. We haven’t seen it yet but I’ve got a feeling we’re gonna like it. We really trusted the director once again. We had a lot of fun with it and it was really collaborative, as for the «Loveless» video. Sam Stewart : It came from an idea that we had while we were making the record. Sort of a joke, but not really, between Matt and one of our producers. Matt Lowell : It was a joke ! Because basically I played hocket growing up and I have been ice-skating all my life. The producer kept saying «You really need to make
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a video on ice» and I was like «Oh man, it could be kind of amazing but it is a prank!» So, we brought it up to the director. She was really into the idea. Most of the video, I am on ice, skating, interpreting the song in my own way which at first was a little bit weird. I hope that the results are good, but it was fun to make and I felt like it had the band’s identity which is really important to us. The thing has to feel genuine. On The Move Mag: Did you carry that for the artwork of the album as well, that collaborative work ? Matt Lowell : We found Lizzie, who did the Torns’ artwork, weirdly enough through Warren who directed the first video. We decided that she was gonna make all of the artworks after that. And we trusted him when he said : «I think you guys should use a friend of mine». She ended up being amazing. We loved working with her, she made some great arts for the Torns’ single and for the album out. We are really happy with it.
« Without the public, you’re nothing » On The Move Mag : What is your favourite song on the upcoming album? Sam Stewart : I have a favourite song on the album which is called «My Money». It is a song that Matt had written. The demo was just him on the piano and I always thought it was a really great song and then, the three of us just came to the back shed behind Matt’s house and just experimented for ages. I was playing a drum machine and Crisanta was playing the clarinet or something and Matt was playing keys and then, I was playing the synths. We recorded this on a Iphone voice memo. Just us jamming for like an hour. And I remember listening back to it and saying : «This is so cool !» And we ended up making a better demo of it and we played it to the producers. They were like : «This is really good jst as it is! We only need to add a couple of things here and there.» The guy who plays drums for us live came to play the drums on that song. He did a killer drum take. The whole thing just felt really loose and organic. It ended up sounding really crazy. Matt Lowell : This song feels very us, it is the hardest thing because you want it to feel like you but you also want it to fit within the album, and we feel like we kind of nailed that one. It is also weirdly the hardest one to pull of live which I think is really interesting. It was so easy
to do and make but playing it live is kind of a nightmare. At the very end, there is also this flugelhorn part, from the guy who played it in «Thorns». The player was kind of stoned out, it was so out of tune but he was doing such cool stuff. There was that amazing moment at the time were he goes kind of wild. Everything about recording that song was really fun! On The Move : While you don’t rush any release and carried some kind of mystery around Lo Moon for a while, you are now very present on social medias. Why is important to you at that time of your career to embark the public on your adventure that way, in avery immediate and quick way in the Internet ? Matt Lowell : If people wants to associate mystery with the music, I think that’s really great. My favourite music is the one where you can’t really figure out how things were made. But I think it is actually very important for an artist to connect in today’s world, with the people that are into the band and to let them see what’s inside the band. We are really lucky to live the way we do and do the things we do. When I was a kid and then a teenager, I was the one trying to find everything I could about the band I liked. I would sit around waiting outside of the hotels for the bands to show up. I think a little bit of that is in me... I mean, if my favourite bands had instagram stories, that would be amazing. We’ve got the power to connect with people all around the world, I just think it is really interesting. We don’t shy away from it because we want to be mysterious, I don’t think it’s that! Crisanta Baker : We want to be inclusive. Matt Lowell : Inclusive it is! Music is meant to be for everyone. If you want to play music in your garage, well that’s fine, but when you release music into the world, I think you have a duty to kind of share and be present because that’s what you’re choosing to do. That’s the way we think about it. Without the public, you’re nothing. And I mean, sometimes, artists forget that. Those are the people that are coming to see you, will talk about you to their friends, that believe in you. Especially when you’re a band with three songs out (laughs) We keep saying it’s amazing that people are showing up to the shows, and it’s amazing that they care or they pay attention to where we’re going and why we’re doing it and what we’re about. So I think that connection is really important !
INTERVIEW BY CORALINE BLAISE PHOTOS BY ANAÏS SCHNEIDER FOR ON THE MOVE
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THEY PRODUCE MY $HIT
GARRETT LODGE WORDS BY PAM CHARBIT What is a song? According to the general knowledge a song is a short musical composition of words and music but if you think only the singer is responsible for the birth of this track you keep listening to, you’re mistaken. Among the team responsible for the song, you can find the producer who displays their own style and sound and pour their heart into the song in order to create the body of work you’ll get addicted to. This year, On The Move decided to shine a light on those behind the curtain and show you who are the next generation of music producers we believe in. For our first portrait we decided to set the level quite high with Los Angeles based producer Garrett Lodge whose story surely will inspire many.
thelodgerecords.com soundcloud.com/garrettlodgeoffIcial @garrettlodge
«The beauty about being a producer is you sit there, and you explore ideas which become a passion, which slowly becomes a reality.» Before it became his reality, 23 year-old Garrett Lodge had to face and overcome his demons that could prevent him from making music ever again. While on the surface he had everything he could ever wanted : popularity among his peers, good looks and skills in music, his on-off affair with drugs dived him into self-destruction, ruining his relationships with family and friends. His chemical romance began in 2013 and despite him being forced into rehab by his family, feeling the nitrous freeze in his lungs became his main priority and reason to live. Becoming insecure and depressed, Garrett only managed to produce dark, experimental and weird music at that time, and totally quit at some point, giving up on all the projects he was dreaming on building. After hitting the rock bottom at the end of 2016 and relapsing a couple of times, the young producer had a moment of clarity and realized that not only was he loosing himself but he was loosing all the people he cared about, and all of the dreams he had. His inner circle including family, close friends, girlfriend and the few artists he works with still manage to keep him grounded, and happily celebrating with him his 8 months as a sober man.
«I’m hyped for my future and want to help out anyone who has been, or currently is in a similar situation. I was nervous to share my story and be open about my sobriety, but I can tell you that it has been met with nothing but respect, new opportunities and even doper music.» confesses Garrett Lodge for the very first time to On The Move. Now he set his priorities straight, Garrett is finally ready to show the world what he is about, after self-learning music for 9 years, and releasing a couple of songs along the way with a debut EP «Bones» in 2014. If he mostly produced electronic influenced hip-hop beats for the past few years, working mainly with Tate Tucker and Malcolm Anthony, Garrett Lodge is now set to showcase his musical versatility on his forthcoming project coming out in March. People can expect more of pop-ish styled project with of hip hop and electronic influence in the instrumentation. While he doesn’t want to be put in a box, Garrett affirms that his work is inspired by artists like Daft Punk, Kayne West, Porter Robinson who refused to confine themselves to one genre for their whole careers. While he produces for other artists, Garrett Lodge also own his own well-rounded record studio and record label in where he recently signed Grammy Award winner Sirah. 2018 is set to be a huge year for this upcoming producer and his team. You read it here first, watch out for him.
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MARC E. BASSY If you keep up with what’s going on in the R&B world you surely have heard about Marc E.Bassy and his debut album «Gossip Colums». At 30 the former vocalist of the Los Angeles-based pop band 2AM Club keeps getting more and more attention in the music industry and makes his way to the top with well crafted melodies, lyrics and well chosen collaborations. We sat down with the artist to get to know him better.
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n The Move Mag : What brought you to music ? Marc E. Bassy : I was raised in a household of music lovers. My landlord when I was a kid was Tracy Chapman, the singer. My parents are big music fans and music was played really loud in my house all the time. When I was younger, during my early teenage years, I had a lot of family traumas, so music was my first therapy, my first way to express myself and feel better. I was very driven into it from the time I was 13, only HipHop at the beginning. As I got older I started to study samples and I started listening to classical soul music and when I listened like Tupac I wanted to know where the sample was from. I was listening to funk music and it brought me back to Motown and I became kind of obsessive. On The Move Mag : Why was it important for you to build your career in Los Angeles and not somewhere else ? Marc E. Bassy : I started when I was 17, before Instagram, Youtube and all. It was just Myspace only, so I was like you had to go somewhere where all the studios, record labels and managers are. I was naive and I was like I need to go to LA to be a star and make music. It is been 10 years I’ve been living here, so it’s cool.
« music was my first therapy, my first way to express myself and feel better » On The Move Mag : You started as the leader of the pop band 2AM Club, with six musicians in the same adventure. Which lessons did you learn from this period of your career, that is now useful to you as a solo artist ? Marc E. Bassy : All the musicians in 2AM club were phenomenal. The keyboard player plays for Macklemore now, the drummer plays for Lady Antebellum. Everyone taught me real music, that’s how I learned how to play, how I learned about arranging songs and harmonies. Each of the members was into a different style, so it was like my university, learning all about music and musical history. I grew up in San Francisco and when I was in high school, all we listened to was rap music. I never listened to anything that started with a guitar, until after high school. 2AM Club was my music school.
On The Move Mag : Before fully committing to your career, you wrote a lot for others like Chris Brown, Sean Kingston, Ty Dolla Sign, Wiz Khalifa... How do you approach the writing process? Is it different when you write for others than it is for yourself? Marc E. Bassy : At that time I was broke and I was trying to make money and was trying to do anything that someone would like but I learned that what they ended up linking was what was the most personal. I learned that you have to do this with melody and honesty. «Beat It» was the first song I did for Sean Kingston, that was not a classic song but it was good. I could tell when I heard it I was excited. Chris Brown was actually the first who told me that I should sing instead of just write because I gave up and I was just going to write but I played him an acoustic demo, I was excited and he was like «this is you singing?» and I was like yes and he said «you gotta do this song, it’s dope». So thanks Chris (laugh). On The Move Mag : Speaking about collaborations, there are a lot of them on your first album «Gossip Columns» that came out in October : G-Eazy, Kyle, Kehlani, YG and Hailee Steinfeld. Is it something you wanted all along for your debut album or did it happen along the way, meeting people and making friends in the music industry? Marc E. Bassy : It was very organic. G-Eazy and Kehlani are my friends. I’ve been around them forever, so that was just natural. I am always in the studio, G. and Kehlani both live in LA so they would be coming through. I asked Gerald if he wanted to get in my album and he liked the song so we did it. Same for Kehlani. Kyle is from LA but I’ve known him for a long time. Hailee actually DM’ed me and said she loved my song, and I was joking saying «come on the remix» and she said ok. I know YG from touring, I actually did a tour with YG and G-Eazy one time and he has just shot his music video for «Fuck Donald Trump», he was drunk as shit in the streets and I was at the studio and I was like «this is a perfect time. If we call YG right now he’s such in a good mood and maybe he’ll come on the song». That song «Westside Love» is actually my favorite song on the album. YG came over and he had just got shot so he was nervous about going out so we had to lock all the rooms in the studio and he was like «make sure everything’s safe». I was lucky for all of the features I’ve got.
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On The Move Mag : Is there any artist you’d like to collaborate with outside of the Hip-Hop/rap territories? Marc E. Bassy : I think I wanna collaborate with Mura Masa and more producers, songwriters and DJs. I don’t care about having big names, when it just happens naturally that’s what I want for the song. I don’t like sending my song and be like «please be such and such on the song».
« I wanna collaborate with more producers, songwriters and DJs» On The Move Mag : There are a lot of different sonorities on your tracks, a bit of electro, funk or reggae on that constant RnB sound. How do you work on your melodies ? Marc E. Bassy : I see melodies (laugh). Everything is melodies to me, and words. I really grew up listening to D’Angelo, Erykah Badu and all that stuff when I was in high school and after high school so it’s like my natural feel. I just try to play piano and see how it goes from here. On The Move Mag : We looked at your music videos and noticed that most of them carry a kind of vintage vibe as if it was shot with an old camera.
What inspired this? Is it something that you carry on to shape a very recognizable visual identity? Marc E. Bassy : I try. I have trouble because people see me and think I’m supposed to be just like Justin Timberlake because I am white and I sing R&B, so they immediately want me to have a certain type of visual. I am a grown man, I am not a little kid and that’s not my aesthetic anyways so it’s been hard to figure this out. My photographer is doing really good and getting our visuals better and better. I try to make all of our videos real, you know. All the pretty girls and guys on my videos are my LA friends. Most of my friends are either inspiring musicians, actors and models, so it’s natural. On The Move Mag : You went on tour with Bebe Rexha a few weeks ago. Can you tell more about it? Marc E. Bassy : I was asked to go on tour with Bebe Rexha, it was a really good business opportunity and made a lot of sense so I agreed. We had 30 members crew, big bus, big lights and all. She’s a bigger artist on social media and on the charts but I am a way bigger artist in ticket sales in the US. I will pass the details but she said she hurt her voice after six shows and she cancelled the rest of the tour, there were 30 shows. It pissed us off because she was on Corden and all of this so she wasn’t really sick. She’s a good songwriter though, I respect that.
INTERVIEW : AVA GHOLIKHANI AND PAM CHARBIT PHOTOS : PAOLA LEONARDIS FOR ON THE MOVE
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SEEING LIVE ?
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BRUNO MAJOR That, we saw a man singing towards the sky. On a tiny venue in Paris, Bruno Major performed his singular and ambitious project : « A Song For Every Moon ». In August 2016, the British artist came up with an idea, or even more, a challenge : releasing a new song every new moon of the year. Exactly one year later, he had it all, a twelve-track collection as so many states of mind captured. Driven by the specific time between these every moons (one month), Bruno Major was given no possibility to be a true perfectionist. Then, he delivered sincere and rough emotions, resulting in a heterogenuous and very organic record. The same feeling emanates from this intimist night of music at the Pop-Up du Label. Accompanied by a bass player and a drummer, Bruno Major offered, for an hour, a live rearrangement of his own project. Sometimes slower, faster, or going for acoustic, the artist has fun with his own tracks, and the joy and liberty coming from it is a pleasure to witness ! Bruno Major welcomes us in his dreamlike and delicate universe with « Wouldn’t Mean A Thing », the first track in « A Song For Every Moon ». On a minimalistic melody, the artist’s voice is enlightened. As soon as this soft introduction fades away, the artist speaks some words in French. It is his first show here as a headliner and his uplifting mood is communicative. Perfect to carry on with the upbeat and elegant « In Cold Blood ». On more jazzy territories, Bruno Major offers « Like Someone In Love ». The version is more dynamic than the original. Within three songs, the artist shows the wide range of genres he picks up elements from. He continues with « Fair-Weather Friend », going for piano this time. Although the guitar is central in the studio version, the piano brings
WORDS AND PHOTOS by NAYANA AUSCHER
a softness here and allows the artist to go deeper on vocals. With «Cold Blood», « Just The Same » is what sounds more pop on the album. Heavy electro beats come in constrast. We’re going away from the previous lightness, minimalistic turning dramatic. Sensitivity isn’t far, though. With a simple piano part, Bruno Major sings the poetic and sensitive words of « Places We Won’t Walk ». An occasion to show his high-pitched and impressive vocal habilities. Same atmosphere goes for « The First Thing You See ». « There’s Little Left » and « Easily » brings back jazzy vibes before an unexpected turn is given to the night with a Drake cover. Bruno Major revisits « Hold On, We’re Going Home » and it is kinda convincing. Very catchy, his cover makes us wanna move. Bruno Major is definitely full of surprises! For the last songs, the musicians leave and let Bruno Major conclude by himself with two acoustic versions of « Home » and « Second Time ». With his guitar only, this is a delicate and elegant conclusion to an enchanting night. In a great silence, the gig ends in a feeling of sweet communion. We presented Bruno Major as honest and atypical in his studio work... Believe us, he is even more on a stage.
AMBER RUN If there is one band you need to see live to fully understand what they’re about, it is Amber Run ! Before entering La Maroquinerie that night, we thought we knew everything about Joe Keogh, Will Jones, Tom Sperring and Henry Wyeth. Well, we were wrong. After three EPs released in 2014 « Noah », « Spark » and « Pilot », the first album of Amber Run « 5AM » was out in 2015. Barely entering their twenties, the members of the British formation blew our minds with their professionalism and maturity, whether melodically or lyrically. The deep, yet young, voice of Joe Keogh was even more disturbing on that behalf. Who was exactly Amber Run? Their bewitching altrock was still tinged with pop flown. But in 2017, Amber Run was back with a way more vivid and organic sound on their sophomore album « For A Moment, I Was Lost ». Their evolution was rough and beautiful at the same time. Yet, the band still carry high and proud their previous material. That’s the spirit they spread in Paris, juggling between federative anthems from their early days and impressive, powerful kicks from their most recent production. Opening the night with «Pilot», Amber Run sets the tone... The show will have its loud, powerful and sweaty moments. Well that’s a real start ! «Spark» wakes up the fans that have been to shy to express yet. The lyrics can be read on quite a bunch of lips. And we’ll soon realize that the public here for Amber Run hasn’t entered the venue by chance. Indeed, the British formation have quite an already acquired public here. A respectful, passionate one, that will know to keep a complete silence, or go wild, when needed. The heavy guitars of «Insomniac», balanced with the light vocals of the chorus, show the whole ambiguity of Amber Run’s sound. «Stranger» carries on with haunted lyrics and
WORDS AND PHOTO by CORALINE BLAISE
an ethereal atmosphere that fills the room, leaving all our hearts and hears hung on Joe Keogh’s lips. The thing that captivates us so much about the leader of Amber Run is his capacity to be anyone and everyone at once : luminous and dark, broken and dominant, nonchalant and transcendent, switching from one to the other within a second. Jumping from the minimal yet electric «Fickle Game» to the federative and solar «Just My Soul Responding», Amber Run cleverly builds its setlist. «Dark Bloom» is a dive into our personal weaknesses before «Good Morning» lifts all our spirits up and has everyone in the room clapping. While the public is willing to accompany the band at any time, this is a true standing ovation they’re throwing right at the end of the powerful «Island». A mix of happiness and discomfort runs through the band in front of this huge plebiscite. Then, they gather their wits before performing a religious-like rendition of «5AM». Carrying on the roller-coaster of music and feelings they settled from the start, the members of Amber Run go for heady «Noah» before lowering down on «Wastelands» - that still explodes at the end- and «Heaven». They definitely couldn’t bail the encore... the best is yet to come. The robotic stream of «Haze» makes a particularly sharp and hypnotic moment. Eventually, the audience will truly act as one on «I Found», Joe Keogh staying away from the mic to let the voices of the parisian audience fill the room in harmony. We often talk about some kind of communion during concerts but this one was true and memorable. Last bits of energy are delivered with no compromises on «No Answer». «We love you, it took us long to be here tonight Paris» says Joe Keogh, on a moment of gratefulness. Well, we’re ready to wait some more if that’s what it takes for Amber Run to come back !
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WHAT’S NEXT? THE SHOWS NOT TO MISS
PARAMORE
THE CHAINSMOKERS
Europe : from January 7th (Barcelona, Spain) to January 20th (Glasgow, UK) + Australia/ New Zealand : from February 8th (Melbourne, Australia) to February 13th (Auckland, New Zealand) + Asia : from February 16th ( Jakarta, Indonesia) to February 21st (Tokyo, Japan)
North-America : from January 6th (Las Vegas, NV) to February 2nd (Las Vegas, NV) + Europe : from February 10th (Wien, Austria) to March 10th (Copenhagen, Denmark) + Asia : from March 27th (Hong-Kong, China) to March 30th ( Jakarta, Indonesia)
MAX
KENDRICK LAMAR
Europe : from January 5th (Hamburg, Germany) to January 15th (Berlin, Germany)
Europe : from February 7th (Dublin, Ireland) to March 5th (Berlin, Germany)
MAHALIA
THE SCRIPT
Europe : from February 6th (Edinburgh, UK) to April 18th (Berlin, Germany)
BASTILLE REORCHESTRATED Europe : from April 10th (Manchester, UK) to April 20th (Lucerne, Switzerland)
KHALID Europe : from February 1st (Stockholm, Sweden) to February 18th (Glasgow, UK) + North-America : from May 1st (Portland, OR) to June 7th (Raleigh, NC)
KYGO Europe : from February 5th (Helsinki, Finland) to February 25th (London, UK) + NorthAmerica : from May 2nd (Toronto, Canada) to May 12th (Boston, MA)
MACKLEMORE
Europe : from February 2nd (Leeds, UK) to March 23th (Lisbon, Portugal) + Asia : from April 10th ( Jakarta, Indonesia) to April 28th (Bangkok, Thailand)
HARRY STYLES LIVE ON TOUR Europe : from March 11th (Basel, Switzerland) to April 16th 2018 (Dublin, Ireland) + April 21st (Perth, Australia) to June 2nd (Mexico) + America : from June 5th (Dallas, TX) to July 14th 2018 (Los Angeles, CA)
JACOB BANKS Europe : from March 13th (Köln, Germany) to March 29th (Stockholm, Sweden)
VANCE JOY Europe: from March 6th (Leeds, UK) to March 25th (Manchester, UK)
AMY SHARK
Australia/New-Zealand : from February 2nd (Brisbane, Australia) to February 11th (Sydney, Australia) + Europe : from March 30th (Manchester, UK) to May 26th (Hannover, Germany) + North-America (w/ Kesha) : from June 6th (Phoenix, AZ) to August 5th (Tampa, FL)
Australia/New Zealand : from January 29th (Auckland, NZ) to February 11th (Perth, Australia) + North-America : from February 10th (West Hollywood, CA) to March 14th (Allston, MA) + Europe : from March 19th (London, UK) to March 29th (Zurich, Switzerland)
THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS
AQUILO
Europe : from March 11th (Köln, Germany) to May 3rd (Berlin, Germany)
Europe : from March 12th (Amsterdam, Netherlands) to April 19th (London, UK)
KENSINGTON They’re throwing stadiums on fire in their home country and are hitting the European roads again. Do not miss the explosive dutch band live ! from February 15th (Amsterdam, Netherlands) to April 20th (Paris, France)
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WHAT’S UP Lomepal : the (not so) newbie OF the rap scene
IN FRANCE ?
© dr
Thérapie TAXI is going to rock your world
Antoine Valentinelli, a.k.a. Lomepal since 2011, is not your traditional rapper. Although compared to Eminem, he’s able to alternate between technical rap and singing which makes him quite singular in this scene, at least in France. Lomepal has despite his young age a career already dense. He released six projects in five years, all EPs or collaborations but has never released an album as he was not feeling ready for this format that does not allow any mistakes. Each song of his first album “Flip”, is clean, strong and has a unique identity. Lomepal talks about society, his generation and his passion. Influenced by the world of skaters since he was 10, his passion plays an important role in his life and he transposed it in his first album “Flip”, as in the first track which begins with the sound of a skateboard rolling, or in song titles.
Therapie TAXI is a serious kick in the… in our musical repertoire! Meet two guys, one girl and a great dose of electro-pop. Adélaïde, Raphaël and Renaud have been spotted in a music competition in 2016 and since then have come a long way for a young band. From sold out shows, to playing renowned festivals in France and being on the cover of “New Talent 2018” by Spotify, the three provocative individuals are on the way to success. Therapi TAXI’s recipe is quite complex, and genreless with a touch of provocative and that works. They frankly approach themes and issues of their generation, sometimes in a crude but authentic way, and without any taboos. Dancing, refreshing and unbelievably catchy, their soundscape is frantic and mesmerizing. Lyrically, they arise as a mirror of today’s youth: disillusioned perhaps, but burning with desires. They released a first self-titled EP which left its mark this year. Four songs that sweat sincerity and disillusion without pessimism and plunges you directly in the world of Therapie TAXI. Their latest single “Hit Sale” featuring Romeo Elvis, a rapper from Belgium, audaciously initiates the release of their first album, to be appearing in February 2018.
© Julie Oona
His work on melodies is remarkable, combining rap and pop melodies, making it work well also attracting a wider audience. Production is neat, and Lomepal can brag on working with “la crème de la crème”: one of the producers who accompanied him in the process is none other than Stwo, from Drake’s label “Ovo”, helping the rapper with a lighter and more melodic rap. Lomepal breaks traditions and genres and that’s what makes him so singular.
THE TALE OF Hugo Barriol BlueViktør : music for the soul
© Anaïs Nannini
Meet Hugo Barriol, the music version of Cinderella. The 28 year-old spent two years singing in the Parisian underground metro, 5 times a day every day. He actually began busking in Australia, where this common practice leads to success for multiple artists every year. He then went to an audition organized by the metro company RATP and was selected “Best singer of Parisian metro” in 2016 and was given the authorization of performing, hoping to be recognized for his talent.
BlueViktør is a musical project created by Camille Locatelli (lyrics, melodies and vocals) and Charles Vandelle (arrangements) in the little town of Dole, France. The duet has been putting out material on Soundcloud since early 2016 and been given word-of-mouth thanks to intimate shows in their hometown or around their region, playing in cafés, bars, or even pop-up stores. Now, they achieved one of their dreams and released a beautiful and accomplished self-titled EP. Composed of only 5 tracks, we can already tell you that you’ll be wanting more. In a nutshell, the EP is well-paced and has just a bit of a dark soul with a romantic vibe. We can’t help but make a comparison with well-known American band Daughter. Camille Locatelli has the ethereal and somewhat fragile voice of an angel, which, combined with an intense yet minimalist sound, gives a beautiful depth to the whole and touches the soul of the listener.
He was spotted at metro station “Pigalle” by his current label and released a first single “On The Road” and an EP. He played as a support act for Gavin James in Paris but also for Alain Chambord, a big name in French music, although Hugo Barriol sings in English. With his warm voice, his full beard and an overwhelming interpretation, the singer sings his first single “On The Road” with a palpable emotion. Between pop and folk, the singer passes from calm to storm for more than five minutes until the overflowing final. His lyricism is introspective and depicts his feelings, which anyone could identify to. And the rest of his first EP is no exception. Influenced by Ben Howard, among others, Hugo Barriol will become your new favorite voice of 2018.
© dr
Special praise for the track “Aranéide”, which depicts a strong contrast between Camille’s soft but high-pitched vocals with more aggressive instrumental. The duet namely explores the genre of post-rock and somehow makes it fit perfectly with the rest of the songs. Their first EP is available on Bandcamp and you can support them so they can release more music and please your ears!
WORDS by LUDIVINE DESUMEUR
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OTM TEAM PAM
founder, editorial director I spend most of my time apologizing to my favorite streaming platform for ripping off their «add to playlist» button. When i’m not looking for new artists to talk to you about I drown myself in a sea containing a mix of old R&B and punk-rock sound. Sometimes I go to concert venues more often than I go to bed and I listen to music even when I sleep. I’ll be probably deaf in 40 years but knowing you’ll discover new artists through this mag makes everything worthwhile.
CORALINE
graphic designer, writer
Wannabe architect, musical writer by passion. I am in love with matter, music and words. Drunk with british indie-rock and popfolk. I guess my wildest dream would be designing and building a gig venue, for which I would decide the opening line-up. In the meantime, I am the curly girl with too much hair, front row.
LéNAELLE
writer Meet the youngest of the crew ! Aspiring music journalist and communication student, I spend most of my free time surrounded by books and hot chocolate. Basically obsessed with british pop music and indie artists, if you’re looking for me you’ll probably find me singing my heart out at a concert. if i could turn back time, i’d definitely pop to the Panic! At The Disco show in Chicago in 2008.
LUDIVINE
writer Who am I, in a nutshell? Daydreamer, traveler at heart, sees beauty in everything, concert addict, Germany lover. Music is my escape route and my best friend. Fun fact: I actually own a guitar since I was 4 but I don’t know how to play. I am also the girl that’s like “Hey you gotta listen to this!” and 2 hours later we’re still on YouTube… Oops!
NAYANA
writer I am working in communication and design. I always loved music but I never thought about writing about it. Now, it is part of my everyday life and I am loving it ! On my free time, if I am not at a gig, I am probably in a movie theater or talking too much about my new favorite TV Shows. You can always find me at festivals, failing desperatly to see everything. Also travelling is awesome but with well-crafted indie playlists, it’s better !
AVA
writer I’m a 23 year old young graduate in marketing and business strategies. Music has always been a passion and a part of my professional and personal life. I like to describe amazing bands and singers’ songs and their emotions with words.
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ON THE MOVE SPREADING TALENTS AROUND SINCE 2012 @OTMfr
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