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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 new artists to get their music heard if they don’t meet some criteria. It takes time, it takes patience, it takes 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, or 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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REWIND
7
28 The best albums of May
INTERVIEW
Lewis Capaldi,
Scotland’s child prodigy
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ZOOM ON...
Now, Now and KINGDM
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SUMMARY INTERVIEW
Calum Scott,
on his way to worldwide success
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LIVE REPORTS
Demi Lovato + Katy Perry
39 What’s next ? The shows not to miss What’s Up In France ? 41 OTM Mag : Meeting the team 43
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REWIN EVERYTHING YOU MISSED AND NEED TO KNOW
SAVE THE DATE CHARLI XCX Not only is Charli XCX featured on one of the coolest songs at the moment, «Girls», but the young British sensation is also hitting the road very soon. If you loved and are still singing along to «Boys» or «Boom Clap», chances are you’ll find yourself dancing at one of her shows. But be quick because Charli is heading to Paris on June 20th, for one date only!
music video OF THE MONTH
IT HAPPENED TWO YEARS AGO ARIANA GRANDE - DANGEROUS WOMAN Two years ago, Ariana Grande graced us with a breathtaking album. Enough of sweet love songs, the singer put her maturity upfront and released «Dangerous Woman», her thirst studio album. With hits like «Into You» and «Side To Side», Ariana set the tone and marked the beginning of a new era, definitely more sexy and fierce. Now, she’s getting ready to release a new record, introduced by the modern «No Tears Left To Cry».
otm playlist ARCTIC MONKEYS FOUR OUT OF FIVE It’s been a long time coming, but the edgy British rock band is back with a brand new album, «Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino». An ambitious record, full of details and hidden secrets. The first single, «Four Out Of Five» is impressive and even got its own music video, directed by Ben Chappell and Aaron Brown. The video features Alex Turner taking up the directorial chair, channeling several film influences such as Stanley Kubrick’s «The Shining», and filming what seems to be the footage for the «Tranquility Base Hotel».
BASTILLE - QUARTER PAST MIDNIGHT JULIA MICHAELS FEAT TRIPPIE RED - JUMP SELENA GOMEZ - BACK TO YOU CHILDISH GAMBINO - THIS IS AMERICA DIPLO FEAT SIA, LABRINTH AND LSD - AUDIO RITA ORA - GIRLS YEARS AND YEARS - IF YOU’RE OVER ME TROYE SIVAN - BLOOM JESSARAE - DROWNING
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LEWIS CAPALDI Lewis Capaldi is without a doubt one of our favorite new artists at the moment and is set to make it big in the future. After opening for established acts such as Niall Horan, Sam Smith or Rag’n’Bone Man, the 21 year-old Scottish singer has everything it takes to be one of the voices of 2018: rough and powerful voicals, well-crafted lyrics and an endearing personality. Lewis is currently on a sold out U.S headlining tour and we met him at the Troubadour in Los Angeles where he showcased the extent of his talents.
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n The Move: Hi Lewis! Thanks for having us. Can you tell us more about your evolution as an artist ? Lewis Capaldi: My brother was always in bands growing up, so I just kind of copied him. It wasn’t admiration, more like a sibling thing. Whatever your brother do, you want to do it too. If he’s going to play the guitar, I’m going to play the guitar as well. He is 6 years older than me and because of that, we started playing kind of the same thing, because I was copying him. That kind of gave me this sexier start because he was at that age, at 18, where people starts joining bands and playing gigs when I was only 12 (laughs). So in the end, when he started playing gigs, I was like « ok I wanna start playing gigs as well », when he started playing songs, I was like « ok cool, let’s do that ». So I’ve always just wrote and sang at gigs because I felt that, if you want to be a musician, that’s just what you do. I don’t think there were other ways to do it rather than doing that. So yeah, I just kicked it off in Glasgow from 12 to 18, and I was playing anywhere they’d let me. Unfortunately there are not many bars that’d let a 12 year-old play in, so we kind of just sneaked in. I used to hide in the bathroom and then come out when it was my set, plugged in and played. Once you’re allowed on stage, you’re usually good, but afterwards they’d kick me out. On The Move: It was a struggle to get in then. Lewis Capaldi: It was tough but we eventually made it through. When I turned 18, I met my managers and they were like « We want you to take a year off of gigging, just to write songs.». At this point, doing gigs was what I was doing everyday of my life. So I was like, « ok, cool! » On The Move: So you’ve always wanted to be in music? Lewis Capaldi: Yes, of course. But it wasn’t about making music for money. If I could make enough money to get by and do something, then I am happy. I wrote « Bruises » on my 20th birthday and then we released it in March following up. And here we are now! On The Move: And here you are, playing a headlining tour in America, in Los Angeles! Lewis Capaldi: It’s mad. It’s one of those things I’ve always dreamed of. It’s cool but to be fair, I never thought I’d be playing a gig here (laughs). I always thought that if I could tour the UK and make enough money, that’d be great.
On The Move : There are more and more new artists from the UK and Ireland, for example Dermot Kennedy or Tom Walker, who are starting to make it big here in America! Lewis Capaldi : Yes, exactly. I think it’s good to see people from the UK and Ireland do well over here, especially because it is a tough market and there’s a lot of competition and talented people, so the fact that people from the UK and Ireland are getting recognition here is amazing! On The Move: Let’s talk about “Bloom” your debut EP which talks about love, heartbreaks and missing someone that you love. Is this inspired by personal experiences or did you try to put yourself in someone else’s shoes to write the lyrics? Lewis Capaldi: It was taken from my own experiences for sure. The only one that is a bit fictional is “Mercy”. Mercy is about the moment where a guy is told by his girlfriend that she wants to break up with him and he just explains everything that is happening in his head at that moment. That’s the only one that was kind of fictionalized.
« The fact that people from the UK and Ireland are getting recognition in America is amazing » On The Move: What kind of music inspires your songwriting? Lewis Capaldi: This is a good question. I listen to a lot of music that inspires me. For example if I listen to Kendrick Lamar, it inspires me to want to write because his lyrics are so f**king lit. People like that, like Paolo Nutini that I was listening growing up or The Beatles that I love. Kings Of Leon for example. The band is a huge inspiration of mine. If I’m writing a song and I’m struggling with the lyrics I am wondering if I can imagine people like Kings Of Leon singing on it. If I can’t, it means that I still need to work on the lyrics and the song. On The Move: How did you make the featuring with Jessie Reyez happen “Rush” ?
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Lewis Capaldi: I was just a huge fan of Jessie. Well, I still am. Me and Malay, a guy I worked with, we finished the song, or a certain version of the song, and I talked to my manager and I was kinda like “Ok, maybe, we can reach out to Jessie’s people” because I was such a big fan but I didn’t know what to expect. I thought she would be like “No!” but actually, she answered “Hell yes, let’s do it!” I was over the moon (laughs) because she is brilliant! On The Move: We actually met Jessie a couple of months ago and she said to us: “My way to heal my wounds is actually to put it into my music”. What do you think about that? Lewis Capaldi: For me, I feel like I write songs after going through that. I suppose everyone is different. You could tell that she does what she says on her music. For me, if for example if I write about heartbreaks, I don’t write while I’m heartbroken, I write four months after. I think there’s an aspect in music that can help you to get over things.
« I think there’s an aspect in music that can help you to get over things » On The Move: You have a new song out called “Tough”. What can you tell us about it? Lewis Capaldi: That’s an upbeat song. It’s a bit different from what has come before I think but I’m excited and I hope people like it. That’s a song I wrote with an amazing guy called Jonathan Quarmby. I think it’s a song that sounds quite happy but the lyrics are quite sad and that’s the way forward from it. Making songs about heartbreaks and also making songs that are upbeat but about heartbreaks (laughs) to balance it all.
and you just want to stay in bed. It’s just good to take different aspects from wherever you go and just let that in, it helps you to enrich your writing. On The Move: Artists always say to us that they find more creativity, more freedom here in America. Do you feel like that? Lewis Capaldi: I think it’s true. People are striving to try different things and work with different people and that’s how those amazing collaborations come about, I think. I think for me, when I come to America, and LA in particular, it’s so good. Everyone is so f**king talented. They’re amazing. They make you wanna stay more because you are always surrounded by those amazing people. It inspires me. On The Move: You’ve opened for many established artists and now you are headlining your own tour. How do you feel about it? Lewis Capaldi: I feel good man, yeah, yeah but I feel more comfortable being the support. It’s like, growing up, doing those gigs in Glasgow, I’m used to be the artist that helps to get the party started you know, I’m not used to people coming for me. On The Move: But now, people are coming for you! Lewis Capaldi: Yeah, it’s mad! (laughs) For example when I opened for Sam Smith, I was not used to that size of room! I’m used to be in those pubs where no one really cares who you are. That’s amazing, I like it, I like that feeling of having to win these people over. That’s where I come from. On The Move: Did you notice a difference between the American audience and the European one?
On The Move: You recorded your EP in London, New York and Los Angeles. Does it inspire you to work in different cities in the world?
Lewis Capaldi: They’re similar. I think the American audience is more rooting for you when you come on stage. So we opened for the band Milky Chance and I feel like when I was walking on stage to those shows, people would cheer for me as I walked in because they were like: “We want this guy to do well”. They are willing to discover who you are and I like that.
Lewis Capaldi: I think because I spent so much time writing and recording in London before the EP came out, by the end of it, I did feel a bit uninspired by it all, I just felt used to everything. I love writing in LA because it’s like, you wake up and it’s sunny and you’re like “I wanna do something today!” As opposed as in Scotland, when you wake up and it’s pouring rain
INTERVIEW BY PAM CHARBIT WITH LéNAELLE FONTAINE PHOTOS : ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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ZOOM ON... With the power of the internet and social media, aspiring musicians now have a powerful platform in their hands to create music and make themselves heard. And, the public, on the other side, is one click away from discovering an infinity of talented young artists... Each month, the team of On The Move chooses some of them to showcase and bet on their careers, bound to take off in the near future!
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NOW, NOW
more confident than ever
Originally named Now, Now Every Children, the band’s story began already 15 years ago, in 2003 when Cacie Dalager (vocals, guitar, and keyboard) met Bradley Hale (drums, backing vocals) in high school in the marching band they both integrated. The two teenagers soon became friends and started making music together, putting into life their teenage angst à la Avril Lavigne at the time. After several years, composing and recording in their parents’ basements and performing in bars and other events of their city and neighborhoods, the power of MySpace and word-of-mouth enabled the duo to increase their visibility little by little. Cacie and Bradley signed to the record label Afternoon Records in 2007 and released a few EPs while working on their first album. The latter came out around the end of 2008 and was named “Cars”. Their early material is moody, anguished and dark but raised by a certain lightness thanks to Cacie’s voice and particular tone. The big breakthrough for Now, Now (Every Children) happened thanks to Brad’s graphic design talents who had created an ad for the band in the American rock music magazine Alternative Press. Now, Now was then invited by Paramore on their Europe tour, a golden opportunity for the duo that would win a new audience. Shortly after, the young-formed band separated from its label, shortened its name to its current state and released independently an EP in 2010 entitled «Neighbors» whose edition was very limited. The band also reached a new peak of notoriety when one of their songs landed in an episode of Grey’s Anatomy in 2011... and we all know it, having a song in Grey’s Anatomy is not insignificant! Later, Now, Now signed with Trans – an Atlantic Records subsidiary – and released their second album “Threads” in 2012. This album was a major turning point for the duo as the band then performed as the opening act for The Naked And Famous, Fun and also performed on the set of Late Night Show with Jimmy Fallon. Cacie and Bradley
were more mature and this was also to be felt musically: “Threads” extends through a pattern –a thread – on a lyric scale as well as on an instrumental scale and is distinguished by a unique atmosphere, quite moody which they have made their signature sound. «We needed to hit rock bottom in order to rebuild and come back stronger than before” Five years after their latest album, Now, Now is back on the limelight with a third record “Saved” released last May. Before that they went on Parahoy, Paramore’s cruise in the Bahamas, enabling them to kind of rekindle the flame for their early fans – and win some new ones. Although the duo has evolved a lot musically – tending towards more indie-pop direction – they remain faithful to their early spirit and signature sound, transposed by a lasting, nostalgic element so characteristic of the songs interpreted by Cacie’s captivating voice, which pronounces each lyric as an extended breath. «Saved» is fresh, bold, catchy and above all more confident. We can witness a real transformation in «MJ» or «Yours», two of the album’s tracks which showcase successful catchy choruses. In general, emotions are exposed to the light of day and although the words are quite blunt, they shape these feelings into something real and beautiful. Everything is interpretation and depends on the perspective of each one of us, just like the album’s artwork, revealing multiple meanings...
Listen if you are a fan ofDreamscapes and if you’re in need, upbeat yet moody tracks that will directly speak to your heart and lift it up.
One song to listen to« Yours » for its guitar-driven melody, fuzzy bass and airy vocals. Trust us, you’ll be humming soon enough!
WordS by LUDIVINE DESUMEUR PHOTO : ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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KINGDM
Mysterious and mesmerizing
Are you ready to fall head over heels for KINGDM’s dark alt-pop? Born and raised in a small northern Italian city, KINGDM began playing piano when he was five – after hearing Chopin’s «Fantasie Impromptu». He now splits his time between Los Angeles and Europe. He is a very secrete and mysterious artist who doesn’t reveal much on his identity and journey. In fact, if you try to make some researches on him, you risk to be very disappointed. Besides a few black and white pictures, all we have is the music - and when you are as good as KINGDM - that’s the only thing that matters. The songwriter/ producer started to unveil music in 2016 with the solar and EDM infused track «Can’t Get Over You» quickly followed by «Baby» featuring Kevin Garrett. This song showed a musical evolution and a more alt-pop sound that was going to shape the musical direction he is taking now. If «Say It Again» and «Superman», the two other songs he unveiled that year kept this electro and summer vibe, KINGDM took two years to find a way to combine all of those different influences into one body of work that is his new single, the addictive «Your Love» featuring vocals by Soran and Red Cragun. This track exactly reflects the image that the artist wants to display: an alternative and dark but mesmerizing and intriguing vibe blended with a mysterious image. In an oversaturated industry where artists prefer to put
themselves in the spotlight, KINGDM - just like H.E.R that we introduced to you a while ago - prefers to do the entire opposite and stay in the shadows to let the music speaks for itself. The nocturnal electronic undertone, catchy melody and main lyric: «It’s your love, you got me thinking about your love» gets stuck in your head which is definitely a good sign. The minimalist music video basically includes a woman texting someone throughout the whole song. That’s it. There’s not much to feed our curiosity, is it? The only thing we know is that KINGDM is gaining more and more recognition in the industry. «Can’t Get Over You»reached No.1 on HypeMachine and racked up over three million streams on Majestic Casual, becoming one of the most streamed songs on the channel while the three following tracks were premiered by Zane Lowe on Beats 1. It’s just a matter of time before KINGDM invades your playlists, your radio and your music world. You have been warned.
Listen if you are a fan of-
Alt-electronic vibe with a pop undertone. If you like SG Lewis, Gallant or Kevin Garrett, you will adore KINGDM!
One song to listen to« Your Love » is the one for you as it will help you to dive into KINGDM’s new alt-pop universe.
WordS by PAM CHARBIT PHOTO : ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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CALUM SCOTT Europe fell head over heels for this man that we introduced you to about two years ago, right after the release of his cover of «Dancing On My Own». Calum Scott, who will be opening for Pentatonix this summer in the U.S, proved that everyone was right to believe in him. His debut album «Only Human» was a success especially in his home country and Calum is now taking over the world. We sat again with the artist, two years after our first meeting, to talk about this first record.
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n The Move: Hi Calum! We are really happy to have you again with us. Are you happy to be back in Paris? Calum Scott: So happy! I love Paris, I love France. It’s been a while, last time I was here was for Taratata. So yeah, I’ve been excited to come back. On The Move: The last time we had an interview together was in January 2017 and you told us you wanted your debut album to be versatile, because you wanted to show you could do more than singing sad songs. Do you think you managed to do this with «Only Human»? Calum Scott: I feel like I’ve put an album out that is the best reflection of me. I’m a fun guy, I enjoy my life, I love what I do, I love the people around me but I am very sensitive. I do cry a lot and I do get upset and angry, that’s just me, just me as a person. So I feel like I wanted to reflect myself like that in my album, show the fun side of me and the pop side, and then slow it down and show the somber side, the sad, heartbroken side of me that a lot of people can relate to. I’m very proud of this album.
email, we started talking and we just got along straight away. We were texting and when she came to London, we recorded the music video and the song. She was just amazing. Such a sweetheart, so funny, so talented, her voice is insane. It was a privilege to sing a song with her and she was singing one of my songs, it was very surreal but an honor. I was like «oh my god this is Leona Lewis», like I can’t really take it in and now we’re friends, we text all the time so yeah it’s awesome. On The Move: Will there be another collaboration between the two of you? Calum Scott: I hope so. She sent me some of her work when I sent her «You Are The Reason» so I can only say that me and Leona, it won’t be the last time that we’ll be working together.
« I’ve put an album out that is the best reflection of me »
On The Move: Tricky question! Is there a particular song in the album that you love more than any other track?
On The Move: For us, the song that really stands out is «Give Me Something», it makes you want to dance. You also try something totally different with this one, there’s even a John Newman kind of vibe to it. What can you tell us about it?
Calum Scott: Oh no it’s like picking my favorite child! (laughs) I mean «You Are The Reason» is a big song for me. Every time I sing it, people have such a beautiful reaction to it and they seem to be really engaged with the song because it’s a song about love and not just love romantically but also love for your family, for your friends. So I think it has always been a special song. And for me, my reason was my grandma and she passed away a few years ago, she helped me grow to be the gentleman I am today and I think by having her tribute to my music kind of immortalizes her. She’s part of my album, she’s part of my story, she’s part of my future so even though she’s no longer with me, she still is if you know what I mean. That’s why it’s such a special song but there are so many songs on the album that have a special place in my heart, it’s hard to pick!
Calum Scott: Yeah for sure, I mean like we said earlier, I definitely wanted to show that I can do upbeat, feel-good music as well. One of the things that I wanted to do is to show people that I have a strong confident side. The reason why we went kind of a bit more John Newman was to have a bit more attitude, a bit more attack because people might expect that it was going to be a song full of piano and an album full of ballads and every song is going to be sad and at the end of the album you’re in tears so I wanted to show people that I can do more! When I sing that song live, everybody moves and it’s so amazing to have that power that I can make the room go still and everybody watches and I can also make people move around and dance. It feels great.
On The Move: How did your duet with Leona Lewis come about? Is she someone you wanted to collaborate with for a long time?
Calum Scott: «Rhythm Inside»! Yes! Such a cool song!
Calum Scott: Yes! And I followed her music for so long, I saw her on the X Factor in the UK and then she went on to do global things all around the world and I’ve been such a huge fan of her so when we were introduced by
On The Move: Like «Rhythm Inside»!
On The Move: Even in the way you’re vocalizing, it sounds different… Calum Scott: Yeah it’s like I’m exploring different parts of my voice all the time, when I do slow songs, my voice
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comes into a different place, I guess a bit more deep. It feels like I sing from my heart you know, and then when I sing the upbeat songs I feel like I give everything from my chest, giving everything I can. This is what I love doing. I love discovering new things and I get to do a job that I love everyday so I’m learning all the time. On The Move: You worked with Fraser T Smith for this record. How was it to collaborate with a guy who has worked with some of the biggest singers in the world? Calum Scott: A sweetheart! He has worked with Craig David, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Adele, Ellie Goulding, and to work with somebody like Fraser T Smith is like working with your idol, somebody that you’re just like «I’ll never get to work with that guy». I was like «this is big!» and for him to produce my entire album as well, for somebody like me who comes from a small city! I’m not from London, I’m from the North-East of England, so I’m from a smaller city than Fraser for sure and I kind of felt like a fish out of water when I first started this job like «I don’t know if I can do this. I don’t know anybody. What if people don’t like me?». I soon started to realize that my voice did the talking. People wanted to work with me because of the way I sing and the way I interpret my music and Fraser - from the very beginning - was such a sweetheart, such a nice guy, he had all of the time for me, he really listened and really understood where I wanted to go with my album. It was my first album so it was very personal. I only get one chance to do my very first album you know and I couldn’t be prouder, he has helped me all the way through and he’s a very close friend of mine now as well but for sure at the beginning I was like «I don’t know if I can do this» (laughs). On The Move: You covered Bob Dylan’s «Not Dark Yet» in your album, why did you choose this song? Calum Scott: It was kind of a happy accident. When we were creating the album I wasn’t really looking to put another cover in there because «Dancing On My Own» was already there, the Tiësto remix as well so I kind of thought, I want to show people I can write music. As I was writing the album, there were so many songs on there that I had written that were personal, «If Our Love Is Wrong» is very personal about my sexuality, «I Won’t Let You Down» is about my sister and how I try to tribute her on the album, «Hotel Room» is sort of my version of «Dancing On My Own» where I had my heart broken. So as I was writing these songs, I came across «Not Dark Yet» by Bob Dylan, I was listening to the song and I was like «oh my God this is really sad». It is about him basically near the end of his life but he’s
reflecting on his entire life, reflecting on the places he has been to and I just think that for my album being only human and being all about life, how we experience life, to sing a song about death in the most reflective, most beautiful way kind of brings the album full. So I thought that might be a good idea and I covered the song and played it to my label and they were «oh my God this is what the album needs!» And there is no other song on the album with just me and the guitar, everything is piano or pop so it was a beautiful change and it’s Bob Dylan you know! (laughs) He’s a legend, I’m never going to be able to write a song like Bob Dylan’s are.
« I knew that the music I wrote was not going to be about going to the club and getting wasted. it was going to be honest and very sincere » On The Move: You co-wrote most of the songs on “Only Human”. Did you focus more on your songwriting when you worked on this album? Calum Scott: Yeah for sure I mean I definitely wanted it to be a part of every song in the album. It was so important to me to have such a huge fanbase from one song and I knew that when I’d brought the album out that it would have to be special, it would have to be my stories, my experiences, to make it personal you know, to make it Calum Scott. The debut album is all about me so that’s why I wanted it to be a part of every song. You know I wrote around 70 songs for the album because I was just writing, writing, writing, getting all this stuff off of my chest, writing about when I was young, writing about the future, the past, my parents, my family so I was just writing and it wasn’t until I was told to put the album together where I was like «oh God now I’ve got to take this down to like 12 songs» (laughs) but the thing that made it easy was the tie, the pattern through all the songs that are about how human we all are and how it’s okay to cry, to feel angry, jealous, upset because we’re not robots. We can’t just be programed to think a certain way, you know? We’re humans, and I think it’s a beautiful thing. We’re vulnerable and we’re not all made of stone, we’ve got a heart underneath but sometimes the heart is broken or it’s beating off of your chest. These are my experiences, songs that I’ve written and knowing how much reaction it has with the crowd is such a privilege.
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On The Move: You entitled your debut album «Only Human» to encourage self-love and positivity, what was that journey like for you? How did you get to this point? Calum Scott: I can’t believe I’m here now. Because I dreamed of doing something like this, dreamed of having my own album, dreamed of having my own tour, and to finally do that now is really special. Like I said with «Only Human», the whole process of writing this album, I went through the huge highs of «Dancing On My Own», being heard all over the world, going on these huge TV programs, and performing in countries I’ve never even been to, in front of huge crowds. It had done so much more than I thought I was capable of and as I was going through these experiences I knew that this was going to be challenging as well. How do I write a song that’s better than “Dancing On My Own”? How do I write an album when I don’t know how to write music? How do I keep my fanbase happy? Keep them engaged in what I do? So there were challenges and definitely parts where I thought that maybe that was it, maybe that one song was it. I just had to keep on being confident, keep working really hard. So the process had ups and downs, the people I met along the way I had ups and downs with, I met a guy who I thought I loved, who broke my heart. Everything I went through while I was writing this album is reflecting the album. For example there’s this song called «What I Miss Most» which is about me missing home and missing my nephew, missing my family, missing the house I grew up in. I think that was part of me going through this like I’ve never traveled around the world so much since I’ve been doing what I’m doing so definitely the life I’m living now, the life I’ve led, has influenced the entire album. I’m looking forward to album 2 but I’ve got a lot more life to live to try and get another album written. I had my whole life to be inspired for my debut album and now I’m probably going to have a year to write another album but if it’s honest and genuine then it should be easy. On The Move: Have you begun writing again? While touring perhaps? Calum Scott: Yeah I’ve started to write music again, I’ve started to get in the studio again, I wrote a song not so long ago that the label liked and they’re feeling it, they’re vibing so I’ll continue to write. I mean I’m very busy with the tour, and I have a lot of promo for the album especially internationally so I’m going to be very busy but where I can I need to write because it’s like a diary, I get it off my chest, it makes me feel better so I need to write.
On The Move: As you said, each song is kind of personal to you, for example «I Won’t Let You Down» written for your little sister, or «Hotel Room» addressing the fact that you’re often away from home. Is this more difficult to write about personal topics or – on the contrary – it is easier than trying to write about what you think people want to hear? Calum Scott: I knew when I started to write music that it was going to be personal, I just knew it. I could tell that it was the kind of music I would write, it’s the kind of person I am. I love very quickly and very easily and I get in trouble for that because I fall in love with people or I trust people, I become best friends with somebody within two days and suddenly they’re not my friend anymore, I get upset. I’m a very moving person. So I knew that the music I wrote was not going to be about going to the club and getting wasted. I knew that it was going to be honest and very sincere, very genuine and very heartfelt so that’s the kind of music I started to write and it was quite difficult at first talking about such personal things you know, my sexuality was a huge thing I had to write about, but as soon as I unlocked that door all these doors opened of being able to write from very personal experiences. At first it was difficult but then it became therapy and that’s why I wrote 70 songs because I was going and going and the label was like “you have to stop, we have to make an album, we can’t keep writing songs Calum, we love that you’re writing music but you need to stop” (laughs). But I will continue writing music that will hopefully speak to people’s hearts and make people feel better or feel more loved or feel more courageous, especially about sexuality because it was such a huge deal for me that if a young person listens to my album and goes “well he was really scared and he talked about his sexuality and he’s happier now then maybe I’ll do the same”. If that can inspire that then I will die a happy man. It’s the best gift I can give because music is medicine. On The Move: Do you prefer listening to happy songs or sad songs? Calum Scott: I guess because I write so many sad songs, I like to listen to happy music, I prefer to kind of dance around because if not I’d be crying when I’m writing and crying when I’m listening to music so I kind of feel like I need to laugh and smile more. But I love all sorts of music, on my playlist I have Adele, Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith and then I have Whitney Houston and Queen and Diana Ross and then I have Calvin Harris and Kygo, I just have such a mix and match of artists.
WordS by PAM CHARBIT WITH LUDIVINE DESUMEUR PHOTO : PAOLA LEONARDIS EXCLUSIVELY FOR ON THE MOVE
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OUR BEST ALBUMS
OF MAY Every week of the year, a bunch of records are thrown into the world, portraying the singular influences, universes and sounds of artists. Do you get lost in the numerous releases? On The Move Mag is here to help. This month, as always, we opened our ears and dove into what matters most : music! Whatever genre suits you, you’ll find something new to discover... Here are our favourite albums released in May.
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Knock off your old identity and come back stronger and bolder than ever. This could be James Bay’s motto. Introduced by «Wild Love», this new album feels a lot like a coming of age and a daring reinvention for the young singer. Forget about the simple and pleasing «Chaos And the Calm», on «Electric Light», James decides to explore a bit more and goes for a more modern, rough and rock sound. The opening «Wasted On Each Other», followed by «Pink Lemonade» kind of feels like a big statement from the singer: this album is going to be all over the place, but in a good way. There is pop sound, almost hip-hop vibes, rock sonorities and an insane feeling that we can’t really shake off after listening to this record. The energy is amazing and you can really feel that James Bay had fun doing this album and doesn’t really care about the «Calm» anymore. Here’s to the happy «Chaos»!
Top 3 tracks: Pink Lemonade, Wild Love, Wanderlust
JAMES BAY - ELECTRIC LIGHT Following «Coming Home» released in 2015, Leon Bridges offers us another opportunity to dive into his soulful R&B universe. From bluesy ballads as in «Mrs.» to groovy tunes like «If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)», Leon Bridges showcases his talent in an effortless manner. «Good Thing» feels broader than «Coming Home» and maybe this record will disappoint some fans that were expecting more from Bridges but what we know for sure is that this new album retains its strength, thanks to its authentic and rare energy: its radiance.
Top 3 tracks: Shy, Beyond, If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)
Leon Bridges - Good Thing
Propelled in the limelight only two years ago with their hit-song « Black Beatles », the Sremmurd brothers are finally back with a new album in their hands. Or should we say three… that’s right, «SR3MM» is a 3-in-1 record, combining the duo’s project with Slim Jxmmi and Swae Lee’s respective projects. Each of them is indeed able to assert himself and shine individually without damaging their obvious complementarity. It also goes without saying that the two thought on a grand scale and called la crème de la crème of the American hip-hop/rap scene: The Weeknd, Future, Travis Scott and Juicy J among others. This record is one of the most anticipated ones, and honestly, the project didn’t disappoint. See it for yourself and enjoy!
Top 3 tracks: Bedtime stories, Powerglide, Rock n Roll Hall of Fame
Rae Sremmurd - SR3MM
If it wasn’t for music, Marijn van der Meer and Jorrit Kleijnen’s paths would never have crossed. A couple of years ago, the first almost spontaneously recorded vocals over the second’s melody, and it was love at first listen. Though some of their tracks met a huge success online after being featured in commercials, the duo chose to go against the crazy trend in the music industry and take its time to release its debut album. « Eyes Closed » is a musical journey guided by HAEVN’s intuitions and emotions. Marijn and Jorrit drive us through the timeless tribulations of existence with enveloping and haunting melodies. A roller-coaster of textures and themes: you’ll go from the nostalgia running through « City Lights » to the roaming in « We Are », from the tricky relationship of « Mind Games » to the complete surrender of « Let Love Tear Me Down ». Those ups and downs are eventually balanced by brighter notes, HAEVN closing the album with a message of hope and empowerment with « Hold On » and « Fortitude ». HAEVN’s tracks are intimate enough to be striking but subtle enough to echo with anyone’s life. You just have to close your eyes and feel...
Top 3 tracks: Mind Games, Love Is A Game, Fortitude
HAEVN - EYES CLOSED
They’ve been everywhere for the past three years and there’s no way you missed out on the Scottish trio CHVRCHES. Led by the charismatic Lauren Mayberry, the synth-pop band released their third record with quite a pessimistic title: «Love is Dead». Produced by the renowned Greg Kurstin (Sia, Adele), this new album gives you 13 reasons why CHVRCHES does so well. From pure pop anthems, to more aggressive chants like «Get Out» (you’ll totally be screaming the chorus in a matter of seconds) or even a touch of rock brought by Matt Berninger from The Nationals on «My Enemy» which totally stands out from the rest, the band happens to be halfway between nostalgia and modernity. Love may be dead, but music certainly isn’t.
Top 3 tracks: Get Out, My Enemy, Never Say Die
CHVRCHES - Love is Dead
Shawn Mendes’s third album is marked by the seal of simplicity. The Canadian phenomenon swaps his powerful and federative pop anthems for a collection of introspective sweets. Tackling the pangs of love, the 14 tracks of his self-titled album display beautiful variations in terms of sound. Going for more funk (« Lost In Japan », « Particular Taste ») or more soul (« Where Were You In The Morning ? », « Why »), the arrangements overall are very restrained. Delicate tracks such as « Like To Be You », « Perfectly Wrong » or « When You’re Ready » stand out as particularly refined gems. The 19 year-old artist seems to want to tame the pop machinery that defined his music so far and opens up with more honesty and less ornaments. Even if, in the process, he tends to lose a bit of his edginess...
Top 3 tracks : In My Blood, Like To Be You, Youth
SHAWN MENDES
Get your black leather jacket on because your favorite rock band is back. From their scrappy and dusty debut to their rock gods image with «AM» in 2013, Arctic Monkeys managed to perfectly navigate through each era. But this time, the band from Sheffield took a big leap and released their most intriguing and interesting work so far. With «Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino», Alex Turner truly transforms into a crooner and gives us a dense album, dominated by a 70’s vibe, filled with some pop-ish accents. Somehow inspired by The Last Shadow Puppet’s work, «Four Out Of Five» is the most familiar song on the album, yet the only one who could be a potential single, as it is way more accessible for the audience. Like one big story, Arctic Monkeys invites us to their strange hotel, and we’re willing to stay for the night.
Top 3 tracks: Four Out Of Five, Star Treatment, Science Fiction
ARCTIC MONKEYS - Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino You’ve been waiting for this and Charlie Puth delivered! Two years after the release of his debut record «Nine Track Mind» praised by both the fans and the press and which helped the singer to slide himself amongst the most promising new pop stars, the 26 year-old American finally released «Voicenotes», initially scheduled to be unveiled in January. If «Nine Track Mind» showed Charlie’s ability to write smooth love songs, this new record surely showcases his versatility as an artist and producer since he produced the whole record on his own. After the pop hits «Attention» and «How Long», both a part of the same story, he invited his long time friend and label mate Kehlani on the R&B track «Done For Me». The singer’s flirty vibes are still here with «Empty Cups» and he even brought the legendary James Taylor in the optimistic «Change». From ballads to catchy pop songs infused with heavy R&B influences, Charlie Puth showed a more mature side of himself and his new experiences as a superstar are reflecting in those new songs. Solid album for sure.
Top 3 tracks: The Way I Am, Done For Me, If You Leave Me Now
CHARLIE PUTH - VOICENOTES 31
ARE THEY WORTH
SEEING LIVE ? 33
DEMI LOVATO F
rench Lovatics were hopping up and down with impatience at the thought of seeing Demi Lovato performing in Paris on this day of June. Indeed, the multitalented American artist had never toured Europe on her own yet. Only the luckiest (and -above all- longtime) fans were able to see her live in 2009, when she was part of the Jonas Brothers’ world tour, or in 2014 supporting Enrique Iglesias. Therefore, the public was waiting for Lovato to perform both her recent songs taken from her sixth album «Tell Me You Love Me» and her old material, through which they fell in love with her music... Well, their wish was granted! And the singer set the bar high! A lot of dancers, several costumes and hairstyles: beautiful settings are following one another and are up to our expectations. The surprisingly high scene allows Demi Lovato and her dancers to appear and disappear from underneath it, adding a little bit of magic to the whole performance. Different atmospheres are depicted. After opening the show on an impressive and acclaimed rendition of «You Don’t Do It For Me Anymore» - brilliantly showcasing the popstar’s powerful vocals - we find Demi Lovato laid on a sofa to sing «Daddy Issues», as if she was confessing to her fans, psychologists for the night. The room is now lit in red lights and «Cool For The Summer» broadcasts a more sensual mood, where Demi Lovato gets closer to her male and female dancers, claiming: «Love who you want and go tell your mother!». The singer is indeed one important voice defending the LGBTQ community’s rights and values.
The crowd is carried away by «Sexy Dirty Love» before going wild on two classic tracks: «Heart Attack» and «Give Your Heart A Break», huge successes respectively taken from «Demi» and «Unbroken». On «Give Your Heart A Break», we discover with surprise and amusement the famous ‘Kiss Cam’. The Lovatics are willing to play the game and offer a great dose of love! Change of outfit for the beautiful Demi and we find her as a victorious boxer. The stage becomes her ring as she proudly sings «Confident». Then, for three tracks, «Concentrate», «Cry Baby» and «Lonely», she performs on a bed. Alone with her guitar for the first one, she is then joined by two dancers for a poetic choreography, before going voluptuous on the final track. For this European tour, Demi Lovato chose to perform all of her latest collaborations: «No Promises» she recorded with Cheat Codes in 2017 and «Solo», her more recent collaboration with Clean Bandit. Then comes «Échame La Culpa», a latino anthem she sings along with Luis Fonsi, father of «Despacito». This is the occasion to hear the singer in both English and Spanish, which she masters perfectly. Then, time comes for «Fall In Line», she usually shares with Christina Aguilera. Close to perfection, this live version totally competes with the studio one. It also was the moment for Demi Lovato to go back to her childhood days and explains how much she used to listen to Aguilera’s tracks, trying to hit the same high notes as the diva on karaoke versions. What a road it has been for the artist from dreaming of pursuing a music career in her bedroom to international recognition... The French public warmly applauses!
WORDS by DéBORAH GAILLARD WITH CORALINE BLAISE ; PHOTOS by DéBORAH GAILLARD
Right after, Demi Lovato goes for more intimate territories as she sings alone with her piano two of her most personal tracks: «Warrior», taken from her fourth album, and «Father», featured in «Confident». «Warrior» tackles a really important subject to her: mental issues. « Mental illness stays a taboo all over the world and it seems crazy to me that we don’t take care of our spirit as much as our body. » Demi Lovato is indeed suffering from bipolarity, but she learned how to live with it, and she insists on the fact that it doesn’t prevent her from living her life to the fullest. The public greets this message full of hope and as a proof of support of this fight, they loudly sing along the lyrics of «Warrior». Before striking up the emotional «Father», Demi Lovato goes back to the complex and difficult relationship she had with her father, before he died in 2013. She explains the anger she felt towards him, for being absent, and how this felling left her when he tragically passed: «I hope that Heaven’s giving you a second chance». « It was time for me to grow up and letting go. » The time has passed too fast and the show is already coming to an end. Demi Lovato chose to close her show with two of her most recent and appreciated singles from her latest album: «Sorry Not Sorry», where the singer proudly addresses to her haters and «Tell Me You Love Me», which rings like a natural conclusion to this ‘Tell Me You Love Me Tour’. According to her wide smile and numerous words of love, Demi Lovato really enjoyed this Parisian show, despite the boiling heat in the venue. She confesses wanting to come to France for the summer holidays and promises to come back soon for a show as well.
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KATY PERRY D
on’t be surprised if some of the following lines seem out of this world to you... You really can not put yourself in Katy Perry’s shoes and anticipate what you’ll see from the pop icon live. She’ll always have crazier and more surprising ideas than you ever did! Indeed, we were lucky enough to be part of the crowd on one of the two sold-out shows of Katy Perry’s «Witness The Tour» in Paris. And what a wild ride! The venue is really packed a few minutes before the show begins. And it’s under the eye of Katy Perry herself that her eclectic fandom is waiting feverishly... A huge screen in the form of an eye actually plays a continuous uptake of Katy Perry’s look. This XXL glance can become quite heavy after a few minutes, diving us into some kind of distopic mood announcing the rest of the show... Watch out, Big Brother is watching you! Suddenly, that glance vanishes, lights go out and Katy Perry’s distorted vocals rises from a distance along with muted, deep noises. A colourful and exhilirating intro, borrowing images from outer space and melting bits of all of Katy Perry’s hits, plays on the screen and brightly announces all the extravaganza ahead! The eye/screen breaks in two parts and allows Katy Perry to enter the stage, in the middle of a huge illuminated star. «Will you be my witness?» sings the artist as some kind of welcome. Witness of Katy Perry’s undeniable talent and limitless imagination? Hell, we were! What we will remember from this show is indeed this continuous demonstration of creativity, dishinibition and freedom. Because more than a live performance, Katy Perry’s show is above all a visual journey like you’ve certainly never seen before! And it begins right after this star episode, on the electric track «Roulette». Huge golden dice are set on stage, with kaleidoscopic visuals infused with a Casino atmosphere
WORDS AND PHOTOS by CORALINE BLAISE
playing in the background. On red glittery suits, Katy Perry and her impressive dancers perform in and on these setting elements. Only the first of a true collection of acrobatic choreographies! And when you realize confettis are already flying up in the air at the second song, you know it is only the beginning of a spectacular night. We could literally write pages and pages about every funny or stunning details in Katy Perry’s show. We are hypnotized by the eerie and franctic atmosphere depicted on «Chained To The Rhythm». The song is inhabitated by a horde of dancers with heads as televisions. Huge puppets with the same features are moving back and forth at the back of the scene. Being a direct critic towards the crazy path of our society, this is one of the few scenes that could be read and understood at different levels and we really appreciated that. « Teenage Dream » is depicted on a cinematic proposition, somewhere between « Charlie and the Chocolate Factory » and « The Truman Show ». On a yellow beam, Katy Perry goes up in the air and carries out a flawless - almost mechanic - choreo alongside her team. One moment to remember! Going for wilder moves songs after songs, Katy Perry doesn’t cease to amaze us, for better or for worse. You could be spending the night thinking «What the f*ck» and «This is amazing!» from one second to the other. At multiple times, Katy Perry leaves the safe floor of the AccorHotels Arena’s stage to go for higher levels. On classic «I Kissed A Girl», the performer rises from the floor, tied up by one hand, and ends up eaten by giant and bright red lips hung from the ceiling. A few minutes later, she literally sings « Wide Awake » on a replica of a planet, flying above the public. On « Pendulum », she travels around, standing
up on a moving clock. All this technical set-up also allows a giant inflatable lion to emerge from the back and slowly goes forward until it reaches the middle of the room during « Roar ». All these eclectic and grandiloquent pictures doesn’t go without a structure. Indeed, the show is parted in five acts and seems to tell an actual story. From the earlier and candid days of «Hot’N’Cold» or «California Gurls» to the empowerment of the grand finale in «Fireworks», Katy Perry also shows her vulnerability on «Into Me You See» or reborn from her ashes on «Part Of Me». This whole course somehow cristallises Katy Perry’s journey as an artist and a human (at least, that’s how we interpreted it). This message is also delivered through the numerous visuals of herself played on screen during the night. Either in the form of colorful depictions -like a pop madonna- or through more personal footages, Katy Perry’s portrait is everywhere. Catharsis or egocentricity? The limit is sometimes thin. We have to say this. Even if every minute of Katy Perry’s show is impressive for a reason, the whole thing ends up looking almost too perfect to be true, too mechanical. The show is so overwhelming at times, it prevents you to really see the artist behind. And it’s when Katy Perry takes it simpler, that she reaches further. For example, her interpretation of «Power» particularly stands out for her simplicity. Alone, with delicate wings spreading out behind her back, Katy Perry finally touches our soul after one hour and thirty minutes of show. There, we not only hear her, but listen to her and eventually realize her vocal abilities are simply stunning. Too bad this statement didn’t come to our minds earlier... We were literally too blinded by the lights to really open our ears so far! However, Katy Perry chooses rare but relevant moments to open up to her fans and say how grateful she is for them to be here. When she talks about the universal power of music, bringing people together all around the world, her Parisian crowd cheers warmly. She also, in a more funny way, greets the public with compliments on French culture : «You pretty much invented everything, fashion, romance, food. You’re your own kind of people! I love that!» The artist even integrates one lucky fan to the show, inviting her to play a basketball game on stage (yes, you read that! FYI, we lost, Katy won). Then, it is pretty clear... If you’re looking for a fun and thrilling night? You’re right where you’re supposed to be! If you’re searching for music to trigger your emotions, then choose another way. But this doesn’t take away Katy Perry’s immense talent, carrying away a more than 2 hours show with an endless energy and flawless vocals. The multiplicity of settings, outfits, choreos clearly has the power to brighten up your day and take you to a whole other planet (even several) for a few hours. Because, if there is one thing Katy Perry surely is doing, it is pushing the boundaries of entertainment.
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WHAT’S NEXT? THE SHOWS NOT TO MISS
MACKLEMORE North-America (w/ Kesha): from June 6th (Phoenix, AZ) to August 5th (Tampa, FL)
THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS North-America : from June 6th (Toronto, Canada) to August 12th (Malibu, CA)
FICKLE FRIENDS
North America : from September 25th (Washington, DC) to October 12th (San Francisco, CA) + Europe : from October 18th (Bristol, UK) to October 27th (Manchester, UK)
DEMI LOVATO TELL ME YOU LOVE ME WORLD TOUR
Europe : from June Ist (Oslo, Norway) to June 27th (Bologna, Italy) + South-America : from September 20th (Mexico City, Mexico) to November 27th (Fortazela, Brazil)
ARCTIC MONKEYS
Europe : from September 6th (Manchester, UK) to September 28th (Newcastle; UK) + North America : from October 9th (Dallas, TX) to October 25th (Vancouver, Canada)
TAYLOR SWIFT REPUTATION STADIUM TOUR (WITH CAMILA Europe : from September 1st CABELLO AND CHARLI XCX) GEORGE EZRA
(Enschede, Netherlands) to November 15th (London, UK)
NIALL HORAN
Australia/New Zealand : from June 1st (Auckland, New Zealand) to June 7th (Melbourne, Australia) + Asia : from June 10th (Manila, Philippines) to June 15th (Tokyo, Japan) + South America : from July 4th (Santiago, Chile) to July 14th (Mexico City, Mexico) + North America : from July 18th (Woodlands, TX) to September 23rd (West Palm Beach, FL)
HALSEY
North America : from July 6th (Lansing, MI) to July 30th (Denver, CO) + Asia : from August 6th (Seoul, South Korea) to August 12th (Denpasar, Indonesia) + Europe : from September 17th (Madrid, Spain) to September 26th (Berlin, Germany)
Europe : from June 16th (Dublin, Ireland) to June 23th (London, UK) + North America : from June 30th (Louisville, KY) to October 6th (Arlington, TX) + Australia/New Zealand : from October 19th (Perth, Australia) to November 9th (Auckland, NZ) + Asia : November 20th and 21th (Tokyo, Japan)
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE MAN OF THE WOODS TOUR
Europe : from July 3rd (Paris, France) to August 29th (Manchester, UK) + North America : from September 19th (Lexington, KY) to January 29th (Denver, CO)
BRITNEY SPEARS
North America : from July 12th (National Harbor, MD) to Juy 29th (Hollywood, CA) + Europe : from August 4th (Brighton, UK) to September 1st (Blackpool, UK)
CALUM SCOTT Thanks to his beautiful debut album «Only Human», our cover boy is slowly but surely spreading his sound way beyond his British native borders... Calum Scott will be supporting Pentatonix all over America, alongside Echosmith. From July 12th (West Valley City, UT) to September 16th (Tinley Park, IL)
KATY PERRY WITNESS THE TOUR
Europe : from June 1st (Zurich, Switzerland) to June 30th (Lisbon, Portugal) + Australia/ New Zealand : July 24th (Perth, Australia) to August 21st (Auckland, New Zealand)
TYLER HILTON + KATE VOEGELE
Europe : from June 26th (Dublin, Ireland) to July 21st (Cologne, Germani) + North America : from July 27th (Minneapolis, MN) to August 31st (Naperville, IL)
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WHAT’S UP CLARA LUCIANI, A NEW BOMB ON FRENCH MUSIC
IN FRANCE ?
It seems like women are seriously taking over the French pop scene these days. Alongside Juliette Armanet or Angèle, Clara Luciani is one of the new bright and bold female assets on this field. Taking her chance by settling down in Paris when she was 19, Clara rapidly set a foot onto the industry through precious collaborations. She started recording and touring with La Femme before trying on a duo project with Maxime Sokolinski -Soko’s brotheror working with Raphaël, Benjamin Biolay and Nekfeu. Eventually, it is solo that she shines the brightest. With her deep vocals, rock energy and subtle yet fierce lyrics, you really can’t shut down Clara’s words once they made their way to your ears. She initially wrote some of her songs in English but it is truly in her mother-tongue she found confidence and legitimacy, right after a heart-break a couple years ago. And if splitting with your loved one can ignite this kind of fire, we wish it would happen to more musicians. In May 2017, her first EP «Monstre d’amour» was a virtuoso lament declined in 4 tracks. But her debut album «Sainte-Victoire» is way more varied and intense. The best example might be her leading single «La Grenade». On a crazy bass line, she develops a strong and groovy anthem in the name of all women. She reminds men that behind the soft feminine curves hides a rage and a strength as equal as theirs. And it is only one of the 11 vibrant tracks of «Sainte-Victoire», made out of irresistible pop bangers and uncompromising ballads.
We don’t know if she’s going to release an album anytime soon, but the French sensation is back with a brand new song and identity. Transformed into Chris, the male version of her alter-ego, Christine is ready to shake off her old brand and play with new ideas to follow a more mature, confident and muscular direction. Inspired by the funk scene, the first release of this new era, «Girlfriend» - also released in French under the title «Damn, dis moi», is a bouncy track with an infectious beat. You just can’t help but snap your fingers along and move your body to the rhythm. Halfway through a modern song and a classic 80’s track, the whole song just feels right from start to finish. If you loved her previous work on «Chaleur Humaine», then you’re in for a treat. Yet, this new song is definitely more complex than «Saint Claude» or «Christine» and you can definitely feel that the singer kept her inspiration in mind while working on «Girlfriend». On this release, the singer wanted to tackle some important topics like “confidence, sex, anger, lust, and, crucially, macho swagger.” Specifically, Christine “questions identity and plays with the performance of gender, and how the codes of “masculinity” are disrupted if the player isn’t a man.” Get ready for this new era because, as she also stated, the new Christine and The Queens is going to be unapologetic and definitely more honest. Get your pixie cut on and set the tone: girls can also be strong, just like men!
© dr
© Manuel Obadia-Wills
CHRISTINE AND THE QUEENS, THE RISE OF CHRIS
SAGE, POP MAESTRO
© Ismaël Moumin
HYPHEN HYPHEN, THE STORY GOES ON
Without even knowing, you’ve been listening to Sage for years. Ambroise Willaume has been one of the pillars of the French band Revolver between 2006 and 2012. He also arranged the strings on Woodkid’s epic debut album. But a major switch in his career will come from a burglary. Strings then gone, he turns to the piano: a move which signs the start of his solo journey as Sage. In French, «sage» refers to calm, quiet, well-behaved. Even if restrain and elegance can define Sage’s sound, there is nothing really sage in his music. His pop is sophisticated and graceful but yet nervous. Especially in his self-titled debut album, released in 2016 and composed with Benjamin Lebeau from The Shoes. An electronic ardour was melted with Sage’s refinement and lightness.
Three years after the release of their debut album, the French rock band is back with a brand new work: ”HH». As powerful as it is simple, the band -Santa, Line and Adam, wrote, composed and produced the record all by themselves. Like a reflect of their personality, «HH» is daring, bold and confident. «We wanted to make an album without having any regrets. We did what we wanted to do, we’re very proud of it. This album doesn’t have to be ashamed in front of the big American productions because it’s what we were aiming to while creating it.» Filled with bass, hip-hop vibes, a bit of electro and a bursting Rock’n’roll sound, the record is surprisingly solid for such a young band. Throughout the whole project, what really strikes is the singular voice of the singer, Santa, and the energy of the band, who doesn’t fail to amaze us. On their way to success, the Frenchies are still one dream away from their ultimate goal: America.
Since then, Sage got back to work, alone with his skills and instruments in his intimate studio in Montmartre. From this time of composing and introspection emerged «Paint Myself», his second record.
From minimalistic and timeless ballads like «Most Anything» to catchy pop gem such as «Nothing Left Behind», everything is done to highlight Sage’s high-pitched and thin vocals. On «So Real», guitars are even beautifully reintroduced. « Paint Myself» is more classic but in this sobriety, it depicts how delicate and clever Sage’s music always is. Here, virtuosity comes with selflessness since Sage never ceased to collaborate with other musicians during the making of his album. He crossed paths with Lomepal, Soko and produced all of Clara Luciani’s debut album... Well, stars are colliding in our pages!
© dr
«I wanted to go back to something more relaxed, with a ‘sideproject’ spirit. Doing things in a spontaneous way, not overthinking production but instead, going with the naturel stream of the songs.»
WORDS by CORALINE BLAISE AND LéNAELLE FONTAINE
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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? I am a daydreamer, a traveler at heart, a concert addict and I see beauty in everything. Music is my escape route and my best friend. People say that have an eclectic taste in music which is true although you’ll see me mostly at rock shows. Fun fact: I actually own a guitar since I was 4 and I still 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!
COLINE
writer If it were possible, I would probably live in a concert venue! Gigs are, without any hesitation, the events I appreciate the most. Addicted to pop music, tattoos, Youtube, The Greatest Showman original soundtrack, TV shows and Disney movies, I always love to discover new artists and talk about them with my friends. Professionally speaking, my biggest dream would be to have a fashion or musicrelated job. I guess I just need art to be part of my life!
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