Provocative, colorful, unique, mysterious, open-minded, indomitable. Since the success of his first solo album, there are many criteria to describe Hubert Lenoir, darlenein 2018. Four years later, the 28-year-old Quebec artist continues on his way, garnering praise for his second project, PICTURA DE IPSE: Direct music, the most nominated at the ADISQ Gala this year. But who is behind this public figure who leaves no one indifferent? We tried to penetrate (a little) the mystery.
• Also read: Four Felix for Hubert Lenoir
Hubert Lenoir has always wanted to keep his private life out of the limelight as much as possible. Though he’s a beast in front of an audience — “I feel like maybe I was born a little bit” — the songwriter likes to go unnoticed in his everyday life. .
“I’m pretty private by nature,” he told the Journal. I try to grow my beard so I don’t get recognized [rires]. Sometimes it can get a bit overwhelming. I’m tired of wearing hats and hoods.”
It is not for nothing that he wants to go abroad for several months next year.
“I’m hesitating between Miami, Paris or Italy,” he says. I would write, live, live, exist somewhere else.
no character
If we dare to speak of the “Hubert Lenoir character”, the musician, born in Quebec in 1994, turns his back and says that he had a hard time with this term a few years ago.
“We talked about a character when it was real stuff that I felt deep inside. If I put on a dress or makeup, that was already something I did before in my life. It has cost me a lot in my life to come to terms with who I was. So to say he’s a character is like debasing myself as a person.
Photo agency QMI, Thierry Laforce
“For a youngster of my generation who navigates society a bit like me, it’s a bit to say it’s not really you, it’s not really your identity.”
An arms distance
While some of his past antics have sparked much conversation — think the Félix he put in his mouth at the ADISQ Gala or a butt he showed off at The Voice — Hubert Lenoir declines also the term “provocative”.
Photo archive QMI Agency
“It’s like I’m constantly wondering what my next challenge is,” he said. It’s more of a desire to make myself laugh by caring about the consequences. It’s not necessarily calculated.”
Personally very sensitive – “I always want to cry these days, I have easy tears” – Hubert Lenoir mentions that he often finds it handy to have an odd image with a certain audience.
“For example, when I go to the supermarket, there are women who recognize me. But they think I’m like a villain or satanist! It allows people to yell at me. It’s kind of like a spacer arm.
Cooperations in France?
Hubert Lenoir had a brilliant start to his career at just 28 years old. What are his dreams for the next few years?
Photo archive QMI Agency, Joël Lemay
“There are a lot of things I want to do,” he replies. In France there are many artists, including children’s idols, who want to write to me and work with me. I can’t wait to see what I can do. I’m in the same situation I was in when Darlene ended. What’s coming? There are so many possibilities. I probably have five or six album ideas. I just have to decide which one to work on first.”
“I’ll try to manage that. At the same time, I have the feeling that I often face certain challenges due to my unorthodox way of working and making music. I have a completely different work process. It’s not always easy, it’s not always the smoothest thing, but I think it pays off afterwards. I would really like to see where all this can take me.”
The awaited consecration?
Named 11 times at the ADISQ 2022 Galas this year, Hubert Lenoir could well live the consecration with his excellent project PICTURA DE IPSE: Direct Music. But the songwriter prefers not to think too much about the number of statuettes he could collect.
In 2018 Hubert Lenoir won four Félix for Darlène (Album of the Year Critics’ Choice, Pop Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Revelation of the Year) from a total of seven nominations.
Despite receiving four more nominations with his second album, the songwriter sees the 2022 Gala no differently this time.
“I try not to have any expectations about what I might or might not win. It’s such a subjective thing. But let’s assume that night, the second I’m named [comme finaliste d’une catégorie]it’s what I want most in the world.”
Of course stressed
In the Wilfrid-Pelletier-Saal, Sunday evening, he will certainly not be very Zen. “I’m naturally stressed. I’m watching a movie on TVA in the afternoon and I’m excited to see what will happen to the person on the screen! My nervous system is working very hard. »
According to Hubert Lenoir, he has already won five trophies at various ceremonies in his young career. After navigating between his office, the parents of his accomplice Noémie D. Leclerc, and his own parents, four trophies have now returned to his home, his living room. The fifth – which Félix voted Song of the Year 2018 for Fille de personne II – was “for a bad ending” with its co-director Alexandre Martel (Anatole).
“At least I’m not saying I don’t know where my trophies are. i could never [les perdre]. I’m too careful with my stuff.”
The long life of PICTURA DE IPSE
More than a year after the release of his second album, the acclaimed PICTURA DE IPSE: Direct Music, Hubert Lenoir continues to reap the rewards.
“This album has a long lifespan,” he notes. The reception was really cool from the first week. But I feel like it’s becoming more and more important.”
When he came up with the idea of taking inspiration from direct music for his new CD, a bold concept to say the least, Hubert Lenoir never had any doubts.
“I felt very confident when I started working with this direct recording technique,” he says. I need some kind of fuel to drive me to work. […] I never doubted the spark that made me want to make this album.
“It’s still an experiment,” he continues. I didn’t know if people would think it was cool or just love the music and wouldn’t linger too long [au concept]. But I never doubted the process.”
The tip of the eisberg
To create his album, Hubert Lenoir wore several hats. “It involves writing, composing, producing and directing,” he says.
Although in control of almost every element of the project, the Quebec artist did not hesitate to enlist the help of several collaborators.
“If you look at the credits [de l’album], there are many people who worked on it. It’s an album that’s extremely collaborative.”
PICTURA DE IPSE was released on September 15, 2021 and received rave reviews from multiple media outlets (we rated it four and a half stars out of five). Despite this very positive response, Hubert Lenoir is far from resting on his laurels for the future.
“For me, Darlène and PICTURA DE IPSE are just the tip of the iceberg of what I want to strive for in my artistic life,” he says. I don’t think I’ve reached my full potential yet. I want to get better.”