How can you enjoy paradise away from the people you love? Alyocha Schneider filmed in Greece for many months and picked up a pen to capture these special moments. The result is an album in French that is both gentle and feverish, with hints of sun and sea. Interview with the 30-year-old artist on the rise.
“It’s a relaxed and relaxed album with sounds that are good for the ears and lyrics that are good for the heart.” I think it’s an album that takes you on a journey. I hope we feel the salt of the sea and the sun’s rays while listening! » says Alyosha, who is one of the famous artistic tailor siblings.
More precisely, it was under the Athenian sun that the artist laid the foundation for the songs. “It was my first time acting in a German film. I wrote my first songs there. And I knew that I would return to Greece to film in the TV series “Greek Salad”. [NDRL : suite de la trilogie L’auberge espagnole]. I wanted us to feel this moment in an amazing place, but far away from my loved ones. It’s a photo of a moment in my life. »
This third album – initially in French – is full of light, but also full of worries and fears. “For me it is a creative engine. Music is a channel. I wanted to confront my fears with beauty to alleviate them,” he admits.
long-distance relationship
Love, loss and the fear of loss run through the album’s folk-pop pieces, sometimes in a poignant way. The absence of his lover Charlotte Cardin weighs heavily on certain texts. “The theme of many of my songs is distance. I didn’t want to keep a diary about my relationship. But when we create something, we inevitably use what we experience and especially what we feel. More than ever, I wanted to use reality. It’s my most personal album. »
The very embodied piece Ensemble is certainly one of the most transparent of all. “If there’s a song about my relationship, it’s this one. It oscillates between the hustle and bustle of the present moment and being more anchored and holding on to something that we know is more important. In my life I have chosen the long term. »
Charlotte Cardin’s voice can also be heard here and there on the album. “Charlotte picked me up from the studio in the evening and we let her sing. It was important to me that his voice be heard, just like I get my friends from Greece to sing. I wanted people to feel the general vibe of my life. »
The influence of Jean Leloup
A wish that, after two albums in English, is not far from transitioning to French. During the pandemic, Alyocha Schneider translated one of her songs together with Marc-André Gilbert, who also works with Charlotte Cardin. There was This is everything, this is nothing.
“Given the huge reception, I wanted to release an album with him. French is already closer to me. It takes me out of a certain personality that I may have involuntarily in English,” he admits.
However, creating in French was not without its challenges. The influence of Jean Leloup, one of his early mentors, is still felt today. Maybe even a little too much, according to the artist. “That’s why it took me so long to write in French. Each essay included a copy by Jean Leloup [Rires]. »
An approach with integrity
Photo William Arcand, provided by De la Létourneau communications
Alyocha Schneider went on a journey of discovery with Marc-André Gilbert, who co-directed, co-wrote and co-composed all the pieces on the album. The artist, who also counts Mac Miller, Shuggie Otis and Marvin Gaye among his role models, left plenty of room for a sensuality that fits well with the album’s sunny sounds. The song “Mexico” in English even starts with a bossa nova melody.
“We had planned a neo-soul direction… We even went for electro sounds for the song Suspendus. We thought it was cool, but quickly got tired of it. I then bought an old Martin guitar from 1949, which is also the model for Bob Dylan’s first guitar. And then everything made sense. It seemed more honest to me to move towards a more sophisticated, acoustic style,” explains the artist.
This integrity seems to be a top priority for Alyocha Schneider in all of his projects. Between the release of his eponymous album, the shows, the success of Greek Salad and the arrival of the series Tout va bien on Disney+ in November, in which he stars alongside his famous sister-in-law Virginie Efira, the artist keeps a cool head. “I don’t want to have any rules for my career. It is certain that music excites me very much. The game depends a little less on me. But when great opportunities arise, I’m always open! »
Alyocha Schneider’s album will be available on September 29th. November 29th at Studio TD. For full details click here.