After years of fear, Roxane Bruneau is now in full control. With his third album Overwhelmedwhich will be released on November 17th, the 32-year-old artist finally manages to take his rightful place.
• Also read: Roxane Bruneau releases the heartbreaking song “J’te retiens pas”.
It must be said that the popular Delson-born artist’s career is on a stunning rise that doesn’t seem to be slowing down. If it all started in a small corner of the Internet, between a few humorous sketches that went viral, music quickly took up more space with the albums Dysphoria in 2017 and Acrophobia in 2020, huge successes that sold more than 100,000 copies.
“My first two albums were full of fear and anxiety. I wanted to show that I was overwhelmed by many things at the beginning of my career. I didn’t want to brag about my successes or complain about them. I wanted to show how quickly it happened,” recalls Roxane Bruneau movingly about the creation of her third album.
Photo Jocelyn Michel, byconsulat.ca
“I was afraid of everything,” exclaims the artist, who has often spoken about his anxiety problems. I was afraid of being afraid. Literally. I was afraid of messing up, of losing people. Fear of performing on stage or of certain television shows. I was afraid of arriving and not being accepted. I slept badly, I ate poorly. I was really overwhelmed. Now I’m no longer afraid.
Trust each other
During the Acrophobia tour, Roxane Bruneau struggled with “hallucinatory panic attacks before going on stage” and sought help. “I don’t want to blame everything on the pills, it would be too easy to praise the medication. I also surrounded myself well both personally and professionally. I have worked on myself, I trust myself more.”
Roxane pauses. “I no longer felt trapped, I felt like I could finally breathe. I could have dinner before the show and chat with the musicians. I leave my hotel room. I used to always wait for shows in a panic. “It was terrible,” she remembers and laughs.
Her many fans, whom she affectionately calls “Bruno’z,” have also become valuable allies on this journey. “The public helps me a lot… The positive messages I receive.” Despite its fear-inducing side, the introduction to the album “Submerged” can also be seen as a compilation of pats on the back. “All this recognition over the years has allowed me to say to myself, ‘Hey, you actually have your place,'” says the artist, his eyes shining.
This realization became the driving force for this new effort. “I want to take my career into my own hands. What I represent. I’ve often been embarrassed… Being the pop singer. It often has a negative connotation. “I speak directly to those who judged my approach in the title song “Submerged” because today I don’t care what they think,” she assures.
In complete freedom
This uninhibited approach can be heard in every song on this third album. With her great friend and lifelong collaborator Mathieu Brisset – “he’s my brother, the person I communicate best with” – the singer-songwriter wanted to come out of her own box.
“I wanted it to sound like Roxane Bruneau was evolving. I didn’t want people to distort my music, but I also didn’t want us to stay in our sandals. We took the river, the wave,” she explains and bursts into laughter.
“With Mathieu we like to go in all directions… And that gives you something! » says the artist. Submerged manages to surprise with the pop sound that we know well from Roxane Bruneau. Sometimes with rockier overtones, more supposed outbursts of anger – we have a good example in the piece “Côté Passenger” in collaboration with the rapper Souldia – and even a sensuality that is expressed in “Feel Like Home”. “AAAH, you noticed that! Yes! I wanted to surpass myself.”
Between songs about love, death by fear, gratitude, self-acceptance and stories inspired by the people around you, “Overwhelmed” ends with two emotional songs. “If everything stops tomorrow, that will be a message to the Bruno’z. I also talk a little bit about math. It’s like saying, “If it’s just me, no fuss, is that okay?” » In “Invincible” I confirm it: I’m not afraid of anything.
Many projects
In addition to the release of her album Submerged, Roxane Bruneau is preparing a launch show on November 21st at MTELUS where she will sing all the songs from the album. This will also be his last concert in 2023.
The artist, who was nominated in the Artist of the Year and Song of the Year categories at the ADISQ Gala for “Partout,” will also serve as a judge on TVA’s “La Voix” this winter. She will also appear in the second season of LOL: Who Laughs Last? be visible. in winter 2024 on Prime Video. We also recently spotted her in a small role in Indefensible. “I really liked it, I would like to do it again!” »
Is it this fear that everything will stop that makes Roxane Bruneau accumulate so many projects? “I’m burned out, but if I quit, I don’t like it. Vacation is not what I like best. I think I’m a workaholic,” she jokes.
She takes a break. “This fear concerns me less and less. Before it was too much. There it is in balance. I’ll make the best of it.”
– The album Submerged will be released on November 17th.
– The launch will take place on November 21st at MTELUS.
– Nominated for the 2023 ADISQ Gala in the “Artist of the Year” and “Song of the Year” categories.
– Special broadcast La Voix – 10 years on January 14th at 7 p.m. on TVA.
– Roxane Bruneau will be a coach at La Voix at TVA starting January 21st.
– Roxane Bruneau will star in the second season of LOL: Who Will Laugh Last? with Stéphane Rousseau, Katherine Levac, Pier-Luc Funk and several others on Prime Video in winter 2024.