Le chant des muses, an independent and local music label

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In the artistic emulation of News Contact details in Fontaine-l’Abbé (Eure) – a former industrial wasteland transformed into a third place welcoming professionals in the performing arts -, The song of the muses was able to find its place by settling there in 2023.

As its name might suggest, it is a music label. Besides their slogan, “a label of cool people, but not boring”, it is above all independent. An important word for its creators, the artists Karen Lano and Olivier LeGall.

Make your choices

When it was launched in 2018, Le chant des muses had the primary aim of bringing artistic independence to Karen Lano, singer-songwriter. Having always worked in music, she managed to sign a contract with a label and released his first album. The experience got her thinking as she looks ahead to her second project.

La Bernayenne chooses “naturally” the path to independence and created Le chant des muses with his sidekick Olivier LeGall, from the Norman pop duo Call me François.

“As an artist, it is important to have a check from A to Z. From writing, creation, production to sales,” underlines Olivier LeGall who has always worked in music as a musician, singer or producer.

“It is not without reason that independent labels have developed over the past 20 years,” says the singer.

“There is still this vision of being discovered by a label by chance and blowing up. It’s more nuanced today,” explains the man who also gives advice to young artists who want to get started in the industry.

Produce locally

Their installation in Bernay, more than five years ago, took a new direction their vision of music. In addition to artistic independence, both artists also want to become local actors. As soon as they moved to the region, the two Bernayens wanted to anchor their work here.

Karen Lano has entirely recorded his second album in a church near Évreux. She regularly leads songwriting workshops in the department. A year ago, Anne-Gaëlle and Céline joined the label.

“It was important that they didn’t come from the music world. They bring a different perspective and relevant comments. To simply have something human, describes Olivier LeGall. We’re thinking about releasing a record together. »

For both artists, music also comes through performances in the surrounding areaespecially in small towns which do not have performance halls. “People are looking for gigs, but there are no offers,” observes Karen Lano.

They participate in several initiatives giving performances in the heart of villages, as is the case with the AMARE Tour or the Aerolab. Associations from the European cultural sector have launched tours in the department, and program local artists, in village halls in order to come as close as possible to residents. Soon, Karen Lano and the duo Call me François (which includes Olivier LeGall) will perform at the village hall of La Barre-en-Ouche on Saturday November 16, 2024 as part of the Aérolab tour.

Today, the music label only produces Karen Lano. She released her third album (the label’s second project) in early November, The golden age. But Olivier LeGall will soon release his first EP on Le chant des muses (the duo Appel-moi François is produced on the La cave de records label). Subsequently, the label hopes to be able to open up and welcome new Norman artists.

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