RFI Musique: How did your desire to sing arise?
Yseult: These were the first CDs in the house, when my parents bought records. I was moving between pop and African Music. I went from jazz and Manu Dibango, who my father mostly listened to, to Lara Fabian and Céline Dion (laughter) which my mother listened to a lot. I especially learned to read with the CD booklets! Music, I believe it’s a gift, it came naturally to me. She has always been with me. I knew I would do this job.
And from the start you projected your voice with great confidence!
(Laughter) Very young, I was dazzled by the charisma of Céline Dion and Hélène Ségara. These are great voices, this superb French song is being lost, I find that a shame. By releasing songs like Corps, Bad Boy or Indeliblemy goal was to honor French song and this breath of yesteryear, this ounce of vulnerability. This always accompanies me Mental with Little heartfor example, which remains a beautiful ballad, piano-voice.
« Life and death hang by a thread » you sing there. Have you experienced it?
Not the experience, but it is a fact. Today I’m talking to you, tomorrow I might not be here anymore. I like finding ways to embellish my texts with little metaphors like this. Life doesn’t depend on anything, especially in the music industry, which is very fluctuating. That’s how it is and we deal with it.
You are on the rise there. America is watching you, there was your participation with a standing ovation in the famous television show the Tonight show. You composed Believer for Kanye West and Ty Dolla, Alibi made you the most listened to French artist ahead of Aya Nakamura. How do you experience this enormous success?
(Laughter) Alright ! Frankly, there is no particular change. I think I found a balance to welcome this in a humble way because it comes and it goes. It’s very fleeting and knowing it keeps me grounded.
Was it a little girl’s dream?
My dream as a little girl is to keep my music alive through the ages. For now, I can do it with Corpsthe idea is to do it with 250 other titles (Laughter). I would like you to remember me by my songs in fifteen or twenty years and keep them relevant.
Mental contrasts with what you did. You sing there in particular in English. What motivated this choice?
In the studio, my first thought was to create a work for the live and I had to find musical genres to expel emotions like fear, anger, joy, or even some frustration. Rock, punk culture or even techno, pop, house speak to me because they are radical and visceral musical genres. The sonic ambition is very English-speaking. I also wanted to create a project that creates a bridge between my country, France and foreign countries. English came naturally.
The emotions of Mental are very paroxysmal…
Mental, it is a bubble of artistic emotions, a breath, a rebirth, a question mark. It’s also an affront, a very brutal, very emotional project, which creates an artistic and emotional urgency. He exudes freedom.
In Suicide you write “ I used to hate myself » in the past…
Yes, because today I feel good in my body and in my head. I think these will be relevant words for people who have gone through difficult phases.
The music video was filmed in New York! What do you like about this city?
It represents the path of possibilities, a mentality that links well with mine. I am a hard worker and they have a work culture. When I’m there, I feel like I have to run to catch up with them, like I’m in a gifted class. It’s also self-love, they embrace my everything, I don’t feel judged.
Could you live there?
Of course ! I’m just a bird, I don’t really have a home. I’m walking (laughter), and if it’s in two months, I’m going to live in Japan! I like not having a single point of reference. I like to tell myself that there are no limits or boundaries. I need to travel.
Anger is a disturbing discussion, where we have the impression of hearing you talking on the phone with two psychologists, on your side saying words attributed to black people…
Yes, that’s it! These are words that need to be heard and felt. Anger is a bit like the interlude of Mental. This is an unexpected piece, I loved calling Kiddy Smile and Hamza and having them as protection to bring up this topic. It feels good to feel like I’m not the only one who feels anger and injustice about the experiences we have as a black person. I love this piece. I no longer wanted to speak on these subjects. I’m not afraid of resistance and confrontation, but it’s important to protect your mental health and surround yourself.
The very reggaeton Gasoline was he influenced by Anitta*?
(Laughter) It’s true that we might think so when not at all! It’s a track that I produced with Marlin and that I co-produced with Nilusi, it’s been around for a long time! It was three years ago, so it was long before Alibi. I was already in this sauce! (Laughter)
You are of Cameroonian origin. Would you like to play in Cameroon?
I would dream of it! But it’s going to be a hell of an orga (laughter) so it remains a dream for now, but I would love to do a two-hour live there.
What do you dream of?
Over the past two years, I have made peace with myself. Now I would like to make peace with others. This is my ultimate dream.
*Brazilian pop star
Yseult Mental (Y.Y.Y / I Have No Fucking Idea) 2024
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