Inspired by Fellini, Plastic Bertrand, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and even Serge Gainsbourg, Julie Meletta, 31, releases her new EP, entitled “Amarcœur”. The Swiss artist of French origin sings about love and its complexities to a French yéyé sound from the 1960s mixed with contemporary pop music.
How to present your new EP “Amarcœur”?
It's a bit of an ugly title, I know, but I wanted to make an EP with a common thread that tells a story with a theme. I told myself that it was going to be about impossible or unfinished loves. I had this fantasy in mind with a “Rocky Horror Picture Show” or B-movie feel. But I didn't want to give it a title that was too bloody. I then thought of the film “Amarcord”, by Federico Fellini, which means “I remember”. So these songs are all stories that I remember that are about love and broken hearts.
Why did you choose the theme of love?
I had never done it before until now. In my previous EP, “Chic!”, there was only one track that talked about love. I thought I should talk about more serious stuff because there are so many love songs out there already. So for this EP, I told myself that I was going to explore the dark corners of sentimental stories, talk about anxiety, obsession, the ugliest sides of love, but make it all beautiful and musical at the same time. times.
In the “Fan fiction” clip, we see you with a bloody heart in your hands…
As I am vegetarian, the gore side of it was quite difficult to shoot (laughs)! Luckily it was a silicone heart, but it looked very real. It was weird. But like I said, I really wanted to show the more ugly and toxic aspects of love. So I acted as if I had opened my chest to take my heart. The song “Splatter” also has a gory side to the text. But even though there is a dark side to these titles, there is always humor as well.
Your tracks are a mix of contemporary French pop music with yéyé sound from the 1960s. Why?
Because the yéyé sound is very fun. I like that we feel like we had fun recording these songs in the studio. The vibe of those years was quite danceable and sparkling. And if I write lyrics that are a bit serious, I like to accompany them with sparkling music, otherwise it becomes too heavy to listen to (laughs).
Do you think love stories were purer in the 1960s than they are today?
No, I don't think so. It is often said that things were better before, that love stories lasted longer. Yes, it was, but it wasn't necessarily healthier. Especially for women. It was more complicated to divorce and very frowned upon. But you had to do it if you weren't happy in your marriage. I think there was a lot more pressure and violence in some marriages.
You studied philosophy at university. Did this help you when writing your texts?
Yes, it helped me not to think too much. This may seem paradoxical because we think a lot in philosophy, but in fact, there is a moment when it becomes like automatic writing. We let the thoughts go. Sometimes, in philosophy, you shouldn't get too attached to the texts. It’s also a bit like that in music.
Why did you want to become a singer?
Initially, I wanted to become a writer. I even won a literary prize in college because I really loved writing. But since I also loved music, I told myself that I could sing what I write. I don't really see the difference between writing short stories or writing song lyrics. The goal for me is to tell a story.
Would you like to become famous?
I don't make music to be famous, but if that happens, I would like to be inspired by famous people who have very good energy. As a result, I could also inspire artists who are just starting out like me.
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