Friday on sea interview
“I was making music by play, then it became my job”
Photographer by training, the Geneva singer Friday on sea has fun today on stage as in the studio, carried by an insatiable creativity. Interview during his visit to the Venoge Festival.
The Geneva Friday on sea packed the public who came to applaud him at the Venoge Festival on August 15.
Thomas Ebert
- The Geneva artist Friday on sea continues his musical evolution with passion.
- The photographer who has become a singer now conquers international audiences.
- His album “Malabar Princess” evokes his Swiss roots with nostalgia.
Behind the name of Friday on Friday on sea hides Charline, whose luminous personality makes her an immediately endearing artist. Seeing her so radiant and full of enthusiasm on the scene of the Venoge Festival on Friday August 15, difficult to imagine that at the start the music was not on the program of her life. Photographer by training, she has fun today on stage as in the studio, carried by an insatiable creativity, in a poetic musical universe filled with very personal texts.
The 30 -year -old artist was born and grew up in Switzerland, in the Geneva region, and if she now lives in Paris, she regularly sets her feet in her native country. First by nostalgia, but also to draw inspiration and memories. His latest album, “Malabar Princess”, evokes his mountains, friends and family, while opening the way to new musical horizons, where texts are more sung than spoken, a sign that the evolution of his musical universe has not yet said his last word.
How was your pseudonym Friday on sea born?
I didn’t want to use my real name, but tell something. Like a first story before listening to my songs. In itself, there is not even any specific meaning. I selected various words that I liked and I put them together. I thought it sounded nicely well. That’s it!
You were a photographer before arriving in music. How was the transition?
I have always been writing a lot of texts. By chance, I wrote my first song because I had the idea of creating a short film and I wanted to put it in it. Finally, I did not make this short film. Then, I met Paul Andrieux, who said to me: “I heard your song on Soundcloud, she is great! You have to continue. ” I followed his advice. At first, I made music a little per game. Then it became my job, and Paul became my manager.
What place keeps photography in your life?
It has evolved towards other kinds of creations. I rather do artistic direction for example, for my album covers. At the very beginning, I made the photos of my first singles myself, then my first EP. Today I work with other people. I imagine what I would like to have on it, then I choose the people to work with.
Your first single “dead/fine” was released ten years ago …
Ouch, the blow!
When you revealed this first title, would you have imagined the career he was going to open you?
Absolutely not! It must be said that I was doing this to have fun. At the beginning, it seemed weird to understand that people listened to what I had done and that they enjoyed. Then the first concerts arrived. I had not expected this at all, it was quite confusing at the start. And I got used to it.
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Your songs tell a lot of stories. Do they relate personal experiences?
Yes, the basis mainly starts from the things I have experienced. Then, it’s like a film: there are always details that diverge from reality, which are added.
In your songs, how do you manage to marry the poetic strength of the texts and the musical universe that accompanies them?
I think it just comes from my way of writing. I like poetry and I read a lot, but I also read novels. My writing may be close to that of a novel, in the sense that there is a story that takes place. The themes addressed play a role too.
A title that had an unexpected success?
“The desire girls”, without hesitation, even if it has been released for almost ten years. This is one of the first songs I wrote, and on paper is really a simple ballad on the piano. It is therefore not predestined to become a hit. Today, it is one of the best known and that work best with “dear listening”.
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What are your musical inspirations?
There are so many! It all depends on albums, periods. My inspirations feed on what I discover and listen over time. Sometimes a piece speaks to me and I appreciate for example rock notes or a drum solo. One of my next songs may be inspired by it, I will want to create something similar. Then there are the songs that I listen to personally, apart from my musical work. My father was listening to a lot of music with me: Queen, Renaud, Manu Chao … This is what I listen to most often, but who has nothing to do with my artist’s musical universe!
The Venoge Festival is your penultimate date of summer tour. What assessment do you draw from it?
We did a lot of festivals in several countries: France, Belgium, Switzerland … It was intense, everything was linked very quickly. I really like the atmospheres of festivals. I come across artists I know, I discover new people. Before this summer tour, we made another European, with dates in Italy, Poland, etc. It’s great to live it all.
You talk about concerts in Poland. How are you welcomed by this audience, especially since your texts are in French?
Imagine that they know the lyrics and are fans! Of course, they sing a little in “yogurt”, we don’t always understand everything. But the rooms were full and they know all the pieces. It’s crazy!
Your latest album released in April, “Malabar Princess”, has more sung titles. Was it an assertive will?
I tried to mix my first album with the second, in which I had explored different styles. On the second album, I worked with producer Sam Tiba, who said to me: “You know how to sing, you can do it, then sing more often in your songs!” At the start, I dared not. For the simple reason that I have never really decided to make music, that’s why I spoke a lot in my songs. In the end, I loved singing! It’s funny, because now it’s almost more complicated for me to project myself on a new song by speaking than singing.
This title “Malabar Princess” plot. Where does he come from?
This is the name of an airplane that crashed on Mont-Blanc, in the 1950s. I have a lot of friends and family in the region, it is a story that I have known from a very young age and that we talk a lot. This album tells of my mountains, my friends, my family and my roots here. This event remains an important link and, despite the tragedy there, the name is very pretty.
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