The music of nature connects with the human experience.
Simon Hennerof Nasser and Kid Francescoliis a French musician who has been working on his solo project for some time now, French 79to explore the musical branches that interest you most. Prior to his concert at Sports Palacewe had the opportunity to talk with the French musician.
Indie Rocks!: Inspiration flows from many spaces… for a musician like you, where does inspiration come from?
French 79: I am inspired by everything I experience. I go out a lot, I go to the mountains a lot, I fly a lot, because I'm on tour all the time, I travel a lot and I need a lot of contact with nature so that, when I return, I can lock myself in the studio for more or less three months. And everything I experience abroad is what I transmit through music, so that is my main source of inspiration.
I like to be alone in large, spacious spaces like the mountains or the sea and I think they make me feel freedom, I think it is freedom that I feel inspires me the most. It is not always easy to convey all this in music, but the large spaces and freedom that they emanate is the driving force.
Indie Rocks!: Having a solo project can be complex to come across, what could be said to be the most obvious difference between Simon Henner and French 19, if there is one?
French 79: I don't know if there is any difference. Before I was part of a group, a rock group, an electro-rock group, it was a group of three and there was a more defined group identity, and when starting a project alone, I am the one who composes and does everything; So, the border between French 79 and I is minimal, it is evident that there are things that are only mine but I have the impression that they are the same person.
Indie Rocks!: Speaking of the fact that you were part of a group and went from a shared project to a solo project, we want to know how you are doing in the process of opening up the ideas that you may have deeply internalized. How do you approach the musical collaborations of this project?
French 79: It is something that I really like to do and, since I work alone, I have a different conception of collaborating with other artists and that is why I like to have collaborations on each of my albums, and on this next one there will be new people and it may be someone from Mexico.
Indie Rocks!: Speaking of Mexico, do you have anything special prepared for your concert in the Sports Palace?
French 79: I get a lot of inspiration from my travels and Mexico inspired me to compose new songs, and after having participated in the festival Crown Capital I came back and wrote stuff for my next album, and on this one show Next time I will try to include several of these new songs where of course there will be something from Mexico in these new compositions.
Indie Rocks!: Of these compositions, of your entire discography and of the songs you have created, do you feel that there is one in particular that is your letter of introduction? Let it be something similar to the gateway to your music. Any songs that we can recommend to someone who has not yet approached your project?
French 79: It's not easy to answer this question but I think it may be the first song I released. It symbolizes a birth and forges my musical identity. It's a song called “Between the buttons”.
Indie Rocks!: Regarding the controversial and recent topics about artificial intelligence and its use in music, different artists have spoken about their position. We want to know your perspective. Have you explored the use of AI? Tell us what you think about this topic.
French 79: I think there may be interesting tools in the field of music production with artificial intelligence, specifically things that we cannot do. But, I can answer a bit like the previous question, where I commented that I always try to express my emotions and what I feel, and I think that artificial intelligence cannot transmit anything because it is artificial and cannot transmit emotions. I compose the harmonies and melodies and I want to be able to continue composing, writing and producing music by myself, because that is what I truly love and artificial intelligence will never be able to do that.
Indie Rocks!: We love that answer.
French 79: Specifically, I don't believe in artificial emotions.
Indie Rocks!: Speaking of emotions, what excites you the most when you go on stage?
French 79: I think it's seeing the public react, three thousand four thousand or five thousand people who are happy to be there, I think it's the best thing in the world. And having all those people in front of you and applauding you gives you goosebumps. I don't know if you know that expression in French, which is when you see little dots on the skin of your arm, and when you have all those people smiling in front of you, it's the best feeling in the world.
Indie Rocks!: Finally… How would you describe French 79 in three words?
French 79: I would say: energy, emotion and French.
