Fanette

Fanette is an amazing singer always very busy with different musical projects! (Thanks to her for this interview!).
Listen to her music and you will discover this fantastic french singer!
Quickly visit her website at: https://www.facebook.com/Fanettemusic


Is "Fanette" is your real name?

“Fanette” isn't my real name, it's a nickname even though for me I feel like it is. Most of my family and friends call my like that since I was 4 years old.


Can you tell us a little bit about your personal background? Where did you grow up and where do you live now?

I'm quite a traveller, I just love people so I'm trying to meet as many people as I can, from everywhere, I think it brings so much to your life to try to understand other cultures. It opens your mind.

I was born in the South of France, Saint Raphaël but I grow up in a little town close to Nancy, in the North East of France. 5 years ago I left for Toronto in Canada, where I lived for about 4 years, and where I started Music, and recently recorded my 1st CD, so that city is very special for me, showed me and taught me so much. She would always be in my heart.

Few months ago, I came back to the East of France, to get a new set ready to start an European tour, that I would begin in the summer 2015. It's gonna be a new challenge for me, I love challenge, I need them in my life. I always performed with a band in Toronto, and right now I wanna come back to myself.


When and why did you start playing music?

Music has been a big part of me all my life. I don't remember not listening to music. I started playing piano for a few years when I was 10 years old. Then I stopped music for a bit and I came back to it at 22 years old, where I taught myself the guitar, and only 4 months after that I wrote my first song..

And then, I never stopped writing, performing , recording.. It became a real drug. I'm not sure about why I start playing, I think I had it in me for a long time, and my first year in Canada was the perfect timing for me to start. I ended up with friends who were all musicians, I had not much to do at that time, so I took the guitar that my dad bought me few years ago..

And this crazy story begins. Now I play Guitar, Ukulele, Concertina, Kalimba and Keyboard.


What was the title of your first song? What do you think of that song now?

Actually there is a funny story behind my first song. It's called “No One Loves Loneliness”, I was staying at a friend's place in Toronto when I wrote it, because I had no home at that time. So I wrote it in their living room one day..

And two years later, when they moved out, and I moved in, and that living room became my bedroom, that special living room where I wrote my first song. I really love that song actually. I worked so hard on it, because I was so scared I was gonna do something so bad, and I didn't want it to happen, so I put so much time and energy to write something as interesting as I could.

It was not as natural and real as what I write right now, for sure, but I still enjoy that song very much and I'm still performing it at shows.


What are the different types of genres that you sing?

I sing what I feel like singing. I'm honestly very bad at covering songs and sing exactly what the singer does, I just can't do it. I can't help but putting my own universe on the songs, so singing the way I like.

I don't like singing too loud or pushing my voice too much. I want to be as real as possible when I sing, this is why my voice is between talking and singing sometimes. And when I sing, I like suggesting a sweet melody, without pushing it too much.

But if one day I feel like screaming a bit, or singing louder, I'll do it, I do it in one of my songs actually.. It really depends on what I feel, I try not to think about it, because that would take away realness for me.


Can you describe your music?

I never know how to answer that question, and every person that come to my show, tell me that they can understand why! My friends use to say about my music that it's “haunting poetic folk” , and I like that, I think it's the best description.
My music is Folk, this is for sure, but also is a very atmospheric, ambient music as well.


What musicians have the greatest impact on you and why?

My dad was a big fan of the Rolling Stones and classical music, and my mom of the French Singer Francis Cabrel, which is a poetic, pop/folk artist. And I'm very glad I grow up between those two kind of music which are very different from each other, but both powerful and with so much talent, because it makes me open to like different kind of music, and when I hear my music, I can feel that influence for sure.

Because I use a lot of classical instruments, like violon, viola, double bass to create something very deep and atmospheric. Also because I like playing with different kind of music to create my own one and doing something original.

More recently, singers such as Leonard Cohen inspired me a lot. I just think it's so beautiful how you can be so powerful by singing quietly. And he's also a genius to me as a songwriter.


What kind of music do you listen to today?

I listen to all kind of music. I have a special love for quiet, intimate songs, where I can feel the emotions of the singers. I love listening to lyrics and try to understand the artist, I can spend so many hours reading lyrics.

I also love when people use instruments to create something new. I love Chilly Gonzales, who used a symphony orchestra to create a rap album, to give only one example.


What do you think of this blog and have you discovered some singers?

I really love the blog, I love discovering new artists, being on internet and trying to find artists that would touch me or that would make me want to collaborate with them , for example. And this blog made me discover great talent, so it's great.

It's very hard to be an artist nowadays and to try to push our art as far as we can, and being able to live from it, so those blogs have so much importance for us, we definitely need them.


You usually wear your specs. Has my page changed your opinion of glasses?

Not really, I mean I've always loved glasses. I was 5 years old when an eye doctor told my parents I would need to wear glasses. At first I found that fun, but after few years.. When I became a teenager who was “too cool to wear glasses” I stopped.

But few years ago I had migraines so I had to wear glasses again but I went to see different shops and I was tired of seeing all those “big black glasses” .. So I decided to ask if I could turn sunglasses into viewglasses.. and he said yes. And my actual glasses were born ;)


Do you think your glasses will become your trademark?

I don't know if my glasses would become my trademark, I don't think that way in general about my music neither, I'm thinking more in a simple way. I like to wear them (and my headaches tell me thanks too!) so you'll see me very often with them that's for sure.


You worked with another great singer who wear glasses: Sara Wilkinson. How did you encountered?

Sara Wilkinson is my best friend, we've known each other since almost 3 years now. We met at a pub one night in Toronto through a common friend.. And start to talk in french for hours!
We literally became best friends that day. And then roommates for almost 2 years.


You plan to work together again?

Oh definitely. I mean, she would be singing on my upcoming CD, and she is planning on coming to France and Europe with me, where I will be playing shows..
So yes, I think we'll be always doing music together, even if it's just for fun.


Are there any artists you have, or are planning to collaborate with?

I love collaboration. I love meeting new people in general, I think it makes you. I did work with a band called Drone Doctors when I was in Toronto, which was a lot of fun! I would definitely collaborate again in the future!

I love seeing what new people could see in my music, that maybe I never saw! It's a beautiful sing. And I would love to work on other people's work as well!


Do you participate in other projects as singer/songwritter?

I would like to do it one day, but for now I'm focusing on my music and it's taking me so much time that I don't have time to do something else. A friend wrote a song a while ago and wanted me to write the music for it. Which I did, and it would be actually on my 1st CD. And I'm working on some other projects as well, that would happen in the future, once I'm done working on my CD.


You will release your first album soon. Can you tell us a little more?

Yes for sure. I'm very excited about it. It's a lot of work and I'm a perfectionist, so you'll have to be a bit patient, but you won't be disappointed! I put all my heart on it! I was lucky to meet Mike Timmins (Cowboy Junkies) in Toronto, he came to one of my shows one day, loved my music and came talking to me after, saying he would like to work with me. And he's gonna produce that 1st CD.
We already recorded a bunch of stuff and it sounds so great, we still have more recording to do, and all the mixing process, that's why I'm saying you'll have to be a bit patient!


Are you going to sing in French or English, and why?

I'm gonna have 4 song in French and 8 in English. It was very important for me to have both on my CD. Because I love writing in English and it's usually what comes first to me.
But French in my language, I'm from France and I couldn't do a CD without having my own language on it. I wanted to have the french part of me on it too.


Can you explain your process of writing and composing songs? Music or lyrics first?

It really depends on the song, on the mood I'm in , and also on the theme of the song. All my songs are true stories, and I write them because I have to, to feel better in my head.
Writing is my way of healing, and also my of expressing my feelings and my thought about Life. So this is not really me who is gonna decide who comes first. It just comes to me, one day.

I remember I really wanted to write about my dad, for personal reasons, but it was very hard for me to write about him. For a whole year I said : “I'll do it, I'll write about it. I want to, I have to.” but nothing were coming. One day I had my guitar in my hands and was playing around, and I played that melody. And I knew. I texted a friend and said : “This is it. I'm writing the song about my dad”. And I called it “Confession”, and it's gonna be on my CD as well. So I think this is my own process of writing.. Let my body telling me how, and when.


Your amazing fever cover will be on this CD?

No it won't, it would only be originals on my CD. I love doing covers though, and I would always do so. But for I do covers as a break from working on my own music for fun. And I always like to change the songs, and make it my own, put my personality on it. This is what I like in covering songs. I would definitely sing it during my shows in Europe though! I'm working on that new set right now!


Have you ever perform your music in public?

Oh yes! A lot of times! Actually you'll find some of my live performances on youtube. I love playing live, I played shows in Toronto for about two years, at least once a month, sometimes 2 or 3 times. I was playing as much as I could! Now I'm back in France since a few months and working on a new set for new shows, so I'm taking a break, but I'll be back on stage this summer, in Europe this time!


For the stage, are you joined by a band?

In toronto, I was. I had at least 3 people with me, and sometimes 7. Viola, Violin, Accordion, Flute, Mandolin, Banjo, Double Bass, or Cajon.

In Europe it's gonna be a bit different though. I want to share my music even more than what I did in the past. I'll be playing different instruments myself, and work on a set where I could invite local musicians from every city to come play on my songs, and also be able to invite people from the audience to come adding something on the set. I'm very excited about this project , actually.


Do you have a web site to publicize your music? Can you give us the main links?

Yes I definitely do. You can go on my facebook, this is where I'm the most active usually : http://www.facebook.com/fanettemusic

You can also go on my website : www.fanettemusic.com

I also have a soundcloud and a twitter page : https://soundcloud.com/fanettemusic

https://twitter.com/FanetteMusic


What hidden talents do you have?

Hidden talents? Tough one. A lot of my friends, as Sara Wilkinson we talked about before, tell me that I can read through people. I am very good at understanding people and see what they are going through, even when sometimes they didn't even know themselves. I just love understanding the world in general, since I'm a little child, and if it can help my friends.. well it's even better!


What’s next for you?

My shows in Europe in apartments that I can't wait to do! I miss travelling so much and I'm so happy I'm gonna get to meet amazing people again! And my CD of course!