They play music, they also listen to a lot of it. Meeting with musicians from the Loire or passing through the region, happy to share with us their summer favorites. Brazilian, African, electronic, pop, the summer soundtrack of Thibaud Vanhooland, aka Voyou, is a joyful mix of colors, rhythms and sounds…
The people of Nantes remember him as the bassist of several local bands, Elephanz, Pegase and Rhum for Pauline, before (re)discovering him in solo mode, briefly under the name of Voyov, then definitively under that of Voyou.
Son premier album, The Sounds of the Citycomes out in 2019. A nasty virus later and Voyou does it again with The Tiny Kingdomsa jewel of finely chiseled pop, eleven tracks remaining weightless somewhere between the Earth and the Moon, a deluge of sensitivity, creativity and harmonic happiness that he has been touring throughout France for two years now. Interview…
What is the summer hit that has left a lasting impression on you for eternity and beyond?
Thug. There are many, but the one that struck me the most is Subject the Wes.
What memory do you associate with him?
Thug. It came out when I was 8 years old, it was on repeat on TV at the time. I lived in the suburbs of Lille and it turns out that my mother’s best friend was dating Wes. One day, I went to her place as I often do and he was there, sitting in the kitchen. It was the first time I saw a star in real life, it shocked me.
What’s your summer 2024 soundtrack?
Thug. This summer, it’s a mix of a lot of Brazilian music and a lot of electronic music, from having done a lot of DJ sets. If I had to choose a sound, it would be Hung up on Tokischaa mashup between Madonna’s hit and Dominican rapper Tokischa, it’s extremely effective.
What does this title mean to you?
Thug. I discovered this song during a wild birthday party on a beach in the Basque Country at the beginning of summer, the sun had set but the sky was still orange and pink, it made me dance instantly. Everyone around me looked happy and seemed to be dancing in slow motion. I played it at all my DJ sets this summer to recapture the feeling of that precise moment.
Concerts, festivals, recordings, albums… A word about your news.
Thug. Now, my news is finally the holidays, after a summer of concerts and studio, I am going to rest in the South West then in Italy.
The start of the school year will be at the Fête de l’Huma for concerts, then the tour with, among other things, three concerts to celebrate in style these two years of concerts together, through three big parties in Lille, Paris and Nantes, with lots of guests like Yelle, November Ultra, Pi Ja Ma, exhibitions, stands, tattoo pop up store, a Drag show by Rose and Punani, DJ sets, notably by PPJ…
On the studio side, I have to finish some film music, start a creation around an artist for the Maison de la radio, we can talk about it officially at the start of the school year. And otherwise, I have to finish an instrumental album and get started on the next album. So, I’m going to make the most of the holidays to be in great shape for the start of the school year!
If you missed Voyou on stage, don’t panic, the artist will return to the region on September 29 in Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire, November 16 in Angers, November 17 in Le Mans, November 18 in La Roche-sur-Yon, December 2 in Saint-Nazaire.
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