Larbalestier (Florian Larbalestier) is a Dijon artist and released his EP. A project where French song, pop, soul, electro go together wonderfully. Discovery
Florian has been immersed in music for some time, he says: “I’ve been making music for 15 years but I have been working on my personal project for 3 years now. At the very beginning, I was in a Gospel choir in Dijon, le Singall Gospel. It was a great introduction since I was a soloist and on the front of the stage. The gospel music is very rich and I learned a lot: the harmonies, the rhythm… I really progressed with this group! “
“I then devoted myself to my studies: I have a Masters in English and I went to the United States. There, I was in a group, I still learned a lot of things… and then when I came back to France, I took up music more seriously. I entered school Music’all studio has Dijon. It’s a very good performing school, we do a lot of shows, in a very varied style register. ”
The life of an artist is not simple: it can be strewn with pitfalls!
Florian says: “So far, I haven’t made a huge living from music. I was an English teacher for 8 years, in high school in Yonne and Côte d’Or. However, I really wanted to give my all in music. I had wanted to make it my job for a long time, without necessarily assuming it. So I asked for availability from the National Education.»
But this decision surprised more than one: “When I announced to my relatives that I was quitting the profession of teacher, it was a big surprise for them. My parents were a little scared, it was something quite unknown. They wanted me to exercise a “safe, recognized and solid” professional activity, as a teacher. They were scared but they let me do what I wanted… Today, my parents see that I am fulfilled, even if it is not easy every day, especially in this very particular health context. I have the support of my parents and relatives, it is very important to me. »
Larbalestier: an agreement between French song, pop, soul and electro.
Florian explains: “I use computer music a lot, computer-assisted music. So I can mix all these styles and give something quite unique. When I was a child, I especially knew Jacques Brel through my father and the Compagnie Créole through my mother (laughs)… which is to say that there was no connection! Casually, it allowed me to forge myself a fairly eclectic musical culture. As a teenager, I listened to a lot of other things. ”
I came into the world of Gospel by chance but Florian learned a lot: “it allowed me to discover soul, jazz… I realized that I liked black American music. It made me vibrate! In this way of singing, there is really something very intense, especially about the rhythm and in the way of using your voice. ”
2 encounters that changed Florian’s life
“I met 2 people who changed my life: Charles Ferry and Jean-Philippe Verdin. They both believed in me, in my voice, in my way of “playing music”… and it was these 2 artists who pushed me to launch my project. Each brought me a point of view and advice. They are precious to me. ”
Jean-Philippe Verdin is a producer and is, among others, the arranger of Benjamin Biolay, Ayo, Étienne Daho, Yael Naim, La Grande Sophie… just that! Florian continues: “He asked me to mix my EP, at the Ferber studio, legendary studios in Paris. What an incredible chance to work with a person like this in a mythical place like this! He has a very musical ear. Thanks to him, thanks to his advice and thanks to his work on my project, there really was “a before and an after”. The release of my EP is in a way the result of all this work over the past few years. “
Larbalestier’s EP comes out on Friday April 30, 2021
The EP will be available on all download and streaming platforms. More info on the official Larbalestier website larbalestierofficiel.com. You can also follow it on Facebook and Instagram.
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Co-director of J’Aime Dijon
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