Billie Bird: «I want to take up the challenge of not hiding behind words».»

Paléo Festival 2019 - Jonas Follonier

Opening the first evening of the Paléo festival on the Club Tent stage, Lausanne-based folkeuse Billie Bird established herself as a highly promising bird. We met her in the warm shade of two parasols, after her concert under the big top. To get to know her better and listen to her better.

Jonas Follonier: The music platforms, in their very broad definitions, classify you in the folk/rock vein. How do you define your musical genre?

Billie Bird: I do so many different things, both on my EPs and live, that I'd define my music as hybrid folk. I like to give myself the freedom to move towards things that are very pop, very rock or very soulful. Which sometimes gives me a slightly mystical side.

When I first listened to your discography, I got the impression that your songs are becoming more pop rock and less folk. Am I wrong?

You're probably right. My latest EP, Les Déferlantes (2018), features music that is clearly more pop. But what's important is that it remains a song. That's why I would define my music not only as folk hybrid, but also as a song hybrid. However, rock remains very much in evidence both in the studio and on stage, the main instrument being the guitar.

By the way, I noticed that there's no piano in your instrumentation. This gives the music a more pared-down, rock feel.

That's right. A few keyboard sounds here and there that I've introduced in a couple of tracks, but no piano as such. They're still very minor sounds, although there are some major chords. My aim is to create a groove and at the same time depth. This is essential for me.

The Night, is the title track of your penultimate EP. Les Inrocks loved it. How does it feel to be praised by such a major cultural magazine?

I was overjoyed. It was an incredible recognition. It's a magazine that I follow personally, and it's also a French medium. So I'm very honoured. As an artist, being pushed by the media helps me a lot. It's a real boost!

«Francophone pop inspired by the 80s», wrote Stéphane Deschamps. Do you claim the influence of eighties?

Yes, totally. I was born in the eighties and I listened to a lot of music from that period, so it's not surprising that all that shines through in my songs, including The Night.

Another current artist, and a French one at that, who released a track entitled The night and inspired by the eighties, is Juliette Armanet. Is she an artist you listen to?

I have to say that I didn't listen to much Juliette Armanet until I went to see her in concert. Frankly, I was smacked in the face. I thought her performance and attitude were brilliant. And I think her live corresponds quite well to the live I'm looking for: something very human and very musical, with a touch of self-mockery.

Why did you switch from English to French in your songs between 2013 and 2018?

It's a question of being frank about what I want to say. I want to take up the challenge of not hiding behind words. You don't mess around with the French language. This approach is demanding, and I like that. Switching to French has also enabled me to find my own form of writing. It's both very rhythmic and full of images.

What are your plans for the future?

In addition to my concerts, I'll be releasing a new song in the autumn, and another one in the fall. I'm also working on an album. I'd like to get to ten songs, although with me you never know what's going to happen! Maybe that'll lead to another EP. In any case, I want to keep writing songs and sharing them on stage.

Write to the author: jonas.follonier@leregardlibre.com

Photo credit: © Paléo Festival 2019