Where are you based?
Born & raised in Paris, lived in the USA for a while then get back to France and now based in Toulouse.
Where do you work? What do you do?
I work from home, remotely, knowing that my employer (Royal Sync) is based in Lille (France).
What are you listening to?
I grew up listening to rock and hip-hop, then over time I discovered other kinds of music – so I listen to a bit of everything during the day – it depends on my music searches, my mood and my activities. I also like to take the time to listen to a whole album a day. Otherwise, all you do is consume singles, and you lose the essence of what the artist wanted to achieve with an album.
How do you discover new music?
When I was younger, I liked to hang around record shops to discover new albums or to watch MTV new music videos, then digital platforms enabled me to dig deeper into new talent through playlists. I also enjoyed reading/listening to reviews by music journalists. It’s always interesting to understand an artist’s background so as to better grasp his or her universe. And lots of concerts by emerging artists!
What formats do you usually listen to? LP, CD, Cassette, Digital, Streaming Services? Why?
I used to be a big CD collector – then I got a bit into vinyl – but now I listen to music digitally most of the time. It’s much more convenient than walking with your discman or listening to vinyl in a car!
Where do you do most of your music listening?
I usually listen to music at home – with great headphones – or on high-quality speakers. I can listen to music and do other things at the same time. But I don’t spend my whole day with music in my ears – it’s important to have breaks without music.
How do you find and listen to pre-release music?
I’m close to a lot of emerging artists and indie labels, so I’m lucky enough to be able to preview a lot of releases. This allows me to familiarize myself well in advance with certain works that have good sync potential, and therefore to be able to pitch them early to clients.
What are your frustrations with listening to music digitally? Any benefits?
You need tricks to organize your catalog with all the tracks you listen to every day. Not only the ones you represent (that’s where tagging comes in handy!), but also the tracks you personally like, which you organize into playlists so you don’t forget.
How do you keep track of everything you are listening to?
I have Spotify playlists for my personal side and I use DISCO – on the business side – to organize the works I represent (by label/publisher).
Do you tip other people off to new music? How?
I like to help others discover music. Either by sending tracks directly to people who might like the genre, or by playing music at parties, or by DJing in bars.
Anything you want to “promote”?
I support this fine French Indie-Pop project named MANDARINA, which produces some very fine tracks. This Franco-Colombian duo, singing in French and Spanish, has everything it takes to become hype stars!
