ALL THAT GLITTERS
Singer, actress Violette Wautier is no one-trick pony
While she may be known as the actress who shot to stardom in the hit 2015 indie flick Freelance where her performance and famous line “Let’s go, P’Suchart” quickly made her a teenage icon and won her a Suphannahong Award for Best Supporting Actress, but Violette Wautier says she has always considered herself more as a singer and never once considered abandoning her true passion for music.
In between those movies and TV dramas, the former The Voice Thailand contestant kept herself busy, writing and releasing a number of hit solo singles, as well as collaborating with different artists in various genres from Getsunova and Stamp to Max Jenmana and DABOYWAY.
In 2018, Violette released her first English language single Drive, topping various charts across the country. This was followed by Smoke, which broke the record for the most-viewed English song performed by a Thai artist with 61 million views. Smoke crossed borders, ranking No.1 on the Apple Music Chart in eight countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.
And now after seven years of effort, Violette recently put a positive spin on social-distancing by unleashing her first solo album titled Glitter And Smoke. The album includes nine songs of dreamy, synthbased pop music that she composed, reflecting her past experiences and feelings on life, whether it’s bright and fun, or about a love that is broken and hurt. B. Magazine recently spoke with the Thai-Belgian singer about the making of Glitter And Smoke.
Is it true that you finalised the new album during the lockdown?
Yes, being able to finish the record was probably the only productive thing I managed and succeeded during the lockdown after failing in an attempt at exercising or learning how to cook [laughs]. But it was already in post production by the time the pandemic hit. My producer Vichaya ‘Nong’ Vatanasapt [of The Photo Sticker Machine] was the one who finished the album. What I did was just stay home and give comments to whatever he sent me.
Why did you decide to title your album Glitter And Smoke?
I fell in love with these two words for a long time, and I think the words somehow represent my identity and character in many ways, which can be both bright and pensive in the same person. I also used Glitter
And Smoke as the title of a short film I made as a thesis back when I studied in film school. That’s why I chose the title again for my debut album as it collected my personal memories and experiences that are varied. Whether it’s a part of bright fun like the glitter of beautiful rainfall. Or memories of a past relationship that are heartbreaking and painful, just like smoke.
How would you describe the album to those who still haven’t heard it?
The songs are stories from my life, and stories from the lives of people I love. It took years to write and record, all between filming and touring, and I’m glad. The music covers a wide range of styles with some experimental, too. I really don’t know how to describe how special it is. My earlier songs may be like country-tinged acoustic pop but now they’re moving toward more electronic, but they aren’t dance music. Perhaps I would just call it ‘alternative pop’ music? The album was written with people who are dear to me like Max Jenmana, SYPS and Vichaya. It was so much fun to make.
And your new single I’d Do It Again is particularly about memories?
Yes, especially that song [laughs]. It’s from my own experience that happened two years ago. I got heartbroken and tried to write a tune. I wrote parts of it but I couldn’t finish it back then. I guess at the time it was too painful and confusing for me to see things in a big picture. But when looking back, I’m able to crystallise my thoughts and turn them into good memories, if that makes sense. I began working on the song again last year, and finished it in no time at all.
In addition to an official music video for the song, there’s also a release of a fan video version for I’d Do It Again too?
We received a lot of positive feedback to the video for I’d Do It Again from fans everywhere. Many wrote to express their feelings how much the song meant to them or how the song relates to their experiences. I felt the song wasn’t only about me anymore as many people shared the same feelings. So we invited fans to send their own footage that describes their memories, then we compiled them on this new fan version video. This is very special!
How do you get inspiration to write a song?
Inspiration for me is usually different and comes very randomly. It just happens. I had the idea for the song We Own This
World when I woke up one morning. While it was a beautiful morning, the song turned out to sound very dark. Sometimes travelling can inspire, too. Brassac is named after a small town in the South of France, not far from where my grandparents live. Each summer I would go visit them and during summer they would have parties in each town. The place just inspired me. While having a great time there, I imagined the vibes of the film Call Me By Your Name that I recently saw. So I thought it would be so romantic to write a song about a shortlived summer romance.
How much has Violette Wautier today has changed since The Voice Thailand contest?
Well, as a person I think I have changed dramatically. I have learned to be a more flexible person with life. But in terms of music and creativity, I still do what I feel. I haven’t changed much in the way I sing a song. I do study new techniques and still keep improving my skills. But honestly, I’m not a very technical kind of singer. I believe more in the right emotion and feeling of the song, and sometimes technique alone just doesn’t feel it. Glitter And Smoke is out now.