Two years after winning the Francouvertes, Rau_Ze launches Turn our lives around, the first album that the two members made themselves in their living room and which made them experience a lot of first times. Portrait of a creative duo who understand and complement each other.
Rau_Ze is the perfect mix between the fire of singer Rose Perron, 23 years old, and the quest for perfection of musician and director Félix Paul, 26 years old. “Artistically speaking, we are in business ! », Launches Rose in an interview, specifying that they are not a couple in real life.
“I think that each of us on our own wouldn’t have achieved much,” says Félix. His friend looks at him gently. “Sometimes I think about it, I’m so grateful to know you. »
Extract of Turn our lives aroundby Rau_Ze
“But we value our autonomy! We are not codependent,” he adds.
They indeed have related activities: Rose is in particular more and more in demand as a chorister. But the two artists, who have known each other and been making music together for six years, form a close-knit team.
The Rau_Ze project was officially defined in 2022, on the eve of their registration for the Les Francouvertes competition. At that time they were surrounded by a core of musicians, but they ended up clarifying things: Rau_Ze is the two of them.
It’s us, our tunes, we think that in our basements. THE live, it’s different, it’s a family affair. I’ve been playing with them since I was 17. They are the musicians of our lives!
Rose Perron
Things took off quickly for Rau_Ze after his victory at the Francouvertes. “We had done 45 shows before even releasing a single song! », says Rose. A year later, with only three songs available on Spotify, the duo had reached 33,000 monthly listeners.
La logique aurait voulu qu’ils lancent d’abord un maxi (EP) et qu’ils prennent leur temps, mais les deux amis ont voulu battre le fer pendant qu’il était chaud et sortir un album complet.
« On avait déjà un pied dans la porte et on voulait rentrer ! », lance Félix. Par entêtement ou naïveté (ou les deux !), les deux ont décidé de le réaliser et de le produire eux-mêmes et de le sortir sous licence avec la maison de disques 117 Records. Ils ont donc travaillé surtout dans leurs salons, « appris sur le tas » par essai-erreur, et sont bien conscients que ce chemin a été plus ardu que s’ils avaient engagé un réalisateur d’expérience.
« Ç’a été première fois après première fois », raconte Rose, qui a enregistré toutes ses voix… dans sa garde-robe ! « Heureusement qu’on a eu Jean-Bruno Pinard [Les Louanges] during the sound recording, he supported us. » Despite everything, they do not regret this choice, which was very educational and which ensures that their sound is more “original”, says Félix.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Rose Perron and Félix Paul decided to produce and produce their first album themselves.
“But when it came to health, I ruined my ears,” says the director. He had to take a month’s break, which was also very difficult psychologically. “But I said to myself: ok, I’m too scared, my ears are my work tools. We’re not going to make an album and die! We want to make it our whole life. »
Sharing tasks
With its flavors of jazz, R&B and hip-hop, Turn our lives around fits perfectly into the spirit of the times where the boundaries between genres are blurring. If Les Louanges is a fairly clear inspiration for Félix in terms of production, Rose rather drew from the Quebec singers she admires, from Diane Dufresne to Klô Pelgag.
“Listening to women singing is the best thing in the world! », she exclaims. “It’s all of this that creates an interesting mix,” judges Félix.
Excerpt from No needby Rau_Ze
This balance is also reflected in their sharing of tasks. If Félix composes and writes most of the texts “without much narrative framework, other than talking about youth in Montreal, sometimes banal, sometimes distressing”, they are inspired by the, let’s say, intense and agitated life of Rose. She laughs. “It’s dramatized, romanticized, sometimes downplayed! It’s very malleable. » Rose adds her grain of salt, “gives life to the melodies, adds lyrics here and there”. She also composed two of the album’s nine songs.
We’re moving towards what I would prefer, that we be 50-50 with our hands in the equipment. It’s really what comes to get the best of what we can offer.
Felix Paul
Having completed the album just a few weeks ago, the duo feels a mix of relief, pride and anxiety. “It was endless, he had to come out!” », says the fiery singer. “I haven’t completely cut the cord. It’s only been a few days since I’ve been allowed to touch it… I’m so into it, I have no perspective. »
“I just want to put it out there and see where it goes,” she adds. We have already done everything, given everything for this! I just want one person to like it. My mother likes it, that’s okay. »
The two friends are especially looking forward to getting back on the road to the festivals for a third summer, they still know that their journey will be made many more first times, and have a little difficulty in projecting themselves into the future.
” In five years ? I hope we’ll be making our third album. If possible,” Rose said. “I saw myself in five years where I was a year and a half ago,” says Félix. I feel like we skipped a lot of steps. If it could stagnate a little, I would be happy! I just don’t want it to go down. »
R&B
Turn our lives around
Rau_Ze
117 Records