INTERVIEW: Elodie Gervaise on her EP 'Syzygy' and her creative process: "I’m focusing on the beauty and brutality of the human experience and how we can always find a point of connection in that."
Image: Guillaume Yaba
Elodie Gervaise is a French-Australian artist who creates beautiful, ethereal electronic music awash with synths and her powerful, hypnotic voice.
After spending many years singing and playing guitar in bands across Australia including Galaxy Girls and Candy Lucid, she moved to Paris in 2018 to immerse herself in her French roots and the European scene. She soon formed a band, releasing an EP and playing live shows, before the pandemic brought everything to halt. She has since launched a solo career, and late last year she released the EP Syzygy, produced by Maria Korkeila.
The title of the EP stems from the astronomical concept of conjunction, and Gervaise wrote it in the days leading up to the first hard lockdowns of the pandemic. “Written the week before the first confinement in France, the four tracks are based on the topics of the environmental emergency, mental health in romantic relationships and the power of connection,” she says.
The four tracks are a delicious dip into smooth, mesmerising electronica that both calms and invigorates. The six-minute ‘Urgence’ is a dark and moody protest song about world leaders’ inactivity on the environmental crisis while also reminding everyone that change starts with you. ‘IMYG’ and ‘Free Babe’ travel down a more upbeat track, with driving beats and a soundscape that instantly places you on the dance floor of the coolest club in town. Closing track ‘Bienvenue’ is a sparser, more trance like track that swirls and swells on a lush wave of electronic bliss.
Syzygy is the type of EP that can soundtrack any moment or mood in your life and there is a timelessness to it that makes it music you will want to play for years to come. Gervaise should be your new favourite singer, and we recently caught up with her to find out more about her music.
Hi Elodie! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat. How is everything in your world right now?
Thanks for having me! Life is feeling pretty wonderful right now as I’ve just moved from Paris to Berlin. Obviously there’s a lot of emotion associated with the upheaval of one’s life but I can’t wait to soak in this new city
Your music is divine, full of beautiful melodies and swirly soundscapes. For those who haven’t heard your music before, how would you describe your sound?
It’s hard to say considering each project falls within pretty radically different genres but I would love it to be a deep, sultry account of my experience delivered through the one common thread of my voice. My last EP Syzygy is an experimental electronic production which I felt left a nice amount of room for me to express myself as a singer and songwriter.
When you set out to make your music, what is the sound, ’feeling’ or message you always want your music to portray?
I used to think that music could save the world, or at least dramatically alter it. I still think that’s somewhat true but what I’m focusing on now is more about portraying the beauty and brutality of the human experience and how we can always find a point of connection in that. I want my work to be an honest depiction of my expression and something that people can resonate with
Who are the artists that have inspired you in your musical career?
Right now I’m very much looking to Sevdaliza’s work. I grew up listening to a lot of Leonard Cohen, then discovered artists like Adrienne Lenker, the Black Angels, Björk. The list is endless but what I think inspires my sound the most is the place I’m creating from. Beginning in Byron Bay then moving to Paris I found my biggest influence was the culture and world surrounding me at the time
I believe you are currently working on your next EP, what can you tell us about what we can expect to hear when it is released?
To be honest I’m just really looking forward to being in Berlin as I know this city will drastically affect the outcome of the songs I’ve written for this next project. I want to let myself be influenced by what I see and hear and become a sponge to this new scene. My songs will always have their bones but I’m so ready to be working with some new artists and producers to bring this next project to life
You come from a French-Australian background, and moved to France several years ago. What have you found are the differences in making music in France vs in Australia?
Being surrounded by such varied cultures allows a much deeper understanding of what music can be. I think it’s more the difference between making music in Australia vs Europe because since arriving in 2018 I feel like I’ve been awakened to the plethora of sound that’s on offer here
What role did music play in your life when you were growing up?
None really. I was heavily focused on sport and volleyball, almost dedicating my life to it at one point. It wasn’t until 2016 that I discovered music which I think is why I have so much energy for the art. It wasn’t planned until I found myself in it. I was an architect at the time that I discovered music and had an epiphany, realising what it is that truly drove me and allowed me to properly express myself
Your earlier solo releases were more indie-guitar, while your current music is far more electronic. How do you think you have evolved as an artist since those first releases?
I've been a creative chameleon throughout my music process so far. Soaking in what’s going on around me and using that energy to project my version of things. Through that I’ve come to understand what my strengths are when it comes to creating tracks which in my opinion is songwriting, lyrics and vocal melodies. It’s nice to be able to hone in on these when working with others so that its strength meeting strength
The music industry does not have a reputation of being a particularly safe space for women, in the main because it has been run by older, white, straight men since its inception. What are your thoughts on gender equality and sexism in the music industry?
The inequalities are still so prevalent in the industry, you just have to look at a typical festival lineup to see the disparity in race and gender. We’ve all got our own stories regarding the inherent injustices but I try to focus on the way forward and surround myself with those that are real and part of the progress.
What else is coming up for Elodie Gervaise in 2022?
Big things till breakthrough
Syzygy is out now. You can download and stream here.
To keep up with all things Elodie Gervaise you can follow her on Instagram and Facebook.
