CLAIRE LAFFUT: "IF I COULD, I WOULD CREATE MY OWN FICTIONAL CHARACTER, JUST LIKE DAFT PUNK"

Printemps.com: Singer, painter, actress... You are a multi-talented artist. Did you grow up in a family where art and music were valued?

Claire Laffut: My mother didn't have all these opportunities as a child. To get by, she started working in her big sister's hairdressing salon at 18, and she never left. Somehow, I think she undoubtedly wanted to introduce me to this world. As for my father, he isn't an artist and doesn't even have a degree. To be honest, he doesn't really write very well... But, to me, he is the most creative person in my family. He works with his hands, builds houses and has learned everything by himself. He's also the person who introduced me to music, simply through his passion.

Do you remember how you felt when you moved to Paris?

Really excited! I felt like I had found a playground, where I learned new things, fell in love and also hit brick walls. I discovered the city through the eyes of a young girl from the countryside. I thought Paris was incredibly beautiful.

However, you recently moved to Brussels. Doesn't continually moving around affect your creativity?

For a long time, I dreamed of having a space where I could live and create, which I didn't find in Paris. When I was nineteen, I wanted to explore. Five years later, I still had the feeling of going round in circles in the city. I also like the solitude of travelling. It clears my mind and helps me find inspiration.

It seems as if there was a before and after "Vérité" in your career...

Yes, for sure! I never planned to dedicate my life to music. And "Vérité" was a wonderful "critical success," as they say in the industry. Since then, my music serves as a means to highlight my artwork, this is the career I want to be doing when I die an old lady in my studio.

Does that mean your various artistic sides merge together when you're creating?

Yes, and it's very instinctive! The idea is to take the creative musical process a little further by expressing it through a painting or an object.

Prior to music, you also ventured into fashion as a model. Do you see parallels between these two disciplines?

I would say they blend together very well. These days, it is hard for an artist not to work with fashion brands, if only to survive financially. Besides, it allows you to show what your world is about, and develop your identity.

You also have the opportunity to take your time to record your music as you wish, which is a real luxury in an age where everything is moving so fast...

I started singing just three years ago. I still feel like a newcomer to the business. Everything happened at once with concerts, the tour, a promo campaign, song writing and vocal training. I quickly had to get to grips with the challenges and expectations of a major label like Universal. Since I don't want to burn my bridges and am aware of my own naivety, I prefer to take things one step at a time. Once you have achieved success, you have to set the bar very high for the right reasons, the right songs and at the right time. Otherwise, I might want to disappear. I'm on a quest seeking timeless, innovative, courageous and fresh ideas, but also a world waiting to be invented.

Do you prefer your songs to take shape through the sound of the words or their meaning?

Through the sound of the words on the first listen! But I must admit, I am becoming more demanding about the meaning and poetry of lyrics. It's a fine balance for a song to be pleasing. For me, Serge Gainsbourg was the greatest talent at achieving this. I love playing with contrasts, like the phrase in the song "Étrange Mélange": "Salives des anges, suçons du diable" (Angels' saliva, the Devil's love bites).

The cover of "Étrange Mélange", epicting a sunset over the ocean, embodies your visual aesthetic. Do you sometimes dream of living somewhere other than a big city?

Oh, yeah! I still have so much to see of the world... But the truth is that I increasingly want my art to be a part of my image. I want to lessen the pressure I'm under in regard to my appearance. It's difficult to cope with at times... If I could, I would be like Daft Punk or Gorillaz. I wouldn't even exist in real life anymore and I would create my very own fictional character. It would be much more mysterious and intriguing.

This cover also has a very kitsch ‘80s style. Has this era particularly inspired you?

All eras inspire me. They each move me in different ways! For me, this painting represents the spirit of Henri Rousseau on acid [laughs].

You regularly join forces with musician Tristan Salvati, who also worked for Angèle. How is your collaboration going?

We made my first tracks together. It was magical. Quite honestly, I think I'll remember it for the rest of my life. I owe him that. Even though there has been some tension lately (where there's intensity, there's tension), I hope we can work together again. It's so rare to find such an artistic alchemy.

Is pressure inevitable when you're creating? We have heard, that "La Fessée" is a little pop at your first artistic director...

Yes, it was a way of politely and subtly addressing him. I was angry because he had lied to me about something. We once adored each other, but mistakes and unspoken words turned this fondness into anger.

Does the music industry continue to be challenging for female artists?

The music business is complicated full stop. Firstly, you need to make sure there are no loopholes in your contract, ensure you're well supported, make yourself heard, manage your publicity, build a team and so much more... On top of all this, as a woman, you also have to learn how to deal with male colleagues who are occasionally misogynistic, who don't take you seriously or do not hesitate to pit us against each other with a few simple words.

Your influences include Jorja Smith, Agnès Varda, and even the music journalist Vivien Goldman. Do you like taking inspiration from free, creative and independent women?

Yes... and I would add Lizzy Mercier Descloux [a French singer who emerged in New York's no-wave scene before becoming one of the forerunners of World Music, editor's note]. I read her biography and was really impressed. All these women have a distinct poetry and delicacy of their own, it's inspiring.

You joined a WhatsApp group that only includes female musicians. Why was it important for you to join?

It's because I want us to move forward, united together. There is still a lot of progress to be made, we must not fall back into being scared of other women. Music is a tremendously isolating career, and one that can lead to an unstable and complicated emotional life. Its internal energy is quite frankly not so radiant, and feelings of doubt are constant. That's why I escape into painting and try to build strong friendships like with singer Yseult and photographer and filmmaker Charlotte Abramow for example.

What are your next projects?

My first baby: my new album, and organising my first exhibition to present it. This is the project of my dreams!