Paris-based singer songwriter Felyce has released a new single called “SKIN”. Getting away from slow tempos, "Skin" offers an energetic but still dark ambiance.
Speaking about “SKIN”, Felyce shares: “I wrote 'Skin' thinking about that beautiful story I heard once. A young black girl wondered why her skin was so dark and her mother told her the reason was because the sun loved her too much. That story really stuck with me”.
Paris based artist Felyce is proof that dreaming has no limits.
Working in the corporate world Felyce felt out of place and alienated, and it was her guitar lesson later that night that she was looking forward to. It was then, she dreamt of creating and releasing her own music and made that a reality. To date, Felyce has released a debut EP ‘Fear’ in 2018 followed by the release of a number of singles including “See Tomorrow” which was released November 2020.
Amandah Opoku sat down with Felyce to talk about her latest single “See You Tomorrow”, growth and challenges she’s faced as an artist and more!
Amandah Opoku: Felyce, thank you for doing this interview today! Before we kick off please tell our readers about yourself and one random fact people do not know about you
Felyce: Thank you so much for this opportunity. I’m so glad to be doing this interview with you.
I am a singer songwriter and producer based in Paris, France. I have been making music seriously for nearly four years now and one random fact about me … I have lived in Mexico for a year after my studies.
Amandah Opoku: What inspired you to start writing and releasing music as an artist?
Felyce: I have always written songs, even as a 10 year-old child. I simply love writing! But releasing music came way after. I had been focused on my studies for a long time and kind of decided music would never be a thing… until I started working in the corporate world. I felt out of place and alienated and the only thing I could think about was my guitar lesson at night. It took 1 hour 30 to get there but it was more worth it than any other thing in my life. My teacher then gave me the opportunity to get on stage and sing to an audience for the first time and it made me feel so alive it all became clear to me. At one point, I just couldn’t stand working a full time corporate job anymore and started dreaming again of having my own music out there. So, I began working on my music project.
Amandah Opoku: If you could describe your music in three words. What words would you choose and why?
Felyce: I would say sincere, heavy and inspirational. Sincere because I never write about something I have not lived or have not been through. I never try and hide stuff and just say exactly how I feel, no filter to make it sound better or lighter. Heavy because my songs can sometimes feel like that. I deal with difficult topics like fear, depression or loneliness, not the kind of songs you listen to at the club! And finally, inspirational because even though I tend to speak about heavy topics, I try to always finish my songs with a touch of hope. My songs are a good representation of who I am as a person I think.
Amandah Opoku: What artists have inspired you and influenced you musically both through your sound and lyrically?
Felyce: As a whole I can say I have been mainly inspired by European pop music. I love bands such as Keane, Tears for Fears, or artists like Robbie Williams, Robyn, Ellie Goulding. But after I turned 18 I started listening to a lot of American music and I love artists like Frank Ocean or Lana Del Rey.
Amandah Opoku: If you could collaborate with any artists, who would you choose and why?
Felyce: If I could collaborate with any artist, I would choose Christine and The Queens. She is exactly the type of artist I want to be. Always exploring her own artistry, very discreet on her personal life and obviously very talented. Another amazing option would be Dermot Kennedy. His voice is absolutely amazing and I love his writing style.
Amandah Opoku: 2020 was an interesting year for us, as we’ve had to adapt to our “new normal”. How has the pandemic affected you as a musician? What have you learned about yourself?
Felyce: I have always been a huge introvert and it took years for me to get out of my own bubble and be able to talk to strangers or go to a place I didn’t know or sing on stage. Before the pandemic, I used to go to open mic nights and contact tons of venues to sing there. It was really hard for me as an introvert, I hate contacting new people and getting out of my socially comfortable zone but I had built the strength to do it anyway. At the beginning of the pandemic though, I felt so relieved : “I don’t have to contact people anymore, Yay!” But as time went by, I realised that my social skills had decreased in a way that really hurt me as a musician. I didn’t want to be on social media anymore, I didn’t want to sing to people anymore. I was just so comfortable in my bubble. It’s getting much better now though but it has definitely affected me.
Amandah Opoku: You released your debut EP ‘Fear’ in 2018. How do you think you’ve grown as an artist since its release?
Felyce: I made that EP entirely on my own, and these songs are the first I have ever made. Most producers make a bunch of songs that suck before they feel ready to release anything. I learned everything about music production with these songs and released them anyway. The funny thing is even though these songs don’t sound at all like I wish they did, they were made at a time when I felt 100% free in my creativity. The structures are not Spotify friendly, the instrumentals are more complex than what I’ve been making since, and even though my skills have improved, I think they still have something to teach me : not to be afraid to do my own thing!
One thing I don’t want to do anymore though is mixing my own songs. I am happy to know about the techniques but my songs are going to sound much better from now on thanks to this decision.
Amandah Opoku: With the release of ‘Fear’, being your debut release, what message did you want to share with the world?
Felyce: My main objective with my music in general is to find people who feel the same way that I do, who can relate to me. This entire project was about working on becoming myself again. I had been working on being the perfect student and then the perfect employee and it didn’t fit me. But I had also lost track of who I was as a person. I needed to find that back. It was like therapy for me : acknowledging the fact that I hadn’t acted like myself for a while and making the decision to be fine with who I really am.
Amandah Opoku: “See Tomorrow” is your most recent single which you released in November 2020. What inspired you to write the single?
Felyce: I usually start writing not knowing what I am talking about to be honest. It’s kind of an out of body experience. I just write something and it comes from a place I shut off for so long I didn’t even know was there. When I finished writing the song and recorded the demo, I remember listening to it and understanding my own words. I couldn’t stop thinking about the relationship I had with my sister. As kids, she was my everything and made life exciting. However, due to our family being dysfunctional, she left our home several times and I guess I never dealt with the feeling of loneliness and despair until I wrote this song. I guess I secretly hoped she would have never left.
Amandah Opoku: What was the writing and recording process like for “See Tomorrow”? Did the writing process for “See Tomorrow” differ from your previous releases?
Felyce: I had the hardest time recording that song ! I wrote it November 2019 and released it one year later. I usually take time to release music anyway but that one was tough. I changed the instrumentation, the tone of my voice and even the tempo several times ! At one point I just decided that I couldn’t keep changing it and accepted it for what it was! The writing process was the same as always though. I think of a melody, I start humming sounds and patterns to it. I then write the lyrics on top of that. Most of my difficulties come from the fact that the instrumental doesn’t exist prior to writing the lyrics. But I just can’t help it! I love writing too much.
Amandah Opoku: As you continue to pursue your career as an artist, what do you hope to achieve?
Felyce: What I want to achieve is sing to an audience that knows the lyrics to my songs and sing the songs together, like I’m part of the crowd. That’s what I want to achieve.
Amandah Opoku: As an artist, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced?
Felyce: Having the confidence to promote my music is a big challenge honestly. I usually feel like it’s not good enough to be talked about or to try and get it playlisted. Another challenge is finding people to work with; musicians, audio engineers, managers, etc. I guess it gets easier as you grow but right now, I am independent and alone in this and it’s really difficult sometimes.
Amandah Opoku: For new fans who come across your music, what would you like them to take away from your music?
Felyce: I’d like them to be inspired to keep working on becoming the best version of themselves; there’s always hope.
Amandah Opoku: With “See Tomorrow” out now, what can fans expect from you this year?
Felyce: I have so much new music coming out this year! They can expect a lot of singles, great visuals and if everything turns out fine, they can even expect an EP!
Amandah Opoku: Felyce, thank you for sitting down with me! Before we close this interview is there anything you want to say to your fans and our readers?
Felyce: Thank you again for this! I loved this interview. The only thing I have to say is live your life to the fullest, you don’t know where it ends.
Connect with Felyce on the following websites:
https://twitter.com/whoisfelyce
https://www.instagram.com/whoisfelyce/
https://soundcloud.com/felycemusic
