Tuesday night, Kristen and I attended the fabulous Le Club Perrier where I had the opportunity to sit down with the band members from the newest pop sensation, Babe Youth.
Their sound is a mix of club music and electro pop. With the music industry in the state that it is, it seems that audiences are gravitating towards raw talent and Babe Youth has just that! In early 2011, they decided to pool their talent and energy to take “dubpop” outside of Montreal. Babe Youth will release a LP in January 2012 and will tour the following summer. Follow the jump to read my interview with Babe Youth…
“Break Me” is such an incredible song, what inspired the track?
Jason: Many things. “Break Me” is 90’s influenced. We mixed dubstep culture (which originated in London and developed in China), which is an electro based, oriented sound, and combined a French electric sound, and a Garbage 90’s sound. Intuitively you get to combine things and hybridize stuff together.
So you were aiming to create a different sound than most artists out there.
Jason: We always try, yeah.
Is that why you incorporated elements of Chinese musical traditions into your work?
Jason: Yes
The lyrics to your songs are quite poignant and at times harrowing. At the same time, the songs have a danceable beat. Was that something that you set out to do or did that just style emerge on its own?
Jason: I think it was a natural thing. We’re not talking to anyone specifically. The lyrics are kind of like an ambiance and removed. So is the imagery. We kind of used lyrics that really fit well with the song. We want to have a message in there as well.
For the final track on your digital album, “Making Moves”, you combined with a wonderful artist named Crissy, what artists do you dream of collaborating with?
Jason: I’d say Rod Stewart
Venus: Portishead
Marco: Portishead would be amazing
Anthony: I agree with what they’re saying.
Jason: He likes Rihanna.
That would be a phenomenal collaboration.
Jason: He wants her in the studio.
Anthony: I’d do anything for that.
Your music seems ideal for film and television. Each track conveys a great deal of imagery that seems perfect for the two mediums. Have producers approached you about using your music in that way?
Anthony: That would be great. We’re hoping. It did happen a couple of times. There’s a lot of interest but it’s an ongoing battle. It will happen again, that’s for sure.
Jason: What you say is true though that the emotion can be conveyed through image. It is so visual.
What was the process of created the album like? What where some set backs?
Jason: These two have been working together for four years now. There are three different producers that work together. We work really fast. The songs were written already, so we produced it in three weeks.
How did you get your music to where it is now?
The video is at 11 million views right now, which has given us a lot of exposure. That’s a big push to any artist. At the same time, the single is amazing so people are going to notice it
When can we expect your full length album to be released?
Venus: 2010 Spring or end of Winter. We already have some songs in the process but haven’t finished them.
In the meantime…
About BABE YOUTH:
A well-kept secret so far in the music industry is likely to be revealed soon: Montreal, Quebec’s largest city, is full of incredible talent. It is almost a revolution of shattering pop, rock, and many other popular genres. Among the artists who stand out and put this city in the musical world is Babe Youth, a sparkling bevy of musicians and producers. Corico Arts is the label that published two Babe Youth EPs during the summer of 2011. Babe Youth members have walked the boards around the globe, produced music on behalf of various artists, and helped create countless international advertising campaigns. They were among several groups featured in the Winter Gloves tour in Montreal, including Cougarettes, Padclass, Disorder, and the Joualliers, among others.