Hiya Jeremy Engel, thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today, grab a brew and take a seat.
What made you decide that music is a thing for you?
I’m not sure if music is meant for me, it’s a gamble I’m taking. When I listen to my inner drive, I feel that I naturally gravitate towards this way of expression, but maybe I would be more useful expressing myself through writing, my professional activity, or simply through my way of being without making music.
There are many ways to fulfill oneself, however, I have the feeling that music is what my nature is guiding me towards. This is also what part of the audience reflects back to me, so I’m following this intuition.
Introduce us to you all and your musical history.
This question is always complicated for me. I make music, and a lot of the answers about who I am can be found in my songs, beyond what I can explain in an interview. I think people like to have contextual information about an artist because it offers potential points of connection, but ultimately, we meet through the music.
I spent my childhood in France, Normandy, not far from the house of Guy de Maupassant. The harsh landscape of steep cliffs where I grew up has had a big influence on my music and who I am. Unfortunately, I get bored on sandy beaches 😊
What’s the live music scene like in your city right now? Anyone we should be looking out for (Bar you of course)
Unfortunately, I’ve never stayed long enough in one place to truly integrate into a local music scene. It’s a shame, but it’s also a huge advantage, and I love my life this way. I’ve chosen to have roots within me rather than in a geographical location and consequently, I know no one while knowing an immense number of people at the same time, and everywhere I go, I’m lucky to have friends or people who follow my music, with whom I can connect and share precious moments.
I’ve seen a lot of people struggling for support recently online. What’s your view on the industry?
I have no opinion on the music industry; every era has its challenges. Today, musicians can’t just make music; they must primarily be content creators, but before they also had to adapt to radio and television. While I may regret some aspects of this, it’s up to each of us to adapt and find our place without betraying ourselves. But I understand that many musicians get lost in these intricacies.
It takes time to find recognition in one’s own eyes rather than in the eyes of others. It’s a system that can crush many people, not necessarily during the phase of seeking success or external recognition, but especially once it’s achieved. That’s when you realize that this recognition doesn’t soothe anything and that you don’t love yourself any more for it. That’s where the real work begins.
Where do you feel you currently sit within the music industry?
I don’t need a seat. In fact, I see myself more as a spectator of this comedy in which I’m also a part. I watch it; it fascinates me, questions me, scares me, saddens me, and makes me laugh. In the end, it’s a liberating feeling to see no stakes in it.
Tell us Two truths and a lie about you.
I was followed by secret service agents for two hours in Turkmenistan.
I once saw two UFOs and 25 shooting stars in one night.
I once starred in an erotic movie.
Do you ever worry about people taking things the wrong way or cancel culture? Discuss….
I think we live in a hypersensitive society where everything is subject to controversy and approximations, largely due to the rise of social media and its business model based on conflict. We know that more controversial posts generate more comments and engagement, leading to more advertising revenue.
The same goes for 24-hours news channels that need to take phrases out of context to create controversy and feed themselves with information, all of which is based on behavioral sciences. This should not overshadow the real progress made on issues of racism, respect for LGBTQ+ individuals, the place of women, and the question of consent, even though there is still so much work to be done.
We’re straying a bit from music, but as a conference interpreter, I’ve often worked for NGOs like Amnesty International. I was often struck by how the vulnerable minorities that the NGO defended were frequently the first to attack other vulnerable minorities whenever they had the chance.
The real problem lies in taking a simplistic, black-and-white view of things, as if one were either good or bad, when each of us is capable of all the nuances of both the worst and the best.
Do you sign up to any conspiracy theories? If not why not?
Of course, and I’m in the process of setting up a travel agency to take tourists to the edge of the Earth. But if the Earth is flat, does that mean the other planets are flat too?
What was your best experience on stage?
The last concert I did in Geneva was purely acoustic, without microphones or amplification, and it’s a setup as rare as it is magical. You’re really exposed, and the audience is aware of that and truly respects this vulnerability. I feel that’s where the energies are transmitted most directly in both directions.
Tell us something about you that you think people would be surprised about.
I grew up by the sea, and my dream has always been to swim across the Channel. I trained diligently for two years, swimming nearly 30 kilometers a month, but I gave up because I couldn’t stand taking icy showers for months, even in winter, to prepare for the crossing. I realized I didn’t have the mental strength for that goal, and I also didn’t want to isolate myself too much while preparing for the Channel crossing.
What are the next steps you plan to take as a band to reach the next level?
I don’t really identify with those terms. For me, reaching the next level means writing better songs and delivering them in a way that connects more deeply with the audience, so I’m constantly working to improve myself. The rest will come or it won’t, and that’s okay.
I hear you have a new music, what can you tell us about it.
I just released my new song “Escape Game,” which explores the labyrinth of romantic relationships. Then, at the end of October, we’ll be releasing the song “Roam Like A Wave,” a tribute to wandering souls. Our self-titled album will be out at the end of November. I can’t wait to share this new album with you all! Feel free to follow me to stay connected.
What was the recording process like?
It’s always the moment I prefer and dread. This is when we confront the song with reality, where it can be destroyed or elevated. I always go to Dublin to record and work with Larry Hogan on the arrangements. I remember one morning when I was walking to the “Windmill Lane” recording studio in Dublin.
To get there, you pass by the Facebook headquarters, and as I crossed paths with all those people in suits heading to the social media grinder, I felt a thrill of contentment, thinking that at that precise moment, life had taken me exactly where I dreamed of being. These moments are rare, and being aware of them is even rarer.
What was the biggest learning curve in writing the new tunes?
I’m not sure if, in the case of songwriting, we can say that practice makes perfect or if it’s simply that we have different things to say as time goes by. Of course, I work to put myself in the best conditions, but creativity comes as much from within as from the outside and we have limited control over it. We just need to know how to open the door when it knocks, and sometimes set our bodies in motion to set our souls in motion when they cease to marvel.
Would you change anything now it’s finished?
Honestly, I would change everything because what I’ve created no longer reflects who I am now. But that’s how it is—an artistic work is just a snapshot at a given moment in time.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
I’d like to share my secret to happiness: it’s finding the perfect balance between drinking a Whiskey and regretting it later. Life is all about those sweet moments… and the occasional post-whiskey existential crisis!
CHECK OUT JEREMY HERE
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