French soul singer/songwriter HYLEEN has recently released the music video for her single “My Queen”. The song is a loving tribute to her mother and “all the marvellous, beautiful women who makes us a better person”.
“My Queen” is the first single off her upcoming album. Combining her sleek vocals with the soulful tone of the single, HYLEEN’s voice exudes warmth and patience, a glimpse of which is witnessed in the music video. Silhouetted against the vibrant locale, the singer, clad in white, depicts herself as an emblem of strength. As she overcomes obstacles, symbolized by varied spatial conditions, the artist shows the power resilience holds, both in life and in art.
Directed by her brother Hadrien Besse and Mathilde Leclerc, the music video was shot near Etretat cliffs in France while the song was recorded in Los Angeles at the Greene Room Studio and was mixed by Q Million.
In a interview with Fuzzable, HYLEEN discusses her new journey and her new single. Check it out below:
Can you please tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello, my name is Hyleen, I’m singer, guitar player and songwriter from France and I live in Paris. I grew up in the south of France (Cannes) where I stayed till I was 18 years old. Then I moved to Paris to learn at the conservatory of Modern Music during 2 years, I was already composing and playing in the clubs.
How did your journey as an artist begin?
When I was 11 years old, my teacher had a guitar for our music class on Fridays and I was so attracted by this instrument. So I asked him if I could play his guitar during the break and I directly fell in love with it. Then I asked my dad to have my own, he offered me one the following Christmas. It all started from there. I wrote my first song when I was 14 while I was playing in my brother’s band.
As per our research, we found that you are quite actively involved in the creative process for your songs. How do you perceive your evolution as an artist – both as a singer and a songwriter?
I started playing in my brother’s band, he was the bass player/singer and I was the guitarist/backing vocalist. The band was playing only compositions, so for me learning music was knowing how to write songs. I started writing with my guitar after school then after my graduation I went to the university in the musicology class and then to the conservatory of modern music in Paris. I met and worked with different people, it was hard to find my place as a leader at the beginning but I was already writing all the music. Those first steps were my foundation. My music has evolved with my sensitivity and my story. Now I’m surrounded by a real good team who makes sure I’m given the opportunity of expressing myself as much as possible, and I really feel lucky for that!
We listened to your songs and checked out the videos on YouTube. The location seems to play an important role in your videos. How do you perceive and conceptualize your music?
I’m a story lover, I really enjoy life stories and in the same time images and settings are really inspiring for me. I like to create a real atmosphere when I’m writing music and put my character in a real scenery straight out of my imagination. That’s why I like to play with sound texture, with mix of genres and vibes. And if you check well, my brother Hadrien Besse is never far regarding my videos, especially the music videos. The last one “My Queen” has been directed by him and Mathilde Leclerc, and I have to say, they perfectly put my music into images and I’m really proud of it.
Congratulations for “My Queen”. Please tell our readers a bit about the song.
I wrote the song at home in my home studio like I always do. I like privacy when I’m composing. So I’ve started with my guitar part and the melody came immediately. Then I wanted to work on the backing vocals so I tried to record all the different ideas I had, there were so many!! lol Then I played the song to the team and we’ve worked together to add their “touch” to make it better, as always. We went to record at the Greene Room Studio in Hollywood with an incredible team: Kamil Rustam on the additional guitars, Eddie Brown on Organ B3, Devin Brunel and Maurice Smith on backing vocals, the one and only Etienne Mbappe on Bass and my two soulmates Nicolas Viccaro on drums and Julien Boursin on keys. Nothing could happen without the unconditional support of our producers Can U Feel It Record and La Note Bleue Productions.
Compared to songs from B-Side, the song definitely shows your evolution as a singer. We read that it’s a tribute to your mother. Can you please tell us a bit about the lyrics?
I’ve lost my Mom last year and nothing could help me more than writing music. “My Queen” is the first song I wrote during this music therapy. I wanted to have one more moment with her so in this song we’re watching the sunset while remembering our best moments together.
How was the experience of working with Q.Million?
Q.Million is like a member of the band now. I know him since my first record and he is a real support! He’s worked on so many records that I’m listening since the beginning. Having him in the team is just perfect. It’s so easy to work with him!
We found the music video liberating. The power walk is both intense and impactful, making it an immersive experience for the viewers. How did you come up with the concept for the video?
As I said we did it with my brother Hadrien Besse who is a video director and his wonderful girlfriend Mathilde Leclerc who was the artistic director. Working with them and having them around is really important because they know me very well. They knew how to perfectly turn into images everything I wanted to express in my music. All the details have been carefully thought out. We are really proud of this video.
Would you like to share with us information about your upcoming album? What can we expect from the new project and how will it differ from the ones already released till now?
This upcoming album will be a new step in my artistic journey. We’re gonna finish recording in Los Angeles as we started, with some new partners but everything with the main trio because of this the team is just perfect for me. We’re already really happy about the songs and the new vibe we have. I’m so excited! I wrote everything this year and I’m so looking forward to playing them live to you all!
What do you think about the song and the music video? Share your thoughts vis tweet @Fuzzable.