Originally from Toulon, Olivier Campana released his first album Nothing Changes with the progressive Pop/Rock group Drop-O-Rama, founded by composer/drummer Antoine de Montremy in 2002. Their second album, Superlove, was released in 2004, featuring a bold and original cover of Britney Spears’ “Stronger.” Marie-Christine, our special envoy, offers us a first portrait of this artist who is very focused on writing and composing.
Nice-Premium: Hello Olivier, thank you for this interview with Nice Premium. You have a rather atypical background in the music industry, can you tell us about your professional journey to better understand your position and your career via England?
Olivier Campana: Well hello to you, I am flattered that a French media is interested in my career…
I started very young in pubs and on rock stages in the south of France.
I was lucky to play a lot, very early, at a time when there were not as many restrictions on live music.
I then went on an adventure in 1995 to London (with 3000 francs in my pocket!) where the Brit Pop scene at the time intrigued me.
There I auditioned and very quickly I was performing on stage.
It was a unique experience for a little Frenchie, to find himself playing every night in ultra packed clubs that had been stomped by the Stones or The Who!
In London, I learned a lot about recording techniques and stage performance.
I had the chance to work in the best studios and with experienced producers.
However, it was back in France in 2002 with the group Drop-O-Rama that my voice was commercialized for the first time.
NP: What did you take away from that? How does it differ from the French scene? What are your strongest stage memories from that period?
Olivier Campana: I gained a lot of experience, the English stage is tougher and very competitive, it brought me solidity and a lot of self-confidence.
The two audiences are very different, in England people want to let loose and party, in France, they are more introverted, more observant but perhaps more sentimental.
The two complement each other!
NP: Don’t you find the French music industry too sanitized, too timid to produce new talents, new sounds? You yourself had to exile in England to live off your music, don’t you find that paradoxical?
Olivier Campana: I couldn’t judge the French music industry, as I hardly know it.
In France, the ambitions of the Majors do not seem to be oriented towards the export of artists.
I wanted to sing in English, which is the language of Rock, and it was natural to move to London.
However, I think it might be a mistake to limit French musical culture to its own language…
Nowadays, French groups like Air, Phoenix, and Daft Punk are huge internationally and they also convey French culture.
NP: Tell us about your creative side as an author, composer, performer. Do you find personal fulfillment in creating from A to Z, or would you prefer to only be a performer?
Olivier Campana: I love writing songs, it’s something vital for me, a way to capture sensations, slices of life, and even lights or smells.
I am generally open to performing someone else’s song, but the essential thing is that the magic happens.
NP: Is there an artist with whom you would like to collaborate on stage or in writing?
Olivier Campana: There are a whole palette, more or less achievable. !
Otherwise, in France, I really like the guys from AIR and also what Benjamin Biolay recently wrote for Elodie Fregé.
NP: Is there a particular solo album that would tempt you? If so, would you consider including some texts in French and possibly a duet with someone specific?
Olivier Campana: I’ve just embarked on my first solo album, it’s very exciting for me…
I carry in my suitcases a number of songs that I am particularly fond of, and some are nearly ten years old.
I would also like to include one or two titles in French, but I admit that it intimidates me a lot..
Strangely, I am novice in this area, and given my taste for Brassens, Gainsbourg or Bashung, and knowing my critical sense, it will require a lot of work…
I’m embarking on a journey!
As for the duet, it’s something I will probably improvise at the end, during the voice takes in the studio.
NP: Have you ever been tempted by the experience of film, advertising, photography… ?
Olivier Campana: Recently I filmed a video clip with Drop-O-Rama, and I found the experience fascinating. I am increasingly enjoying this form of art, I find it very complementary to the studio and the stage.NP: What are your upcoming scenic, artistic projects tell us everything Olivier about your news!Oilivier Campana: This year, I will be promoting the release of Drop-O-Rama’s third album on stage, with notably a series of Parisian concerts whose dates will be confirmed soon.
This album is more accomplished than the previous ones and the band should benefit from proper distribution.
Less seriously, I also plan to perform in the pubs of the South this summer, indeed it’s something I’ve missed a bit in recent years (the sun, the beach, the rosé…) and take a few days off in Corsica.<img loading=”lazy” decoding=”async” class=” alignleft size-full wp-image-88725″ src=”https://www.nicepremium.fr/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/jpg_5-42.jpg” alt=”5-42.jpg” align=”left” width=”249″ height=”193″ srcset=”https://www.nicepremium.fr/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/jpg_5-42.jpg 249w, https
