Musician, composer, and producer Cy is a multi-instrumentalist known for creating atmospheric pop that blends a variety of influences, including ambient, trip-hop, downtempo, and alternative music. Drawing inspiration from artists like Fink, RY X, Ben Howard, and Ólafur Arnalds, Cy’s music is deeply emotional, offering listeners a journey of introspection and reflection.
His latest track, Come Back, explores the pain of broken relationships and the longing for reconciliation. It reflects on the difficulty of forgiveness and unity in this world, while holding hope that in the realm of souls, peace and reunion are possible.
The accompanying music video beautifully illustrates this concept, featuring dancer Kay Beatz, whose graceful movements bring the emotional depth of the song to life, merging the art of music with the power of dance. We caught up with him following this new release.
· Can you tell us about your musical background and how you first got into music?
Even if I’ve been listening to music my whole childhood, I really got into music around the age of 15. I started to play the guitar at that age. I was really drawn to playing guitar because I was listening to System Of A Down, Rage Against The Machine, Muse… and was amazed by what could be done with a guitar. The sound of the electric guitar in rock/metal music amazed me. I wanted to do the same! I learned a lot by ear and reading tabs on the internet (no YouTube at that time^^).
So I started with a lot of rock but soon realized I was attracted by many genres. I joined a reggae/ska band with friends from High School. I also wanted to know how to improvise on the guitar so I started transcribing solos. After the electric guitar, I discovered the acoustic guitar. Then things started to open a little and I got into oriental music, african music, jazz… When I started my professional musician life, I learned a lot about Soul, New soul but also Folk and Pop-rock music playing with people loving those kinds of music. I played with many different singers and bands for something like 10 years.
But I had started to compose my own stuff very early though but it took me quite some time to finally share them. Something like 18 years^^
· What were some of your early musical influences growing up?
I’d say I listened to a lot of metal, reggae, rock and blues. But I listened to various stuff even though it was not related to my playing at the time like film music, world music or electro.
· What does music mean to you personally and how does it influence your daily life?
My life doesn’t revolve around music. I’d say it’s the other way around. Music is indeed a big part of my life. It’s my calling, my job in this world. I try to use this form of art the best that I can to express beauty and give it to others. I realized recently that a day can hardly pass without having the need to listen to music. It soothes me, helps me express feelings.
But it’s one aspect of my life. There are so many others, all necessary and important such as family, mental and spiritual health, service to others, physical health… I try to never lose this balance between all the parts that make life and instead of making them compete, they nurrish each other.
· Your music is described as having a “soft and sensitive voice accompanied by pure melodies in an atmosphere of sweet melancholy”. How do you achieve this sound in your recordings?
I don’t really know how things happen really. But that’s the sound I’m drawn to when I compose: atmospheric sounds and textures really. Technically, it’s a mix of organic sounds and synthetic ones. I love mixing real recordings and software instruments. The power of authentic instruments is enhanced by the power of machines and computers.
· Can you walk us through your typical process when creating a new track or EP?
It depends. There is no real recipe. Sometimes, I have an idea in the street or wherever. I record it on my phone and develop it afterwards in my studio. That’s the case for the french track on the EP called “Décrocher” for instance.
But other times I just have a riff on the guitar, or a melody in my head. I record this on my computer and then start building around it, trying to see where this goes. My creative process is really helped thanks to the production aspect that you can have with a computer.
· Your upcoming EP “Day After Day” explores themes of time and the beauty of gradual progress. Can you elaborate on what inspired this concept?
This whole process of sharing my own music started in 2021. But I’ve been playing music professionally for 10 years before that. So, it really took years and years before I was ready to do my own thing. That’s kind of a long time^^ But who cares? The timing is not important for me. It’s the process that counts. How you do things is at least as important as the actual thing that you do.
I feel we live in a time driven by results and not so much by processes. I believe that things, in ourselves and outside of us, grow. We are growing every day. The world is also.
It’s like we are on a path. The joy comes from the path itself, the view, the people you’re with, the surroundings. In our modern age, many of us just want to reach the top no matter what, not realizing that the beauty is in the journey.
· Can you give us a sneak peek into any specific tracks on the new EP and what they mean to you?
One of my favorite tracks in the EP is called “Come Back”. It was released as a single on September 13th. It talks about broken relationships and how sometimes, despite our best efforts, we do not succeed to mend them. But I have faith that those souls will meet and reunite if not in this world, in the one coming after our life here. This idea gives me great comfort and reassurance.
· You often address the relationship between humanity and digital life in your music. How do you personally navigate this balance?
It’s an everyday struggle! I believe that technology is a great tool. It’s the expression of one of our best human parts: our intelligence. But it needs moderation. With digital tools, we can do so much now! It’s great. But the way those tools are designed is often not to enable humans but mostly to keep them hooked on those tools and devices. I believe we need a lot of discipline to use those tools if we don’t want to become used by them. I try to regularly check with myself where I’m at with those tools and ask myself: What do I need this particular device for? Do I really need it? Is it bringing joy and meaningful things in my life? If not, why keep it? If yes, how can I set clear boundaries to help me navigate their use.
The work of Cal Newport, an American author and computer scientist, really helped me a lot on this subject.
· Your music encourages a connection between heart and mind, emotion and reason. How do you think this connection is important in today’s fast-paced world?
It’s essential. The most essential maybe. I believe we are beings with two parts: our animal/material one and our spiritual one. They both make us human beings and both need attention and care. So do our hearts and minds. Being solely driven by emotions drives us back to our animal nature and being driven only by our intellect disconnects us from reality. Nowadays it seems those two extremes are the only choices possible. I believe in a more nuanced conception of the world.
· What role do you believe music plays in helping people reflect on their lives and the world around them?
It’s a great tool indeed. It can connect you to other cultures, to other people’s reality and that’s key for me. If we want to live together (which is inevitable) we need to be able to understand each other. Music can be a huge way to connect to others. And also, get ourselves connected to an emotion together.
Music has a magical power! It can make you and me feel the same thing and by that, we share a connection. I’d even say that we are already connected as human beings but music makes us realize that this connection is real.
· What are your dreams and aspirations as an artist moving forward?
I’d say I want to keep reaching people that can be touched, moved, healed maybe, by my music. That’s its purpose. I try to create beauty in my art and this is something we can all connect to as human beings. We all have this beauty inside us and that’s what communicates from one person to the next. I want to be able to keep sharing this with as many people as possible.
I wanna keep growing in this sense but naturally, organically and according to the values I shared here. Moving upward in this business and losing touch of this would be at the opposite of my deepest desire.
Practically, I’m very happy already with where this path has taken me. For example, I’ll open for Fink in Marseille on September the 19th. I’ve been their biggest fan for more than 10 years. and now I’m playing for them.
Life can be pretty generous sometimes!
