Rapid fire questions
If I weren’t a musician, I’d be… A full-time graphic designer, or a cabinetmaker.
If I was going to a desert island, I’d bring: A dog
Favourite plugin(s): Black box
Favourite quote (or lyrics): “And if death came and said to me, you’ve only got 20 minutes left, well I’d have wished for peace and I’d have shaved off 10 minutes” – Si c’était le dernier by Diam’s
What I’ve been listening to non-stop lately: Jungle Jack
When Friz picks up his pen to rap, it’s to send a message of hope and freedom: without barriers or fears, art is meant to be shared. The photographer and graphic designer believes in doing what lights you up inside, “even if it’s doing lots of different things”. He shared his artistic vision with RAC, encouraging us to create without question or doubt – “because as long as the person creating is satisfied in the moment”, that’s what counts!
RAC: Can you share with us your artistic journey and what led you to RAC?
Friz: I started listening to French rap around 8 years old and never stopped. I had no intention of doing it myself because I was way too shy and reserved to consider rapping or getting up on stage. When I was 19, during one of my first trips to New Zealand, I met a German guy who rapped and I thought: why not try to produce something for him? That’s where it all started. I kept going after that, without taking it too seriously.
After travelling, I wanted to settle in Canada and build up a network in the music business. It was time to turn a new page in my life by going to school. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. When I enrolled at the college, I was still in France and it was COVID. While I was waiting to come to Montreal, I bought myself proper production basics and wrote and produced more to perfect my skills. At RAC, I met TH3O and Matmo, with whom I still make music. They pushed me to write and rap: they told me there was something to explore.
RAC: Which artists influence you, and how do you stand out from them?
Friz: If I had to pick artists who’ve been on my playlists for a long time, it would be Booba, Diam’s, Nekfeu and the Parisian scene in general. I’ve been following them for a long time, but I’m also constantly discovering new talents who blow me away with their techniques, artistic direction and lyrics: BB Jacques, Ben PLG, Alpha Wann, Deen Burbigo, and many others. Generally, the artists I listen to influence me mainly in terms of their artistic direction, but when it comes to lyrics, I’m mostly inspired by what’s going on around me.
RAC: You crafted your latest album from A to Z, including mixing and mastering. How important is it for you to work on each of these stages, and why?
Friz: It’s always been very important for me to have a hand in everything I create. I can’t imagine writing a piece and leaving the rest to someone else – and then only getting to see the final product later. Mainly because I love the creative process. When I started working on my Blue Moon album, I needed to produce on my own in order to be immersed and release my project as I had imagined it. I work a lot with mental images. Often I’ll start writing one or two lines, and then I’ll have the music video pictured in my head, or a concept to go with the track. I think it’s great to have the ability to create an album from scratch. I’m proud to have created everything, even the visuals. I continue this creative process to this day, while trying to collaborate with other people to broaden my skills.
RAC: Indeed, your talents also extend to graphic design and photography, which you’ve put to good use in your art project. Is your goal to vary your range of services?
Friz: It’s more than a goal: it’s a need. I truly love art and creation in all its forms. I like to create without thinking about making money. My main motivation has always been to create and bring my ideas to life. I’ve never made art to make money; it’s always been essential to me – a way of being totally authentic and sincere. Plus, it lets me tap into my passions and create in different ways. When I write a song, I can easily visualize the marketing material and visuals that go with it. I’d also say it allows me to vary my roles based on my mood or the phases of my life. There are times when I don’t write for a while, but I take the opportunity to put on my designer or photographer hat, for example.
RAC: What was your approach to mixing and mastering your project to maintain objectivity in the final listen?
Friz: That was the biggest challenge on the album. Sometimes it was hard to know if I was making the right choice because I was so immersed in the project, but I trusted myself to the point where I decided this was the final version. I took days off between listening to the mix and master versions to listen again with fresh ears. Maybe I should have consulted other people to get new ears for the final touches, but I have no regrets about not doing so. It was also my first time mastering, so I used what I’d learned at RAC as well as learning as I went along.
RAC: There’s a poetic imagery to your lyrics. What’s your process when it comes to writing lyrics and putting them to music?
Friz: I usually write over an instrumental, but sometimes I compose a capella and then rearrange the text to fit the music. When I’m really inspired, I can write songs in 30 minutes. What’s for sure is that I pay particular attention to the words I use and the images I convey through my lyrics. I love it when listeners instantly see the images I’ve conjured up through my words.
RAC: What were the inspirations and visions behind your album Blue Moon, released in February 2024?
Friz: My environment and certain subjects I wanted to tackle influenced my writing. For the overall vision, it’s all in the title: the moon and the sky. I liked the idea of using the moon as a concept and visual element. A blue moon happens so rarely that there’s even an expression about it: “Once in a blue moon”. I wanted my project to represent something that doesn’t happen often, something that makes a mark. To push the concept further, I made cards for each track. Linked together, each of them served as a teaser, which I began to post on social media at the beginning of the lunar half-cycle until the end of the moon’s cycle. The album was released on the blue moon.
RAC: What are your plans for the coming year?
Friz: I’m currently working on a project I’m producing with Tysma and Cyd. We’re working on a concept that will probably span several volumes and be similar to an EP follow-up. Apart from this project, I’m keen to develop my role as a graphic designer, continue to make art in all its forms and learn more about my passions.
Don’t miss the other articles in our series, like Featured Creator: Kristopher Rioux and Featured Creator: Caleigh Barker.
Written by Caroline Boivin
Illustration by Holly Li
