Del sits down with artists on the FOTN radar and gets them to tell their origin story over a cup of tea and biscuits. This week it’s the turn of Nuit Ocean and he brought cake – honey, oats and almonds it goes great with a cuppa.

Hello Steven, how are you?

I’m trying to stay positive despite the constant stream of tragic news.
Let’s try to hold on to hope.

Congratulations on the release of “Till The Dawn” how does it feel now it’s out in the
world?

This release is a bit special, the song is a little more synth-driven than usual. I’m happy about it, but
at the same time I’m also looking forward to putting out some more acoustic things too.

What’s the story behind the song?

The main idea behind this song is really a metaphor: that moment of waiting when the darkness
feels oppressive, and you’re longing for the sunrise so you can finally breathe again…letting go of
all the anxieties tied to that darkness, and allowing the light to guide us.

It’s your first release in three years, what’s been the one thing about putting music out
again that you missed?

I didn’t really miss anything. I just needed to do other things and occupy my time differently.
Making music alone can be isolating. I need to be outside, to see the world moving. Now I’m trying
to enjoy making music more — to do it differently, in the mornings, and a little less obsessively.

You’re an artist from Bordeaux, France, how did it all begin for you?

After graduating, I decided to take a gap year and spend some time making music. After a few
attempts, I sent an email to a national radio station, and to my surprise the track was played the
following week. That’s when I started to take things a bit more seriously.

What did you listen to growing up?

SADE, Tracy Chapman, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, The soundtrack of the movie Philadelphia, The
Colour Purple, Bagdad café » and many others. 🙂

Your tracks have quite a complexity to them in their sound, how does a writing session
usually begin for you?

I’m always trying to push things a little further and experiment, so I tweak plugins and play around
with them, trying to break the usual rules. I usually start with a chord progression that resonates
with me, and then I experiment a lot. Sometimes the magic happens; other times it becomes a bit
too complex and less obvious for a listener who isn’t familiar with my work.

Has your writing process changed since your first release?

I’m trying to move toward something simpler.

You’ve played some iconic venues with it, if you could play anywhere in the world with no
constraints where would it be?

I have amazing memories of the NRMAL Festival in Mexico. The welcome and warmth I felt there
were incredible. I’d love to go back and play in South America one day. Honestly, anywhere is fine
as long as people are open, curious, and coming together with love.

What are you listening to at the moment?

I listen to a lot of film music. Otherwise, I’ve really been enjoying the latest single, ‘Peace of Mind’
by Wesley Joseph.

What are you looking forward to doing next?

We’ll see where the next wave takes me… I’m just letting the current carry me. We’ll see.