QUENTIN Lepoutre, better known as Myd, has triumphantly turned everything he has touched to gold. Born in Lille and now located in Paris, the French producer and DJ is now adding singer to his plethora of talents. Taking his first huge leap as a solo artist, the previous member of the electronic group Club Cheval is releasing his debut album titled Born a Loser. Speaking with Glass, Myd reflects on all the “accidents” and adventures that have led him to create this highly commendable album.
Myd. Photograph: Alice Moitié
Rewinding to the beginning, what sparked your interest in music? Was there a defining moment in your childhood?
I was a listener at first – like more passive. I really enjoyed electronic music because most of the time growing up the older brothers would be putting their music on in the house and one of my friend’s brother was a big fan of electronic music, so I was listening to UK electronic music all the time like The Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim.
I was also spending most of my holidays in the mountains in Poland which was a pretty boring place to spend your holidays as a teenager. So, I spent a whole summer copying and trying to understand how my idols were making music – how to sample, how to make a beat danceable so little by little I became less passive and more active in trying to make my own music.
Myd. Photograph: Alice Moitié
You began your career with Club Cheval, what did you learn being in that group?
I learned two big things. I always see Club Cheval as my military service. We started it as teenagers and we finished it as musicians. Having said that, we learned to work as a group which is a big thing and we learned how to finish an album but also how important the image is.
With Club Cheval, all our personalities were devoted to the band so Club Cheval was pretty black and white, quite sharp.
Myd. Photograph: Alice Moitié
You were nominated for Best Original Music at the Cesar Awards in 2017 for Bloody Milk, how did this opportunity come about?
I studied song engineering for cinema at university and my friends who I met there are now directors and producers. One of my friends called me up being like ‘I just directed my first movie and all the composers who have given me their songs, I don’t like their production, it is too classic, so I want to ask you to try. I know you have never done this before so that is why I am asking. I want something special’. So, I tried it.
And then you were nominated! What did it mean to you to be recognised for your impact in film?
It was amazing. I was so happy because in French we call that ‘La chance du debutant’. I really believe in that. I like to take weird projects or try new stuff because I know in art globally, the accident is always really good. For me, the Bloody Milk OSD is something like that.
Sometimes, when I say that people are like ‘you can’t say it was an accident because it was good’ but I created a space where I put myself in a position where I am doing an OSD and that is something pretty exciting.
Myd. Photograph: Alice Moitié
The album is named Born a Loser. How did you decide on the name?
The more I focused on my solo career, the more I had to focus on the past. Like how did I start. When I was 17, I was thinking that if I wanted to be a musician I would have to build a new image and have to be cool as fuck – that I would have to be different from who I was.
Now I have realised I don’t. This is not about the loser becoming a winner but its more accepting I am a loser in some way but that is your strength.
Together We Stand is a song that I believe reflects the times we are living in. Where did the inspiration behind this song come from?
I wrote it before the pandemic. It was right after a big tour and I wanted to talk about the positive and negative side of having a community of being all together. Yes, we stand together but, in the song, when you listen to the lyrics, little by little it gets more aggressive. With French music, and you know with French people, there is a lot about romanticism but there is always a bit of melancholy.
It is that French realism where you go, I may date you, but we will also break up.
[Laughs] That is exactly it.
Myd. Photograph: Alice Moitié
On the album there are three collaborations, Juan Wauters, Mac DeMarco and Bakar, why did you choose these three artists?
I am an electronic artist so I didn’t need electronic artists to come on my album. Juan Wauters, his vocals for me, were so emotional, this certain type of indie emotion which I don’t know how to do. For Bakar, I really enjoy his songs and the simplicity of his songs as he mostly just has a guitar and vocals. We had maybe four songs in the studio, but I just kept one. And then, for Mac DeMarco he was my dream collaboration. Have you heard about what happened with the Justice car?
No?
I need to tell you this crazy story. Mac DeMarco is very much like if you want to work with me come to LA and just knock on the door. But months before, Gaspard [Augé] from Justice was like “Do you know the car from our fire music video?” Do you know it?
No, I don’t.
It is a Toyota that is covered in a mirror. He told me that the band had planned to give it to Mac as a present so when I was in LA I asked him whether he had the car. He told me that his driving license was cancelled because he was Canadian or something.
So, I was like oh ok if you want, I will go to the garage and drive it to you. Then one day, I was in front of his home with the car and he was so happy. We then went into the studio and did Moving Men.
Myd. Photograph: Alice Moitié
Your music videos play a huge role in your music, showing another side to your creativity. You don’t take yourself too seriously. What it’s like working with Alice Moitié and how do you both approach these projects?
I have been working with Alice on Artistic Direction since day one. What is interesting with her and what is similar with my music, is that people think we have big concepts, that we come with this huge ideas. The power of Alice is not to have everything written down but to create situations to make something amazing happen.
You let yourself react naturally to the situation so you’re authentic.
That is exactly like being in the studio. That is why we like each other so much. If you go into the studio saying you need to make a hit that day, it just isn’t how it works.
Myd. Photograph: Alice Moitié
Finally, what do you want people to take from the album?
What I like is when people remember a moment with the songs. When the song is strong enough to make that moment, you are listening to it special, whether it be on the street, on holiday, making love or whatever – when it becomes a part of the moment. The second thing is that I try to make songs that people would like to listen to over and over again.
by Imogen Clark
Born A Loser is out April 30, 2021 on all streaming platforms.