Darlène, Hubert Lenoir at FME 2018
Hubert Lenoir is a welcome breath of fresh air.
The 24-year-old singer from Quebec arrived for our Friday interview fresh-faced and appearing a little bit shy. That’s a bit of a surprise if you’ve ever seen him perform live.
Lenoir is one of 10 artists shortlisted for the Polaris prize for 2018. His album Darlène has picked up a lot of momentum and his sound and look are fresh and exciting. After seeing Hubert Lenoir perform in front of a packed audience at Rouyn-Noranda’s L’Agora des Arts during FME 2018, we can tell you, he’s got a very good chance of winning.
Hubert showed himself to be smart and confident as we talked. When asked about how he felt about having English Canada take notice of his work, he expressed his gratitude and went on to mention that with this being his first album he didn’t really have to wait long for that recognition. He wanted to make an album that would be accessible to all. Hubert referenced the saying “music is an international language” and he expressed that it’s great to see his music being well received in Quebec but also around the world.
We talked a little bit about the album Darlène and how Hubert had written about the time when he was in high school/college/living with his parents. His life is very different now with touring and the new material he’s working on is about the present, about him, it’s much more personal.
He’s surprised by the attention he’s receiving and it’s not something he could have predicted. Lenoir admitted he was a shy kid so it’s something he works on.
He sees his music as something that’s growing, each song being another part of a masterpiece. Furthermore, the goal is to keep making music and try not to get distracted. Writing is the driving force and while he likes touring, studio time is his favourite.
We love to ask artists who they’re listening to and Hubert’s list was fun and varied, including Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus by Vince Guaraldi Trio (1962), God’s Plan by Drake, Godspeed, Steely Dan, and lots of experimental ambient music. He tries to listen to one or two hours of new music every day.
We came close to stumping Hubert with our dream venue question but he quickly recovered and admitted he loves playing small clubs but when pressed he reached for the top and gave up Wembley Stadium as his dream venue. When I commented that it was a big goal, Hubert replied with a smile and “I dream big”.
We expect to see many of those dreams coming true in the future.
A few hours later we arrived at L’Agora des Arts and by the time Hubert Lenoir took the stage the venue was packed. The atmosphere was excited and the energy was high. Fans danced and sang along. It was hot, sweaty hot and Hubert removed layer after layer until he was shirtless to the delight of fans.
His bandmates were tight and the sound was rich. Hubert had the audience right where he wanted them, and he knew just what to do with them. That was entertainment.
More Photos of Hubert Lenoir at FME 2018
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