Manu Chevalier is back with a bang! His new single, If You Could Hear What I Say, is a disco-funk masterpiece that’s sure to get you grooving. It’s got that classic 80s and 90s vibe, but with a modern twist that makes it feel fresh and exciting.
Chevalier, who’s from Marseille, has been influenced by legends like the Brand New Heavies. He’s created a sound that’s both nostalgic and totally current. And let’s not forget the amazing vocals from Deran Day. His voice is like a throwback to Craig David, and it’s the perfect match for the track’s infectious rhythm.
In this interview, we chat with Chevalier about the making of If You Could Hear What I Say, his inspirations, and what’s next for him.”
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What inspired the title “If you could hear what I say”? Is there a story behind it?It’s a common story talking about the difficulties for a boy or a man (especially young) to seduce a girl which seems to be unreachable . It happens often at the especially during teenagebut I mean we all experience that right?… Shyness is not very helpful in that situation, but unfortunately that was my case and the case of many people.
Are there any unique instruments or production techniques you used in this track?I’m not a great piano player but i can play a bit and i started with the keyboard with the chords to set the mood.Then I set the whole instrumentation by arranging the keyboard, guitars, bass and drums playing (i also play a little bit drums), then music theory and technical knowledges help a lot too.Then as a sax player, I performed all the sax parts and sax solo.I also hired Deran to perform the lead vocals, i can sing but my voice doesn’t fit that kind of music, and i prefer hiring the right singer in that case. But I did some of the vocals on the background.
Were there any challenges you faced while creating this piece? How did you overcome them?The difficulty was with the lyrics that i rewrote 3 times. I had some hitmakers who were my mentors and they gave me some advices and suggestions to improve the lyrics which were already nice but awkward in some parts. As a non-native English speaker this was not an easy task but i could overcome them by following their tips and using some lyrical technics that i learnt .
Is there a specific lyric or musical moment in the song that you’re particularly proud of?
Yes I’m quite proud of the chords and the melody which are strong, and i made a lot of key changes between each section. And i’m very proud of the bridge which is unexpected and the sax solo that i imagined, i still don’t know how i found it, it was pure instinct .
Who are some of your musical influences, and did any of them inspire elements of this new release?Wow….It’s very large, it goes from Stevie Wonder to Michael McDonald, Jamiroquai, Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars, George Michael, Al Jarreau, Justin Timberlake and many more…..I could spend the whole night naming some artists.For that song i think that the chorus is inspired by “Spend some Time” from the Brand New Heavies. And maybe “i m outta love” from Anastacia was the other part of the inspiration/mood for the intro and the verses . the rest is a mix of everything
What do you hope listeners will take away from “If you could hear what I say”?
The chorus hook , or maybe the sax solo, the vocal performance which is amazing…but it’s hard to say, everybody has got his own perception/opinion.
Are you planning to release a music video for this song? If so, can you give us a sneak peek into the concept?
The video is already made and online It’s here
I gave a tribute to girls (we would be nothing without them) with some short cuts of me, dancing, playing sax, and special highlight…. my wife is in it. The static image at the end it’s her and she is also in some short cuts at different times in the clip.
How does this single relate to your upcoming projects or albums, if any?
This is my third single, all 3 are Disco/funk style, with some nice reviews, and a lot of radio airplays (especially the first one “Get on the dance floor”) .
“if you could hear what i say” has got interesting results like the first place at the Top 50 RedLine Radio in Switzerland.
A new single “Back to my dream” is coming on October 25th.This one is a bit different, it keeps the funky vibe but i brought a Californian Pop modern touch like Hall and Oates or Michael McDonald. An album is not scheduled for the moment, it will depend on the results with the singles and if the listeners want to hear more.
Everything is possible.
Lastly, where can fans listen to the new track, and what’s the best way for them to stay updated on your music?my spotify account :open.spotify.com…cOD3nsMy youtube Channel :www.youtube.com/…er7925FaceBook : www.facebook.com…ier.15Instagram : www.instagram.co…lier15All infos on my site www.manuchevalie…er.com
