ORAVA – NOW I KNOW

With his new music video for Now I Know just released, Orava – the French-born, London-based multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and producer – is gearing up to release his debut album ‘Behind The Wave’ on September 25th. This rising artist should be on everyone’s radar this year. A graduate of the Musician Institute of London, Orava draws inspiration from French touch, classic electronic, DnB, and traditional rock, blending analog with digital, homemade recordings with elaborate production, and vintage instruments with synthetic textures.

Born Axel Gerard and crafting his music between England and his native France since 2018, Orava is named after a stream in north-western Slovakia that roughly translates as “roaring river.” Inspired by artists like Daft Punk, Phoenix, and Depeche Mode, Orava’s compositions tackle the common hopes, doubts and fears of his generation, drawing mostly from his own experiences.

We spoke with Orava about the inspiration behind his new album, his recent music video for “Now I Know,” and his plans for the coming year.

1. What is the creative inspiration for the new album?

I get inspired by my daily life and my own experiences. This album is about the fears, doubts and hopes of my generation. Musically speaking, I would say that blending genres is the main inspiration of my music.

2. Tell us a little bit about your background and upbringing. When did you start writing music?

I got into music very early as a child. I started taking guitar lessons at age 7 and taught myself the piano after a few years. I remember recording my first demos around the age of 10, using a loop pedal and improvising melodies over chord-progressions. My songwriting pretty much came out of my guitar-playing. When I was 18, I moved to the UK and studied at the Musician Institute of London to become a session-guitarist. I wanted to do more and slowly started to produce my own music. This is how the Orava project and my debut album “Behind the Wave” came about.

3. What drew you to combine genres like house and traditional rock?

I started playing the guitar at age 7 and grew up listening to a lot of rock, punk and metal music. I got into electronic music a bit later, around the age of 20. I just tried to make the type of music I wanted to hear more often.

4. Is there anyone you credit with influencing your style?

Depeche Mode, Daft Punk, Phoenix, Electric Light Orchestra… There are many more but these bands definitely had a lot of influence on the making of my album “Behind the Wave”.

5. Can you tell us a little bit about the message behind Now I Know?

I wrote “Now I Know” to express the difficulty we have as individuals to change our vision on life. Many of us tend to focus on trouble and forget that everything is a matter of perspective. I have struggled with this for a while and writing this song was therapeutic in the sense that it helped me move forward as a person.

6. Why did you decide to shoot the music video at Vercors Regional Natural Park?

The video emphasizes the song’s subject with a mysterious storyline featuring a character running away from his problems. I was looking for big and empty landscapes and the Vercors Park just seemed to be the perfect spot.

7. How did you use the video to show your own creative process?

The first scene of the video is very close from my real creative process. Recording in my home studio by myself is a big part of my life. The scenario is an interpretation of different elements of my music such as introspection, loneliness and the fear of failure.

8. Your album art was shot by French photographer Richard Bellia, known for his work with Kurt Cobain, The Cure, Joe Strummer, and Serge Gainsbourg. What was it like working with Richard?

Richard Bellia shot some of the most iconic artists and musicians of our era and I was a big fan of his work way before meeting him. The photoshoot took place in Metz. (North-East of France) where we’re both from. Bellia’s into analog photography which happens to be one of my main passions besides music. He quickly understood the type of aesthetics I was going for and the session felt very spontaneous. I remember him saying “I think we’ve got it” after one specific shot, which ended up being the cover for my single “Now I Know”.

9. How does your French heritage influence your style?

I look up to a lot of French bands and artists such as Phoenix, Daft Punk or M83. This scene is living proof that music has no frontiers and allowed me to feel legitimate singing in English. I have a strong attachment to my cultural heritage but also feel very English in my way of approaching music. Living in London was an opportunity to discover a broad range of cultures and meet musicians from all over the world. It certainly pushed me to be very eclectic in my creative choices, I tend to mix a lot of genres in my songs, from French touch to traditional rock and electronic music.

10. How do you use vocals to enhance your instruments?

I don’t. I’d say I do the opposite. The instruments enhance my voice. I always compose the music and write the melodies before recording any vocals.

11. Do you use your platform and voice in any way in the community?

My main task as an artist is to convey emotions through my music and lyrics. I guess it’s a positive thing in the sense that my music is full of hope.

12. Where do you hope your career takes you in the future?

On tour! I have spent a lot of time making music in studios this past two years and I can’t wait to hit the stage. My only aim is to have people to relate with the overall message I’m trying to express in my songs.

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