Recently I was able to schedule an interview with a talented artist named Nicholas Michaux who is releasing a cool, indie rock-stylized single called ”Peace of Mind #2.” In this interview, I asked Nicholas about his forthcoming LP Vitalisme that releases on October 18th via Capitane Records, his songwriting process and more.
”Peace of Mind #2″ has a personal touch in its writing. Can you share more about the socio-cultural project that inspired the song? How did that experience influence its creation?
Indeed, last year I was hired by BOZAR, one of Brussels’ major art centers, to write a song for amateur choirs in the city. The project was called Let’s Zing Ensemble and aimed to provide a new repertoire for Brussels’ choirs, written by contemporary musicians living in the city. It was a great experience, and it was within this context that I came up with the chorus for the song. But at the time, the verse was very different—it was in English. While working on Vitalisme, I revisited the song, keeping only the chorus and writing new verses in French this time. That’s why the song that’s out today is called “Peace Of Mind #2.”
You mentioned that the first verse is based on a poem you wrote titled “IRM.” Can you elaborate on the themes of that poem and how they shaped the verses of the song?
The verses are drawn from a poem in Alexandrines titled IRM (MRI in English) that I wrote a few years ago about my childhood and teenage years, part of which were spent in hospitals. I simply had to tell the rest of my life to complete the other verses. The second verse reflects my youth in Belgium, the encounter with great love, and the carefree years spent in the streets of Paris. The final verse speaks about my current situation, as someone who has lost love and is trying to leave the island where he lives. It’s a personal and honest song. It was released today, and I’ve been receiving a lot of messages from people who resonate with it. I think many of us have similar stories—stories of illness, of healing. I believe my generation has taken quite a few hits since 2020. Life of before feels more and more like a different world. At least that’s how I feel here in Europe.