Margaux Sauvé is a French-Canadian singer-songwriter who has created one of the most interesting alternative music projects – Ghostly Kisses. As incredible as it may seem, (like her music made of small and delicate details, in a mixture of deep commotion in a clothing of apparent tranquility, always walking in a dichotomy between the sweet and the bitter of love), she remains an undiscovered jewel for some inattentive audiophile.

Opportunity to get to know a little bit more about this artist who started playing the violin at the age of 5 and, after having studied psychology, realized that her life would be in music full-time.

Ecletismo Musical (EM): Can we say that, more than labels like «dream pop», «electro-pop», etc, the best definition of your music is “Call them with soundless love songs/A sort of ethereal seduction” [“Une ballade des dames perdues” of William Faulkner from where Margaux took the name of her project]? The melancholy present in your creations are autobiographical?

Margaux Sauvé (MS): I think it is difficult to label a musical creation. Mine is definitely influenced by nostalgia and melancholy. I went through depression when I was younger and my personal background definitely influences my creations.

EM: Some artists argue that suffering is necessary for the success of their creations. Do you share this vision that pain (in all its different shapes) leads to overcome and that from ugliness it is possible to draw a soft (calm) beauty sound?

MS: I don’t think suffering is a necessity to creation. I only think that suffering can lead to the need of expressing certain situations or difficulties and certain emotions.

EM: Your new EP “Never Let Me Go” will come out on June 5th. What’s the main difference between this EP compared to previous works? Why the option to release EP’s and not full albums, are you adapting your career to the new reality where singles have much more impact than an album because “there’s no time to listen in one piece”?

MS: The main difference in this EP compared to the others is how we did the production. We decided to record many more organic instruments and bring more contrasts in the arrangements with the recording of a live drum, a string quartet, guitars, harp, etc.

For us at the moment it’s easier to release an EP instead of a full album. It allows us to work a sound for a certain period, share the songs with the world and then move on. Personally, I think it allows us to be more creative and when release music we still love the work we just did. I also think that the whole album concept is a bit scary in the actual changing musical environment that we live in.

EM: You’re from Quebec, Canada. Do you have songs sung in French? Why English as a choice? Wouldn’t the romanticism of the French language allow you to express even more of this kind of “gloomy sweetness”?

MS: When I started writing and composing songs, without thinking, my ideas came in English. I think English protects me in a way and allows me to express myself without restraint, it allows me a space of freedom. French for me is too close to reality in the expression of words. But I’m slowly trying to write in French… I’ll see how it evolves.

EM: Professionally you are exclusively in the music industry or do you also have other activities? Is writing something you plan to develop further?? What is it like to live as a musician in Canada?

MS: I live exclusively from my music. It is quite convenient to be a professional musician in Canada. Our government is quite supportive for the artists.

EM: The fact that you have studied psychology is helping you to better understand the situation of pandemic and world chaos that we are currently experiencing? How do you think the world (especially music) will change?

MS: I think there are many things about the pandemic that are difficult to understand. It is a very stressful and very difficult time for everyone. Personally, I try to work on the positive of this situation. I’m not sure how the overall musical portrait will be affected in the long run, but one thing is certain, people will continue to listen to music.

Music brings people together and helps people in difficult times. This is what encourages me to continue to work hard on composing new music and sharing it with the world.

EM: What names do you put on your “ideal festival”? (Alive or Not)

MS: Post Malone, Clairo, The Japanese House, Garbage, Lana Del Rey, Weyes Blood, Phoebe Bridgers, The Midnight, Tamino, Billie Eilish, Henry Green, Dua Lipa, Massive Attack, RUFUS DU SOL, Sufjan Stevens, The National, Björk.

EM: If you had to identify the 5 best albums ever, what was your choice?

MS: Very difficult to choose only 5 albums… all of them were major influences and help me understand many things in music,  in composition, in writing…

London Grammar – If You Wait

The Cranberries – Burry The Hatchet

Daft Punk – Random Access Memories

The Japanese House – Good At Falling

Jorja Smith – Lost & Found

Keane – Hopes and Fears

EM: What are your plans for the next months (maybe hard question in pandemic time)? Do you know Portugal beside the concert venues?

MS: In the coming months I will be working on new music and I will be enjoying the summer in Quebec. Summer is a great time to create, go outside and be inspired.

I came two times so far in Portugal and I absolutely love your country. We were supposed to come back to Porto in June for the festivities of June 23. Can’t wait to be back!

Merci Margaux!