To mark the release of his new official remix for Giabiconi, we went to meet Doumëa. After playing date after date, the young French DJ/producer hasn’t entirely left the studio and tells us about his many projects in progress, including the preparation of his next EP. Can you introduce yourself? I…
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Kevin Olivier, I’m 22 and I produce music under the name Doumëa. I come from a tiny village near Deauville, but I now live in Paris after my studies. It’s been 8 years since I first got my hands on decks and 6 years since I opened my first software to compose and mix my own tracks. Beyond music, I really love motorbikes (it runs in the family), travelling, meeting new people and above all partying! I should also mention that I’m a bit of a film buff (laughs). I started the Doumëa project just before taking my baccalaureate and I’ve devoted a lot of my time to it since. I was already making electro before, then I turned to the Deep, Chill and Tropical scene, which I discovered through artists like Bakermat, Klingande, Kygo, FKJ and many others.
What does a typical day look like for Doumëa?
I don’t really have a “typical” day, but I’d say it consists of listening to new releases, producing, organising studio sessions with other artists, preparing my DJ sets, playing at night and taking the train. Not forgetting managing social media and all the admin side.
What does Doumëa mean?
It doesn’t really have a meaning, first and foremost I wanted a name that sounded good. That said, I was almost certainly inspired by the island of Nouméa, because I want my music to sound “Summer”, and back then I’d also had a great time at a restaurant in Corsica called “Chez Doumé”. Mix all that together and you get Doumëa.
Musical training or completely self-taught?
Self-taught. I regret it a little today because I have a few gaps, especially when it comes to music theory. It’s sometimes hard to do everything by ear. You can quickly get lost and it’s counterproductive. When you practise every day to get an increasingly efficient “workflow”, you quickly spot your weaknesses, and that’s the upside (thanks to Zo, from SAE Paris, for his Methodology classes). I learnt a lot of things thanks to the internet and I thank everyone who makes tutorials. In my early days I worked for a long time with a guitarist friend, and I have very fond memories of it! I then decided to validate what I’d learnt by taking a short course at SAE (the audiovisual school in Paris), and I was surprised by how much I learnt and by all the things it unlocked for me.
What’s the secret to making a remix that works as well as your Bill Withers one?
There’s no real secret. I think you have to pick a track you truly love and that inspires you, so that you respect the message the artist originally wanted to get across. I love the idea of taking old tracks and letting people rediscover them in another, more current version. That said, it isn’t always easy: you need the right singer at the right time, or else you have to do research that can take hours and hours to find the “stems” of the original version. Then you have to work things out to get the rights, or decide to use it purely for promotional purposes. And of course, luck comes into it too! It isn’t always easy, but when it works, you have every reason to be happy.
You played Solidays very recently, how was it?
It was really cool! A great first festival experience. It was pretty crazy to have access to the artists’ village! I met people, watched shows by artists I really like from backstage, and I was also lucky enough to have the Cercle team on our stage broadcasting us live on Facebook. We had a great laugh that same night with the members of the Dowse label and the Panamæra crew! Sprinoir and DTWEEZER really got the party going.
Your first EP came out more than a year ago, what are your next projects?
I’m currently working on my next EP, but I’m very demanding with myself, so it takes time. To be honest, I’m stacking up productions and I’ll pick the best ones to make up my EP. I’m collaborating with quite a few Parisian producers I meet here, Paris is really cool for that. Alongside that, I’m also working on a few remixes in different styles, whether official or purely promotional. I recently signed a remix for Giabiconi, which has just come out. For the rest, you’ll have to be patient.
What have you taken from all the experience you’ve gained so far?
I think I’ve grown a lot, both in the way I produce my music and in the way I see things. I’ve learnt to appreciate other genres and other musical styles. I’ve ventured towards new horizons and I only take positives from it! On top of that, I’ve met other DJs/producers and made real friends with whom I can share my passion, which is gradually becoming my job. It isn’t easy every day, but honestly it’s really worth it!
Where can we catch you this summer?
In Paris, I play regularly at Nuba, and not long ago I played at Grand Rivage and Flow. In September, I’ll most likely be back at Kong. I also go back to Deauville from time to time for a little return to my roots… Further down the line, great things are in the works, in great venues, but I can’t talk about them just yet. In the meantime, you can always watch my live set at Solidays ?.
