In an exclusive interview for Rodmusic, French producer PLÜM explains why he chose to work discreetly and in total anonymity, and tells us how he became one of the artists most in demand with majors and labels. Meet the man behind the mystery. How do you keep so much mystery for so long? It’s very simple, I…
How do you keep so much mystery for so long?
It’s very simple, I keep this mystery around me so that people focus on my music above all, and not on who I am or what I might represent. And it’s fun to keep people guessing about my identity, it intrigues them!
In your view, is an artist’s music enough to reveal who they are?
I think music reflects who we are and who we want to be. It’s an endless means of artistic expression. When I produce my music, I reveal part of myself, so yes, I think that by listening you can learn about an artist.
PLÜM - Skinny Love
What was the starting point of your project?
The starting point of my project was simply music and nothing else. At no point did I overthink it, I just wanted to share my vision, my world and my productions with people. Spontaneity and not overthinking are essential in my view, and it’s a shame, because the music industry has lost those values. Unfortunately, today everything is calculated and planned strategically, even if it means forgetting the most important thing: The Music.
PLÜM - Flower
For three years now, you’ve stayed true to yourself with this leaning towards electronic music, but also towards hip-hop. Where did the idea of combining the two in one single project come from?
They’re two styles of music I really love. I find hip-hop (at least what I listen to) quite melancholic, while electro is powerful and bold. When I have fun combining the two styles in some of my productions, I find the result pretty cool.
PLÜM - Where
How do you go about creating your tracks?
I work in my studio quite regularly, but sometimes I also take my computer, my keyboard and my sound card and go and produce out in nature. My head is always full of ideas and melodies, and that helps me bring them to life.
How do you manage to keep up the pace of a track every fortnight?
As I said, I have loads of musical ideas. I didn’t know it at first, but apparently it’s a pretty intense pace for a music producer. For now, it’s no problem at all for me.
PLÜM’s top tracks
You’ve been signed to Insides Records since the label launched. How did your relationship begin, and what does it bring you?
I get loads of offers from majors and labels of every kind, but keeping my independence is essential to me. Inside Records has respected that wish. The teams are superb and have let me develop my project without imposing any directives, while respecting my artistic approach.
Music streaming really launched your project, and today it lets your music travel around the world without you even leaving your studio. Can we see that as a stroke of luck, given the current situation?
Yes, it’s clearly a stroke of luck, and it motivates me even more to keep going.
At the start of July you announced that you wanted to come out of your “cave” and prepare a live show to meet your fans. Was it the period we’ve just been through that made you think about the next step for your project?
I’ve been thinking about it for a while! Isn’t an artist’s fulfilment being able to perform on stage in front of their fans? I didn’t want to rush things, for me the essential thing from the start was sharing music with the world. Today I’m ready to meet it.
If we had to answer the question “Who is PLÜM?”, what could we say?
Who am I? I think everyone can answer that question in their own way. How music is interpreted is personal to each of us, all you have to do is… listen.
