French-native Kevin Courtois is making a name for himself in the dance music scene. His craft bridges international sounds, blending his time in France, Dominican Republic, New York City, and now Los Angeles. He’s had breakout success on several different labels, including Capitol Records, WePlay Music, and UP-rise Music.
His most recent single, “Settle” has been hailed as a cheerful summer anthem with a darker twinge to the lyrics, focusing on past loves and the complications of romance.
The single release also coincided with a video release.
We got a chance to interview Kevin about his whirlwind rise in the electronic music scene,and what he has in store for the next year.
Congratulations on your singles this past year. What has the inspiration and process been like for creating new music?
Every track has a different story. If I am lucky, I will have a great top-line from which I create an instrumental. Usually I will send an instrumental to several singer-songwriters and pick my favorite top-line. Listening to music everyday can get you lost in your own production, so bouncing my ideas off friends and my team helps.
How has Paris and the electronic scene influenced your sound as an up-and-coming artist in France?
Since Paris (and Europe in general) is such a melting pot of different cultures, it was more of a gateway to many other genres of music. Unlike here in L.A., where clubs strictly play hip-hop, in France, I was expected to bridge many cultural divides with my set. I became good at reading crowds and knowing when to play a reggaetón or Arabic track to get the party started. This definitely influenced my production and the sounds I chose to work with.
Before you knew you wanted to become a producer, what was your childhood dream job? When and how did you first realize you wanted to make music?
My dad was in the music industry, and I always wanted to do the same thing, no matter what. Initially, I wanted to be singer… I remember as a kid, I was glued to my Walkman. I would play music while walking, talking, biking, eating, and sometimes sleeping. Not much has changed now, other than I use my phone.
Do you have a dream collaboration? Dream tour locations?
I do not have a dream collaboration in mind. I consider myself to be a genre-blender, so I would love to feature an artist from a different musical discipline. It has been amazing to watch the reggaetón music scene grow mainstream and metamorpihize with other influences. That would be a project I am open to.
How do you discover new music? Do you have anyone you can’t stop listening to right now?
Spotify is a great tool—but seriously. The custom playlists help you find up-coming artists. Right now, I am listening to a variety of artists, but one I was listening to today is Mr. Probz.
What’s in store for the next year?
I have a lot of projects coming up I’m very excited to share. I have a song with Lexy Panterra out soon and another with Ray Dalton from the song (“Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore). Recently, I released a remix of Rebecca and Fiona’s “Need You” and I have another remix in the works for Conor Matthews’s single “Tuxedo Camouflage.”
Can’t wait to share these projects with everyone!
Thank you for having me guys.
