With Legacy of Marble, Noctæra fuses indie folk, medieval echoes, electro, and metal. In this interview, the woman behind the solo project opens up about his inspirations, struggles, and the stories behind the album.
1.
Legacy of Marble took you a full year of intense work. At what point did you
know the album was finally ready to be shared with the world?
I would have loved to receive a divine sign, but it never came. I had decided to focus on ten tracks for the album and worked on them one by one until I was satisfied, sometimes taking breaks with another project to clear my head.
2. Your music blends indie folk, medieval influences, electro, and touches of
metal. How do you balance such contrasting elements without losing coherence?
These ingredients aren't all blended into one track. I think each song has its own identity, and the different influences appear across the album.
3. You often say writing is at the heart of your projects. Do your lyrics
usually guide the music, or does the music sometimes reshape the words?
In fact, writing and playing with words is something I really enjoy. Very recently, I became interested in the poetry of Renée Vivien, whose intensity inspires me and pushes me to be more demanding. So yes, my lyrics are often reshaped after the music, for better flow, or simply to be more precise in what I want to say.
4. Some of your songs carry double meanings and explore unsettling themes
hidden in poetic phrasing. Could you share an example of this from the album?
I deliberately leave space for interpretation. For example, in 'Le Dernier Souper,' some people might see poetry, but some parts are actually factual.
5. As a solitary creator who draws only from personal life and dreams, do you
ever feel vulnerable exposing such intimate parts of yourself through music?
I used to be afraid of revealing myself. Some expose their bodies; I hide behind a sunflower head, but what I reveal is another kind of intimacy. With experience, I've understood that everyone lives in their own bubble and people don't judge as much as we might think. In the end, I realized being ridiculous won't kill me. Art gives me enough distance while still creating connection.
6. You are not only a musician but also a graphic designer and storyteller. How
does your visual background influence the way you craft songs and videos?
The videos always come once the song is finished. Without them, I would have no sense of direction or feeling to guide the imagery. My background as a graphic designer adds extra pressure on the visual quality, which is why it takes me a lot of time. I see myself more as a producer than as an academic musician. I would love to collaborate and create videos for other artists, to explore new sounds, if I ever find more time.
‘Absensoriel' means the absence of the five senses. It's part of another ongoing musical experiment, based on a single text developed into four songs, 'Alt 1' to 'Alt 4,' each with its own melody, style, and sometimes a video. With my background in communication, I wanted to explore how the same words can be perceived differently depending on the music or images. At its core, it's a love song in a hyper-connected but disconnected world, cut off from instinct, where communication is reduced to a single prism: the digital.
8. You integrate AI and digital tools into your creative process. For you,
where is the line between human expression and technological assistance?
Personally, I'm pragmatic and I don't oppose progress. For me, technology is a time-saver and an opportunity to create differently. Being on my own allows me to focus on where I bring the most value, and above all on what I truly enjoy doing. I think the line is that AI cannot replace artistic direction or lived experience. It cannot have the same originality or carry the imperfections of a human. It's all about balance, without relying entirely on AI or technology.
9. The album mixes French and English lyrics. How do you decide which language
a particular song should take shape in?
At first, most of my writing was in English because it felt smoother to the ear and allowed me to put a filter on my words. Now I enjoy writing in French more and more: it allows me to be more subtle and more precise, because it's my native language.
10. As an independent 2.0 artist handling everything from writing to production
and videos, what has been the most rewarding—and the most exhausting—part of
this journey?
The most rewarding part is during remastering, when the track is finally finished. The most exhausting part is the very end, with micro-edits that drag on.
11. Which track on Legacy of Marble feels most personal to you, and why?
What the Flowers See is about a child's bedroom, a place meant to be safe, welcoming and gentle, that at night transforms into terror and insecurity. It's a memory I turned into a song.
12. Finally, what do you hope listeners will carry with them after experiencing
Legacy of Marble?
I'd like listeners to carry with them a melody that lingers in their mind, or a feeling of comfort. At the same time, I'm aware my lyrics are probably not the most cheerful in the world. Who knows, maybe one day.
NOCTÆRA – A whisper carved in undertones…
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