Two hours before they kicked off the Fête de la Musique fetivities at SM Aura SkyPark, French act My Name is Nobody shared a few moments with Philippine Tatler to talk about their music and their tour experiences.
Fresh from their weeklong trip to Myanmar, the duo is decked in Philippine weather-friendly clothes as they await their time to perform on stage at the SM Aura SkyPark. Lounging on separate sofas, both Vincent Dupas and François Gautreau look relaxed and ready for the night ahead despite the gloomy skies that signal the impending rain.
Dupas has been performing as My Name is Nobody since 2002, back when he was juggling his education and budding folk-rock musical career. The idea for the name came from the Jim Jarmusch Western film Dead Man. Since then, he has been collaborating with other like-minded artists from all over the world for gigs, singles, and other projects. For the tour in Southeast Asia, he’s accompanied by friend and drummer Gautreau. “I’d say it’s about musical friendship. You spend time with other bands for a certain amount of time, and by the end of a tour you just want to make something different with them,” says Dupas on his process for choosing collaborators.
But, as an artist on his own, Dupas’ musical uniqueness has always shone through in his songs and performances, as Gautreau remarks: “The songs are not in FM format, they run for five to six minutes, instead of three. They can have long introductions or outros. But at the same time, it won’t hurt to give it a listen.”
“I try to translate the things that are happening in my life into words, and make it understandable for everybody while making it open to interpretation as well. I write the lyrics first then the music, and then I work with the musicians,” says Dupas on his songwriting process. True enough, their performance later that evening featured songs with topics ranging from where one’s life is headed, dementia, and even the television cult classic Twin Peaks.
Dupas’ travels for his musical ventures have also provided inspirations for his creative process, but America holds a special place in his heart. “I have a strong connection with the U.S., especially Chicago, since I’ve been working with people there for a long time now,” Dupas says. This project was the recording of his latest album, Safe Travel. Dupas’ affinity for America also extends to his musical influences, which include Bob Dylan.
After their Fête de la Musique performance on the 20th of June, the pair is headed to Vietnam and Thailand for the final round of their Southeast Asian tour. After which, Dupas heads home to France for more European shows.