Bisou Noir are an alternative rock band that have recently released two new singles, ‘The Boys’ and ‘Devil Child’. They’ve been played on BBC introducing rock and they host ‘Noir Nights’ in Camden, more on that later. But I wanted to know more, more about the band, more about their music!
So, how did Bisou Noir come to be?
How did you get involved in music both as a band and individually?
Initially meeting as extras on the set of Mamma Mia 2, Milo and Toby were joined by Jake and Mikey from Toby’s previous band after they “had enough songs ready”.
Speaking individually, Toby explains how he’s “been playing for as long as” he “can remember”. “From learning instruments as a child then starting bands in my teens to my solo project all leading to Bisou Noir, it’s all-natural progression.”
How long have you been together as a band?
Bisou Noir have been together for roughly four years; “Our first show was in December 2018”. Within their first official year as a band, covid hit, the timing was unfortunate at best, but even now Bisou Noir have pushed through and continue to share with us their music.
Does your music on the whole have a specific message?
“The short answer is no. I like to say different things in different songs. I think everything is just a comment on different aspects of life.”
Has your creative process changed over time?
Bisou Noir have always managed to click, they work well together and as such this is reflected in their music. So, their creative process has “always been the same to be honest”. That being said, with time and practice, like any art, they’ve improved!
But now, the bit you’ve all been waiting for: the music!
What inspired the song ‘The Boys’?
Bisou Noir’s latest single is named ‘The Boys’ like “the Amazon show the boys”. Alongside this show, the song is inspired by friendship, the sort that doesn’t change no matter what happens, “I’ve got a really tight knit group of friends that I’ve had for years, and my favourite thing is how we never change so I wanted to put it in a song.” The track keeps a strong beat whilst incorporating a series of instrumental layers, it’s brilliant example of the band’s skill.
What inspired the song ‘Black Kiss’?
Black kiss is one of Bisou Noir’s most popular songs, and as such has been played on BBC introducing rock. It’s a stunning soft rock song that begins with guitar before slowly making its way into the rest of the song. Written “in the depths of lockdown”, ‘Black Kiss’ is a heartfelt and melodic song. Written when “feeling incredibly low” it’s explained that “that’s when the best music comes out, it’s simply about love and relationships.” A topic that holds true both in lyrics and overall sound during this track.
What inspired the song “Dust”?
Hitting strong on the emotional level again, “Dust is a pretty personal song”. Toby explains that “It’s hard to predict where you’ll end up and also what to make of where you’ve been. So, I guess it’s just talking about that.” ‘Dust’ is a soft song with
Where did you get your inspiration for “2020”?
2020 was the first song besides ‘Black Kiss’ that really got me into Bisou Noir, the band describe it as “a song about government corruption during covid, BLM, celebrity culture and all the bullshit that is happening right now. 2020 especially was mental with the pandemic so it’s literally just commenting on how fucked so many things are and hopefully drawing light on it and provoking some sort of reaction in people. I feel very disillusioned with so many things that this song talks about.” It’s a huge message to encompass in a single song, and an incredibly important one, but Bisou Noir manage it!
Where did you get your inspiration for the song “Fooled by you”?
With “abstract” themes, ‘Fooled by You’ is open to the listeners interpretation. “Fooled by you was one of the first songs we wrote and a fan favourite at shows”. ‘This track is more pop than some of their other work, a hybrid of rock and classic pop. With lyrics that make it to the heart and instrumentals that stand out, it’s a worthwhile listen.
What’s the process behind your music videos?
“The process is we let Milo run with his creativity and it usually ends up great.” The band credit the creation of much of their content to “Say Goodnight films Paul Ocho, who has helped” them “countless times.”
Devil Child is the bands latest single, having been released on the 2nd of June. It’s got a harder rock sound without loosing the general Bisou Noir vibe. A genuinely fun listen.
Do you have any new projects in the works?
And we’re in luck! “I would say me and Milo have been working on the best music we’ve ever written so we are getting ready to go record some new music for next year. We also have 4 singles already scheduled for release.” Says Toby.
Something I’ve noticed after following the bands Instagram and seeing their news and videos is something named, ‘Noir Nights’. Of course, I was intrigued, I wanted to know more, what really is a ‘Noir Night’? So, I asked, could you tell me a bit about Noir Nights and how they came to be?
“Basically, we wanted to start putting on our own shows because we were selling out venues in London and not really seeing fair money from them. Once all sorts would take their cut it really wasn’t fair when it was us bringing the crowd. So, we started running our own night and getting bands we love to play also. This is a great way to pump money into the band also. It’s a lot more hard work but definitely worth it for the outcome.”
Do you have a favourite song to perform?
“My personal favourite song to play is misery, it’s a great song to end on where we can really give it our all in the finale.”
And do you have any upcoming gigs or shows?
We are headlining the old blue last 23rd June!
So, find Bisou Noir on Spotify, Instagram, YouTube, or better yet… go see them live!