QUICKIE OF THE WEEK

QUICKIE OF THE WEEK: A short interview with Ophelia Lecomte (Saigon Blue Rain)

written by Marko Jakob [originally made for #coronachronicles Gothic Empire magazine]

Pix666: Hello Ophelia. The most important question right at the beginning. Are you well and are you healthy?

Ophelia: Luckily, we’re perfectly fine, thank you for asking. Actually, I’ve to say that the most difficult has been to keep a good mental during those difficult times.

Pix666: Recently you have released two songs from your upcoming EP “Songs For The Boys”. Have you already presented the new songs to the audience live at a streaming concert?

Ophelia: Yes, we were thinking about creating new stuff during last winter without pressure nor deadline due to others professional or family responsabilities , simply following our inspiration but as many people, when we’ve been surprised by the current health crisis, we’ve decided to take advantages of this enforced break, that’s how Songs For The Boys was born, telling my own stories or witnesses I had collected from women injured physically or mentally by men. Look past the Metoo movement, this is a subject I really care about because we (women) have been all involved in varying degrees by masculine violence. I wanted to give the floor to my sisters who’ve been too shameful to yell and permit myself not feeling shameful to be who I am anymore .

What we are all currently going through is a nightmare but I’m happy about the energy we’ve been able to draw upon it whereas it could have been easy to sink sometimes. We’ve been given the occasion to play our first track released “Still You” for the 2nd edition of the excellent Gothicat streaming festival and I’ve to say that even if playing at home is not the most exciting live experience, I had a lot of fun to make it with my mates from SBR.

Pix666: How was the feeling to play a streaming concert/song and how big is the longing for a real concert with audience?

Ophelia: We’ve been thrilled to offer this livestream to people but there’s no place like stage! We’re looking forward to hit the road again and meeting our beautiful audience, we miss them all so much!

Pix666: Is there already a release date for the EP or has it already been released? Will there be only a digital version of “Songs For The Boys”, or will the EP also be available as CD or LP?

Ophelia: We’ve decided to release one song after the other as we’ve proceeded for our first EP release Stupid Bitch Reject 7 years back. The first tracks are already available in digital version on our bandcamp page : https://saigonbluerain.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-the-boys
A physical version will maybe launched for our future shows.

Pix666: When will your next concert(s) with an audience take place, and do you think that these dates can be kept?

Ophelia: Actually, we’re currently planning a tour for spring 2021. We truly hope that the situation will get sorted out, knock on wood!

Pix666: You are from France – your country is one of the most affected by the Corona crisis – what is the general mood in the country?

Ophelia: Indeed and I’ve to say that it’s not very surprising, firstly because of the french political choices that have been made so far regarding hospital setting; medical staff has been fighting for years to counter budgetary cuts, warning that they couldn’t face a sanitary disaster but the only response they found has been violent repression.

Once the crisis settled down, government blew hot and cold while people was in danger and due to health care system impoverishment, they condemned people, especially elderly ones, they choose to infantilize us to make us believe that our behaviour could be directly responsible of this mess but the government will be held accountable for its behaviour. I think anger and treason are the emotions that prevail in our hearts at this time.

Pix666: How are your friends and families? How do you stay in touch with them, what kind of technics do you use?

Ophelia: Fortunately, our close relations are fine and we have technologies to keep the contact easier. I couldn’t imagine the same situation before internet.

Pix666: Do you believe that this crisis will change the behaviour of humanity in the future?

Ophelia: When I see people waiting hours for ordering a meal at MacDonald’s or throwing masks and gloves everywhere, I feel totally desperate about some human behaviours but fortunately, this crisis has also enhanced the awakening of consciousness, I feel happy to be surrounded by beautiful people who doesn’t think individually and work for the future.

Pix666: Which things do you miss the most at the moment and do you have perhaps discovered new hobbies?

Ophelia: Freedom of movement is what I miss the most. I’ve never been a homebody girl but let’s see the glass half full, we’ve been able to spend more time making music!

Pix666: Do you have any other news about SAIGON BLUE RAIN that you would like to share with the fans?

Ophelia: Not at the moment but things can change fastly 😉

Pix666: Thank you very much for the interesting insights into your present life – Stay healthy!

Ophelia: Thank you for your interest in our project and for your support! Take care <3

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