Often found behind the scenes in producing and remixing for some of our favourite singer-songwriters, including PinkPantheress and Moses Sumney, French Kiwi Juice (FKJ) is here to prove just how deserving he is as an artist in his own right. As a multi-instrumentalist, it’s only natural that his music blends a soulful, unbounded assortment of genres. From jazz and soul to folk and rock; FKJ provides an entirely immersive experience.

Following the launch of his new fourteen-track album Vincent (conceptualised during periods of creative solitude in Los Angeles and at the artist’s home studio in the Philippines), FKJ is expanding musical boundaries. Encompassing elements of techno-pop with jazz sax and piano, topped with soulful vocals and a hint of 90s hip-hop. This is an album revelling in its own uninhibited state. Here we sit down with the man behind the magic.

Who is French Kiwi Juice?

“I think I would describe myself as a composer first, then as a musician, then as a producer, then as a songwriter last.”

Describe your sound in a sentence.

“I would say it’s optimistic, positive and expanding grooves.”

If you weren’t an artist, what would you be doing instead?

“I’d probably be a director. I would really love to direct.”

What are the best and worst things about living surrounded by nature?

“It’s inspiring because it’s very magical, and I’m influenced by my environment. If I’m here in the jungle, my music is going to become contemplative, and less with the dance floors. I don’t know if I could say whether it’s good or bad, it’s just a different context that influences the music. It really depends on your tastes.”

Introduce us to your new album Vincent using ten words.

“Contemplative. Calm. Slow. Just beautiful. Harmonious. Melancholic. No high frequencies.”

What is the strongest memory you recall from the making of this album?

“It was in March 2020. I rented a beautiful house in California in the hills. I just went into the house for two weeks and locked myself in. It was just so good to be able to zone out without anyone around stopping you in the process. It was special to just be able to have that kind of luxury, to be able to really go deep and reflect.”

What is the best part of being on tour?

“That’s still to come. But I definitely have some favourite tracks to play. I’m also super stoked to get out of that internet world and see people.”

If you had a guide of survival while on tour, what would it say?

“Don’t drink alcohol. Try to exercise when you can. Drink a lot of water.”

What should we expect when attending your one-man show?

“There are a lot of new things that I’ve never done before that are going to be in this show in terms of visuals and of how it looks, but also in terms of what’s happening on stage.”

Any exciting teasers you can let us in on?

“I don’t really like to talk about what’s not done yet. It breaks the magic. I’m going to Europe this summer and I’m going to tour the US, Mexico and Canada in October. But I cannot really say anything more than that because I want to keep my little secrets until I show them to the world.”

@frenchkiwijuice