Revelation of The Voice and ex-member of the group Bristol, Jim Bauer releases his first studio album, “BB98”, with the French Parade label created by Nicolas Santi-Weil (AMI Paris) and Marc Collin. On this occasion, the artist spoke to us about the genesis of this project and his inspirations.

During the 2022 edition of We Are French Touch, Nicolas Santi-Weil was on stage alongside Marc Collin (General Manager of the French Parade and Kwaidan labels, and the production company The perfect kiss films). The CEO of the AMI Paris brand then shared the birth of their label, French Parade, thanks to the movement of cultural and creative industries. Several artists have since joined the adventure, including Jim Bauer. The Voice 2021 revelation released her first album, “BB98”, at the beginning of February. Encounter.

French Touch: How was this first album, “BB98” born?
Jim Bauer: It was born at the same time as the idea of ​​moving away from Paris emerged. I traveled with the aim of composing, to create a very personal album where I indulged more than usual, while giving a lot of importance to the lyrics. It's an introspection, far from the waves of trends, far from external judgment, based on what I like.

FT: What inspired you?
JB: Solitude inspired me a lot. I rediscovered that through this feeling, tranquility, the absence of stakes, of external influence returned, and that I was still the same as when I was 17. I listen to the same music, play the same video games, watch the same films… it reconnected me to a part of me that I had put aside for a long time. And it feels good ! Musically, it allowed me to recompose with the guitar, alone, without connection to a computer, just my instrument and my dictaphone... it was only later that I reconstituted all of that into more structured songs.

FT: A real return to the instrument then, to musicality?
JB: A return to a vibe teenager in his room. A less professional side, without connections, without studio, just a guitar to compose during the trip. I found great purity and great wealth there! Then, the French Parade label had the idea of ​​locking me in with all the musicians to create together, live a human adventure and bring the album to life, as certain rock groups of the 70s did.

FT: Withdrawal into oneself, to better open up to the world?
JB: The French Parade label has a vision of openness to the world. We have a market, the French cultural exception. It is important to highlight this part of France which is opening up internationally. From an artistic point of view, it is Stromae or Christine and the Queens which are received on the major American talk shows, it is French films nominated for the Oscars, it is French actors who play in Dune…

FT: How is this French cultural exception expressed?
JB: We have a touch of our own, in our way of approaching art and culture in France. We're a bit punk, we let go quite easily. We have a rebellious side which makes us original, allows us to produce offbeat works without complexes, like the songs of Philippe Katerine or the films of Quentin Dupieux... Our strengths, our particularities, we must exploit them in an open way towards the world. This is also the French cultural exception, not asking “how much” but “why”.
It is also, and I believe that this is the case for artists as well as for entrepreneurs, investing one's time in passion. Not necessarily in the planned plans, not in what seems logical or in the “good” ideas, because they may also not go as planned. The French Touch and French cultural exception means investing in the ability to transmit what makes us vibrate, in something that keeps the flame alive, in what we have faith in.