Words by Art Jefferson
Photography by Lior Susana and Gaia Bonanomi
As a creative Petite Meller’s arms extend to the mediums of singing, songwriting, composing and modelling, not to mention the intellectual world of philosphy, all playing an important part of her complete package of artistry. Born Syvan Meller in Paris with time spent in Tel Aviv as a teenager, the French beauty brings a visual and musical timelessness that is nostalgic in one sense and incredibly refreshing in another, especially during this current era of quick fix entertainment. Known for her signature cheek blush, a representation of past trauma in which her face and body were brutally sunburned, Meller has gone on to become one of the most unique pop stars of today.
Dropping her song ‘La Petite Mort’ back in 2012, Petite Meller stormed 2013 with her single ‘Backpack’, a sunny and bouncy pop record packed with addicting melodies. The video to the track, utterly stunning in all its glory, looked like a high-end fashion film combined with a dash of cheekiness. Meller continued to release a number of phenomenal singles including 2014’s ‘Icebear’ as well as 2015’s chart-topping hit ‘Baby Love’ and ‘Barbaric’. In 2016 she unveiled her debut album Lil Empire via Island Records, a musical wonderland of styles that pushed the boundaries of pop. She unleashed her brilliant track ‘Aeroplane’ in 2019, with yet again accompanying visuals that were top tier, magnifying Petite Meller’s enourmous personality and creativity.
As a model, Petite Meller has worked with some of the fashion industry’s biggest photographers including Ellen Von Unwerth, Mario Testino, Jean-Baptiste Mondino, Julia Fullerton-Batten, Douglas Kirkland, Emmie America and more. Bringing her towering energy in front of the camera, she has graced publications including Vogue, W, Interview, Wonderland and Paper, just to name a few.
Back with a new single titled ‘Dying Out Of Love’, Petite Meller has yet again raised the stakes with an emotive piece composed and produced by Sweden’s HYENA (Andreas Söderlund). Recorded with 40-piece orchestra in Stockholm, the song is a gorgeous piece of work, moving and poetic, also giving fans a taste of her new sound in which she dubs Ork Pop.
Currently in the studio working on her new album, it’s safe to assume that her forthcoming LP and everything surrounding it it will be nothing but pure art at its finest.
You’ve mentioned previously that jazz music played a big part of your life growing up. Which records were seminal in your household and what do you think it was about the sounds of jazz in particular that drew you in early on?
Petite Meller – I always loved the sound of saxophone, I could listen the whole night just to the sax, I love the fast beat, the high notes. In my first album Lil Empire I was writing the sax parts by humming melodies to my phone then later recorded by Richie Garrison.
Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington were records that were played along in the house. My sister used to go to jazz festivals and I was sneaking to her room listening to Chet Baker, Billie Holiday and was falling asleep between a pile of records.
Around what age did your love of philosophy begin?
Petite Meller – In high school I was always analyzing things, asking existential questions, my parents took me to many funerals and I had a lot of questions about the meaning of life in my early stage. I was fascinated by Stephen Hawking. I was always singing to myself and music somehow made a perfect sense to me in its effect to heal and overcome. It was only university when I thought of what to study. It was very natural for me to follow the philosophy path.
I was fascinated by Greek philosophy, logic and esthétique from Aristotle to Kant. I felt like I discovered a secret new language that can explain the unexplainable. And then lyrics started to come out on papers during lectures, and songs came to life.
You’ve recorded a new single titled ‘Dying Out Of Love’. It is truly a beautiful track. Is it true that HYENA originally wrote the music for his wife?
Petite Meller – In ‘Dying Out of Love’ Swedish producer Andreas Söderlund aka HYENA, who comes from classical music background, played me this song he wrote as a present for his wife for their wedding which he recorded with the Royal Stockholm Orchestra. I was very moved, and lyrics came out quickly. I wanted to combine electronic beats with it and slowly my new Ork Pop sound developed.
As an artist, does recording songs like ‘Dying Out Of Love’ help as a form of therapy when trying to heal from personal heartaches. Also how difficult is it to open up those windows of delicate moments to the world?
Petite Meller – I write songs to cheer myself up and through this will hopefully help others. With this one came the tears of relief. If a song makes you cry it will have an effect on others. The water scene in the video is like a rebirth of myself, a new beginning, this resting youth era that we live in. In these Covid times the heart quarantines and I feel like we are all ready for a new 2021.
Can you describe the sound of Ork Pop and the origins of you creating this particular style?
Petite Meller – I was always fascinated by the classical music conductor’s work as a kid, I was imitating their moves, it seemed to me like the ideal profession. In LA where I live now, I started to go and see classical concerts. Vivaldi, Bach and Mahler reminded me of the soundtracks of classical movies that I love. Then when I covered Neil Young’s song ‘A Man Needs a Maid’, I was hooked by the orchestra in it. It felt like the whole sound of my music should go epic like a space opera, like a movie.
2020 has been quite the roller coaster ride of a year. What has been your process of channelling those emotions and feelings pertaining to the current situations into your art?
Petite Meller – In the beginning I wasn’t productive at all and it was funny for me to hear that artists are happy to be productive, and also that my friends were writing 3 songs a day. Then after a breakup, new songs started to appear. My music producer sent me demos online and I recorded myself on my phone, That’s how ‘High Forever’, another song of mine came about. I wrote just a few but I guess the amount doesn’t count.
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