Home to a dynamic ecosystem of music from the four corners of the globe, French productions often strongly represented at Womex, one of the most international and diverse music events in the world. Every year, artists are selected to present their work to an audience of music professionals, expanding their networks and developing international opportunities. As a partner of the 2023 Womex edition, #AuxSons reaches out to some of these artists who have played on the Womex stage!
The band Pixvae was selected at Womex 2017! Before diving into their commented playlist, #AuxSons takes a look back at their journey since then.
- What’s your best anecdote from Womex 2017?
« It’s a very hazy memory, because all in all we had to spend less than twelve hours in Katowice for Womex 2017. We arrived at night and left the next morning when it was still dark. So it’s more a memory of transport, rain and darkness. (laughs) But I do remember that we were in the airport hall on our way out and there was our current tour manager, Tib Gléréan from La Curieuse, asleep in the same hall. And we ended up working together in 2022, five years later. Just goes to show!
I also remember an incredible live performance by a Venezuelan group, Betsayda Machado y Parranda El Clavo, who were playing just after us, and I haven’t seen them since. That’s also what Womex is all about. » Romain Dugelay, Pixvae
- What was it like for you to play a showcase at Womex 2017?
« It gave us a good indication of the interest that our project could arouse in the sector. When you’re at the beginning of a project (we started at the end of 2005), it gives you a great dynamic and a form of confidence. » Romain Dugelay, Pixvae
- What advice would you give to an artist performing there for the first time?
« To arrive with a set well prepared, because the conditions are quite different from a classic concert, both in terms of set-up time and the relationship with the audience. But try not to put too much pressure on yourselves! And you have to bear in mind that the rewards, if there are any, may not come immediately, but probably later, when you’re not really expecting them. You have to be patient. » Romain Dugelay, Pixvae
- Has this given you opportunities to develop your career?
« The one that immediately springs to mind is the meeting with Tib Gléréan from La Curieuse, our current tour manager, who loved the concert in 2017 (that’s what he told me recently). And five years later, we’re working together in a super-smooth way. Time is good for us. » Romain Dugelay, Pixvae
- What have been the highlights of your journey since 2017?
« In a nutshell, I’d like to mention our first trip as a group to Colombia in 2017, the recordings of the group’s 3 albums, which were superb artistic and human moments, live moments engraved in our memories, like the group’s first concerts in 2015 (Toulouse at Mix’art Myris or in Lyon at Périscope), tours and encounters in France, Colombia and Europe, but also more difficult moments like the departure at the end of 2017 of Jaime Salazar, co-founder of the group, or the Covid period, which are moments when the group could very well have come to a halt. The life of a group is an uncertain journey, full of pitfalls. » Romain Dugelay, Pixvae
- What does the future hold for you?
« We released our third album in March 2023, and we’ve been touring ever since. We’ll be touring France and Switzerland in January 2024, then France and Europe in July and autumn of the same year. » Romain Dugelay, Pixvae
