In 2020 he released ”Love Elastic”, an album which would open his career to the US. Several of its singles charted in the underground, most reached #1. By 2024 he’d launched ”Hot Damn”, a more organic, less electro (yet still terribly disco) EP- showcasing ultra-personal lyrics and a rawer voice: again, 3 singles charted to #1 and got airplay in the US/UK, as well as in Australia. This time around, Van Hechter has come up with ”Boy Problems”, a melancholic bilingual (French/English) disco ballad, suitable for dancefloor heartaches or reflective solitary moments. I personally love the track. It made me shiver. Even if I don’t understand the French bits- Van’s vocals and inflections express universal sentiments with such clarity- one doesn’t need a dictionary, only an open heart to fully grasp their meaning.
Music Authentic: You are launching ”Boy Problems” on October 27th in Manhattan, why did you choose NYC for your US premiere?
Van Hechter: You have the Statue of Liberty! It was a gift from France, after all. Where else in the U.S. would I premiere a song containing French lyrics? It just felt natural. Plus, I suspect New Yorkers like me in part for everything French I represent: complexity, manners, dress sense, sarcasm, refusing to be bothered by a phone while dining, ordering wine when most order cocktails. ”You’re so European” I am often told. And I suppose I am: one can’t escape their origins…
Music Authentic: So you are ”French” French?
Van Hechter: Yes. French father, Georgian mother. Forgive me if I’m cutting at times: look at my genes! Sometimes my directness is misunderstood for condescension or rudeness. Where I’m from, being straightforward means you’ve become family and I actually love you enough to tell it to you ”cash”… If I’m ultra-courteous, in a very formal way: now that implies distance! Fortunately, this inherited ”sharpness” is watered down by the fact that I’m Canadian and live in Québec: cool, cool, relaxed, no frills folks. I was raised ”French” and went to an upper class Lycée but then as a young adult I became curious about Montreal’s culture, I embraced it and allowed it to transform me, slightly. (Chuckles)
Music Authentic: Do you have boy problems?
Van Hechter: Please! I haven’t been a boy in decades! I liked the title, coming from a man. I thought it was interesting. And I was involved in a very vague ”Friendo-Flirto-Dunno what this is” pseudo-courtship with someone who indeed sometimes had the relationship reflexes of a very young boy… This + that: bam, I had my title! The song is very sad but it carries a message of strength: if something isn’t right for you, even if the person is deeply kind, never did anything really wrong: have the courage to walk away! If you feel, in your soul, that you need more: you do! It’s nothing to do with them- it’s just not a match! And the sooner you accept this, the more drama you prevent. That’s hard to do when there’s no real conflict!
Music Authentic: You produced the track with longtime associate Eryck Wyseman. What’s the process when you guys get together and decide to create a song?
Van Hechter: We’ve been working so wonderfully well together for 10 years, now… Sometimes I’m not even aware of a process! It’s natural and easy with him. In this case he sent me a chord progression I immediately loved. I became obsessed with it. First, I wrote lyrics for a duet with one of Montreal’s greatest subculture (and now above ground) artists. We were both going to compare our love mishaps… That fell through. Then I tried recording the song with the actual person I wrote it about, but that felt like artistic masochism. So, in the end I rewrote the darn thing as a solo and here I am!
Music Authentic: And the topic is open relationships, right?
Van Hechter: That’s the premise, yes… But it’s more about how one concept can be either healthy or toxic depending on motivations behind it. ”Open” is great when it’s a sign of absolute trust and deep confidence, however ”open” used as a way to never truly commit is a whole ‘nother story: a form of escapism, not healthy at all!
Music Authentic: Could you translate one of the French parts?
Van Hechter: The hardest one for me to sing: last lines of last verse… ”Too often I feel ugly, coming home from your place late at night, and even though this punctures my heart, I’ve no choice but to say goodbye. Goodbye my love”
Music Authentic: You? Feeling ugly?
Van Hechter: Would you believe?? (Again – chuckles) Everybody feels ugly sometimes! It’s human. But yes, I remember walking home at like 4 am in a snow blizzard, it was -20 C (for you -4 F) and all of a sudden it hit me: ”OMG I never feel attractive around this person”… That’s a hell of a red flag!
Music Authentic: Indeed! I absolutely agree. I said it in the intro, I love the song, but I’ll go further: I love how honest you’re being.
Van Hechter: Well, art is about truth or truth as seen by the artist. As soon as you’re not honest people feel it. So, thank you!
Music Authentic: So, the first to hear ”Boy Problems” will be your guests at Rebel Brasserie Urbaine, in Montreal on October 17th where you’ll host one of your ”Supper-Clubs” called ”Funk-à-Folies” with DJ Ben Radcliffe and pinup diva Aty. The following night, you present the track at L’Orage Club where you headline twice a week, again in Montreal. Then you fly to NYC and launch the song for our greatest delight, alongside Chauncey Dandridge (DJ/activist/author) whom you refer to as your ”Disco Brother”… Did I get everything right?
Van Hechter: You most certainly did and I thank you for this interview. Let me end in French: je t’adore!
Tickets to Montreal premiere (October 17th/7pm): https://lepointdevente.com/billets/7ax251017001
Special follow-up Montreal premiere (October 18th/11pm) Orage Club Espace Libertin: https://www.orage.club/
Manhattan premiere + Disco Brothers reunion (October 27th/9pm): Stonewall Inn