“Nozam” a promising musical band:

(article produced when studying journalism at Edinburgh Napier University)

Interview with Damien Héron who is at the origin of this project and founding member of the band.

“Nozam” is the story of two music lovers. This duet composed of Damien Héron and Nicolas Leduc is about to come out their very first album after the creation of their band in November 2019. It was with the greatest pleasure that I interviewed Damien on December 8th about their musical project.

Music has always been a passion for Damien and he has played in other bands before. He has had several opportunities to become a professional musician, but he always decided to separate his passion from his job.

Determined to create his own, non-professional band, Damien looked for a music partner and met Nicolas. Nicolas has played the guitar all his life but before creating “Nozam”, he never thought about doing it more seriously.

This meeting was a “musical love at first sight” Damien said. "From the first pieces I showed him, we were immediately, instinctively on the same page. In half an hour, we clearly decided to play together.”

In the duet Nicolas exclusively creates the music part. It is Damien who systematically writes the lyrics, sings but sometimes also composes the musical arrangements. It is their choice that Damien is the only one to write and sing because for the audience it is easier to recognise them and have a landmark.

In Damien’s words it is during the rehearsals that we can see the complementarity and complicity the duet shares: together they are particularly inspired and productive. This is the strength of “Nozam”. “After we met, we immediately wanted to materialise what we were doing.” Since the beginning of the band, they wrote about 18 songs and every week new songs are recorded Damien added. “We are very creative, there is not a rehearsal where we don’t come up with a new idea”.

“Nozam” which means “our souls” in French, perform and create their songs only with the voice and the guitar. “We really want to have an only acoustic spirit with the guitar and vocals and try not to stray from it.”

Damien qualifies his music as humanist and concrete. “Nozam” is a musical project that highlights the lyrics. “Our inspirations are varied, what is important for us is to speak the truth. The lyrics are really meant to talk the audience. We have a few pieces where we tell a story, the story of someone, or a memory.” “The theme of “Nozam” is the human being, their stories, their fears, their life. For example, the song untitled “Son Parfum” (“Her perfume” in French) is about my grandmother and the memories that I have of her. It is about things that have been experienced”.

Unfortunately, the pandemic situation has slowed down the progress of Damien’s and Nicolas’s projects. That is why the release of the album is not known at the moment. However, the two musicians are not in a hurry : “We have a double project, one that is a short term project which is to give our first concert. The later was cancelled twice because of lockdown. It would be the first opportunity to see how the audience reacts to what we are doing.”

“We have ambition but we also have our feet on the ground, we move forward with lucidity.”

Damien finished by adding that the release of their album will be mostly promoted on the internet and other media. It is a good and modern way to do it. This brand new duet is promising.

This interview was originally conducted in French.

If you want to support them, have a look at their website and social media! https://www.nozam.fr/

https://www.instagram.com/nozamofficiel/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/nozamofficiel