Professional composers and musicians have a special talent for acting as musical chameleons. They can do it all, and they change their style to fit with the project they’re working on right now. 

But through all those changes, it can be difficult to find the time to follow their own musical ambitions. 

Artist projects can be a great way for music industry professionals to stretch their legs, so to speak. 

Composer, producer, and arranger Gervais Maillard has created music for films, arranged music for K-Pop artists, worked with renowned artists including Patrick Bruel, and written and performed with his band People the Kangaroo, but he wasn’t ready to stop there. 

His more recent artist project, Luuvis, borrows elements from several genres that he’s worked in before, including R&B, soul, and electronic music. 

Luuvis is all about collaboration, finding something new at the intersection of different genres and different contributing artists. 

Maillard spoke with Jam Addict to explain how Luuvis came to be and where the project is headed in the near future. 

Jam Addict (JA): How did the idea for Luuvis first come to light?

Gervais Maillard (GM): Luuvis came together because I wanted an outlet for musical ideas that didn’t fit my existing project People the Kangaroo or the music of my clients.

I have been inspired by so many great artists in recent years and wanted to distill the sounds bouncing in my head into a fully-fledged artist project.

Experimenting with different genres is a really exciting part of this new project, which is why I decided to launch it. Collaborating with other artists is also a cornerstone of this project.

JA: To what extent does Luuvis pay homage to different eras of R&B?

GM: Luuvis to me is more of a fusion project than an homage to R&B, combining my personal tastes in jazz, modern R&B, and electronic influences into an original sound.

JA: About how long did it take to put together the debut single “Up and Away”?

GM: It took about two months! There were a few song ideas to choose from.

After completing a track demo in a couple of weeks, I enlisted the help of the amazing singer-songwriter Mayila to put down vocals on the track.

Martin Nessi and I worked on mixing it for about a week, and Camilo Silva was extremely fast at delivering an outstanding master.

JA: Are there any major plans for a full-length album release from Luuvis?

GM: Yes, a larger release is in the works! 
It is still in the experimental stages, but I definitely have in mind to release a larger body of work in the next year or so.

JA: You have experience working in several different genres. Does Luuvis incorporate elements of other genres as well?

GM: Most definitely! The music reflects all of my musical background, from classical piano at an early age and later jazz composition and film scoring work, through more recent work like recording and arranging for K-pop acts.

For instance, my latest single ‘High’, which also features vocals by Mayila, has a strong trap beat.  

Maillard (r) with Patrick Bruel

JA: Do you think modern audiences are generally receptive to independent artists?

GM: Absolutely! There are more curious and engaged music lovers today than ever before.

I think the most daunting challenge of being independent is successfully integrating your art in the music discovery process of your audience and find early adopters.

However, listeners around the world are definitely eager to discover and support indie acts, and new artists must cherish this ongoing opportunity to connect with them.