Knowing FDVM, in Pakistan

INSTEPINTERVIEW

Having played in Pakistan before heading to India for their Southasia tour, FDVM speaks to Instep about their music, how they ended up in Pakistan and taking home a different perception of the country and its people.

FDVM, that stands for the initials of Florent Denecker & Victorien Mulliez, have managed to play three distinct shows in Pakistan, beginning with a Salt Arts show in Karachi, followed by one at Solis festival in Islamabad and finally at Lahooti Melo 2019 in Jamshoro, Sindh.

Both Florent and Victorien are pressed for time when we meet. The conversation automatically begins with Victorien, who has spent more time in Pakistan while Florent, arriving later to Pakistan, seems to be fighting a cold. I ask Victorien how they ended up in Pakistan, which let’s face it, doesn’t exactly have a desirable reputation for foreign artistes.

With a smile on his face, says Victorien, “I came for the first time in November for a private show. I came from New York – where I live – and decided to stay for 13 days. My host was Saif Samejo for two nights in Jamshoro. Saif is the person who is behind Lahooti Melo.”

As Victorien recounts, during those 48 hours, Saif took him to a very remote village. “If I understand it correctly, I was the first foreigner to visit that village. They did a concert for us and those were some of the most beautiful, human moments ever.”

“I also visited the Bhit Shah, the shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and following that, I visited the whole city of Lahore.”

Afterwards, invited by Saif Samejo to play at Lahooti Melo 2019, FDVM also got a Salt Arts Karachi gig in the heart of the Pakistani metropolis, and finally Solis in Islamabad.

“Florent, who lives in France, just arrived on Friday to join me for the two festivals (Lahooti, Solis) and now we’re off to India for the next leg of the Southasia tour.”

In addition to the Salt Arts show, they also played three private shows in Karachi.

“Lahooti is more of a festival and we’re willing to support Saif in any way we can; Salt Arts is more of a showcase, more intimate.”

“We play together as FDVM and play solo as well,” adds Florent.

Describing the Solis experience, FDVM collectively noted that the energy in the Capital was very high and people were very receptive.

“We were excited to play in front of thousands of people,” added Florent further, as Victorien says, “We want to bring smiles on people’s faces and create moments of joy.”

Was there any trepidation on their part when they were coming to Pakistan? In the digital age, fake news, mainstream media painting a one-dimensional picture; were they hesitant?

“People around were like ‘are you sure you want to go’ and things like that,” Victorien said. “But we didn’t worry. We believe in the good heart of humans, everywhere is a beautiful place to go and I think it’s more powerful for us to be in Pakistan, people want this kind of music.”

As for how they got together, FDVM met nearly 11 years ago at a best friend’s party and got along really well. “We started as DJs and started making our own music and released it online. When we got millions of hits, we decided to keep going,” rewinds Florent.

Now they travel and play and try to spend as much time as they can in the spaces they are playing.

“I know 13 days is not enough to describe Pakistan but you feel the energy of the place. And ultimately Florent will do the same,” says Victorien.

“The more we learn about others, the more we can share our gift,” notes Florent.

We laugh a little as we start to talk about their music. Electronic is a big word to throw out there, I say.

“We do deep house,” says Florent, “that’s the genre. Within it, we’re blending some new disco. Somebody here called it ‘firehouse’. It is music that carries a positive vibe, a good vibe to it and that’s quite powerful at some point. Our music is not divisive. It can be tribal, can include singing and we want to bring something new to it.”

During their trip to Pakistan, Victorien in particular, who spent more time here than Florent, notes that he met the locals and adding ‘Disco Deewanay’ to their set by the pioneering Nazia Hasan was courtesy of research because they do research places where they plan to play music.

“It was a way to say ‘hey Pakistan, we hear you and it was a way of acknowledgment’.”

Heading to India next as part of their Southasia tour, FDVM are excited to come back to Pakistan, “as musicians and artists”.

As the interview is coming to a close, they FDVM note with that infectious smile they both share, “It is our role to show the world and if we as artists don’t come to places like Pakistan, who is going to change that perception? We will probably be back in Pakistan in November (if things work out) later this year.”