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AN INTERVIEW WITH Matthieu Eymard, COMPOSER


As musician, Please introduce yourself.

Thank you for this opportunity to be featured on your platform. I am a composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, a multi-angled artist who loves to be challenged in new areas.; being out of my comfort zone is where I actually feel most comfortable.


Why you became a composer?

My interest in music started at a young age, 5 yr, and I recall as a kid, always saying « I have more notes than words to express what I have to say »!

This is still true today. Music is my language, this is where I find myself.

So I guess being a composer is the best way I found to express myself and speak my mind without any kind of filter.


What are the films, music or people that had impacts on you and deeply inspired you to become a composer?

I hope you have time haha ! The list is quite long, and can’t be exhaustive… I explored a lot of musical universes and all of them still inspire me today !

From the Russian romanticism of Sibelius, Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky, the raw and uncompromising grunge / rock of Nirvana and Janis Joplin, to name only two, but also the African blues of Ali Farka Touré, the voice and musical universe of Salif Keita, the traditional Bulgarian songs, 

the unreal spellbinding voice of Oum Kalthoum, the sacred music of Brazilian condomble and cuban Santeria, 

not to forget the French pop of Francis Cabrel and Jean Jacques Goldman….

There’s actually hundreds more ! continuing with Quincy Jones and Herbie Hancock, but I could name Tower of Power and 2pac as well !

What can I say ? I’m a bulimic ! What I don’t know yet is what attracts me !


Give some more information about yourself and the films that you have made music for, so far?

Actually, this is the first « film project » I’m involved with, a series of animation shorts, under the project name ‘ALAN’.

I’ve composed music for dance companies, pop artists and musicals, all French, so no-one would have ever heard of any of them, sadly.

Jokes aside, this is a very first, and I’m super excited and proud of the entire ALAN Team to have created the basis of what Susan Lim is eagerly willing to share and spread worldwide, a future of companionship between human and inanimate.

You have made music for animation film. As a composer, why you decided to make music for this animation film?

There’s nothing I couldn’t do for Susan Lim, but please don’t say that to her ! Haha !

The truth is that no-one knew the songs would end up in a film’s soundtrack at first, especially in this orchestral way !

So I can’t say that I « decided » to make music for this animation film, I’m « just » deeply involved as a musician, 

lead singer and composer in the ALAN project, and the concept of combining music and film just came about instinctively. Besides, this soundtrack is 

a team effort that I contributed to, along with composers Joi Barua Ron Danziger, and the amazing orchestrator Manu Martin.


Did you had any challenges you faced in making this music?

Everything related to the ALAN project has always been a challenge, every step of the way! This is why I’m so bounded to it !

Susan Lim is an innovator and always prefers to do things her own way, without much regard for the traditional way things are usually done. 

I do think this is the very reason she’s pioneering in everything she does!

Trying to give form to her ideas is international sport’s league, a challenge but a most wonderful and uplifting one !


With making this, have you had any new lessen or new experience?

Like I said, everything is new for me, and I am learning on the job ! The immersion into the disruptive science and technologies which Susan Lim has brought to the project is a whole new experience, and an eye opener at that ! Working on the ALAN project is uplifting for everyone at every scale!


What was the feedback from the audience that they had a chance to watch the film?

So far So good ! I have my own superstitious way of reacting to it, so I won’t say much now, I’ll wait a year or two to answer that if you don’t mind…!

The music supports the story in a very effective way. What was it like to work with director of the film? 

Did he make the music before editing or after final cut?

Actually, the music was done first, the film came after ! Tarantino does work this way too, but on existing songs ! 

This is a whole and entirely « starting from scratch » creative process for Susan and the team !

Long story short, we made songs, then a piano and orchestra piece based on all the songs’ themes, then started to produce a musical, 

and then Samudra Kajal Saikia stepped in, and made animations out of it! Covid did help forge the actual form of what’s released, 

with the loneliness and social isolation and increased dependence on AI and technology, which underpins Susan Lim’s concept of a 

future companionship between human and inanimate. But the truth is that Dr Susan Lim is an amazingly restless and creative human being, 

and despite what-so-ever would / could happen, she would always find a way to spread the concept of ‘ALAN’ , a companionship between human + inanimate, which definitely means something bigger than ourselves.


For you what was the biggest lesson you had to learn after making it?

There will always be a million ways to do one thing, and none is better or worse than the other, as long as it's done the best possible way.


What are your goals in this filed?

I can dream of a lot of things, as anyone would, but my only « goal » is for the ALAN concept of a future companionship between Human and Inanimate to be spread, through every possible form.


What is your next project?

ALAN 2 of course !


GOOD LUCK Matthieu

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