Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Olivier Hernova

What is your earliest memory connected to music? 

I am the youngest child in a large family, and from a very early age I was always surrounded  by music at home, from Brel to Queen, including Kate Bush. 

My first musical memory is linked to the songs of Charles Aznavour, whom my mother  adored. I particularly remember a song called “Mourir d’aimer”, which I found beautiful. I also  remember my father singing in Spanish: “Adios muchachos” by Carlos Gardel, and listening  to the cassette in the car radio on the way to holidays. 

How did your passion for creating music begin? 

I had lyrics and melodies in my head, and one day, at 24 years old, I started learning the  piano—quite late—but I quickly learned to compose. I realised that singing and music are a  universal language, coming from the deepest part of me. Even clumsily, even imperfectly, but  so authentically. 

What’s the story behind your current music project? 

My current project, a first single extracted from an EP of six tracks scheduled for release in  October 2026, was born from an immense and unstoppable desire to express all my emotion  and authenticity. It is a voice emerging from silence, which can no longer stay quiet. I self-produced this EP at the age of 55, working with Guillaume Soulan, a multi instrumentalist musician, and Studhom for executive production. 

This project needed to be born, like the arrival of a child long desired for years. It was almost  vital. This project is the true expression of myself, the realisation of a dream after a long life  journey. 

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music  before? 

A modern and sincere French songwriting style, where emotion plays a central role. Songs  that explore life’s wounds, rebuilding, human relationships, and hope. Through personal and  accessible lyrics, my music tells life journeys marked by hardships, but always oriented  toward the light. A universe that blends sensitivity, authenticity, and pop energy, with the  intention of reaching the audience through true and deeply human stories. 

What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music? Throughout this musical journey, I understood that writing and composing a song is only part  of the process. I learned to build a real artistic project: preparing releases, presenting my  universe, contacting the media, developing my network, and accepting feedback in order to  improve. Today, I no longer think only about a song, but about a long-term artistic approach.  This experience has profoundly changed the way I make music and carry my project. 

What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process? I work with a Roland Juno keyboard and an old Technics KN1500 keyboard. In terms of  software, I use Pro Tools. The arranger played various electric and acoustic guitars. 

Which indie artist or song are you loving right now? 

In France : November Ultra, Mélissa Sailer, and Hervé.  

Internationally: Lewis Capaldi and Dean Lewis.

How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision? My life journey has profoundly shaped my music and artistic vision. Every experience, every  period of doubt or rebuilding has nourished my lyrics and pushed me to write in a more  sincere and essential way. Music has become for me a way to transform fragility into  strength and silence into songs. Today, I no longer aim only to compose tracks, but to tell  what life puts us through, with truth and emotion. It is this authenticity that now guides my  entire artistic approach. 

What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work? Through my music, I try above all to convey true emotions, without artifice. I hope each song  can touch people in what they experience most intimately: doubts, wounds, losses, but also  the strength to rise again. My intention is to transform moments of fragility into something  luminous, almost like a form of hope. If my songs can accompany someone, give them a bit  of breath or comfort, then my music has fully found its meaning. 

What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far? 

The most important lesson music has taught me so far is that it is not only about creating  songs, but about telling a personal truth. I understood that what touches people is not  perfection, but authenticity—what one has truly lived and felt. Music has taught me to  transform my experiences, even the most fragile ones, into something sincere and  shareable. Today, I see each song as a way of giving meaning to my journey and sharing it  with honesty. 

What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at? 

I would like to perform at the Olympia, the Cigale, the Bataclan in Paris, and the Halle aux  Grains in Toulouse, but also in theatres in New York and around the world. For festivals, the Francofolies de La Rochelle, the Eurockéennes de Belfort, and the  Montreux Jazz Festival. 

If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why? The artists I would like to collaborate with are above all those who inspire me through their  sensitivity, elegance, and the depth of their musical worlds. I would like to work with Norah  Jones for her softness and unique way of conveying emotion with simplicity. Sade inspires  me with her timeless elegance, distinctive voice, and subtle blend of soul, jazz, and emotion.  Rachel Yamagata attracts me with her very intimate and cinematic universe, filled with pure  emotion. Lisa Ekdahl represents a form of delicacy and poetry in interpretation. Finally,  Véronique Sanson embodies artistic freedom and writing intensity that are among the great  references of French songwriting. These are artists who, each in their own way, place  emotion and sincerity at the center of music, which deeply aligns with my approach. 

Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links) 

Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/intl-fr/artist/4NRxKwTWp8NB7Fyn91Ru4X?si=wF gRmL6Qf2Dkuwwojp5sg 

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/share/1CmWLvEAQR/ 

Instagram : 

https://www.instagram.com/olivierhernova.officiel?igsh=MWxvMHIxZ2gzZnJpZw== Youtube : https://youtube.com/@olivierhernovaofficiel?si=x_OFBQV7JyjA2ygg

TikTok :  

Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical  journey? 

Looking toward the future, my dream is to continue building a genuine, sincere, and lasting  artistic journey. I would like to defend my songs on stage, meet the audience, and share that  live energy which gives music an even stronger meaning. My ambition is also to develop  ambitious projects, especially an album built around a strong, coherent, and deep concept  that tells a story and transports the listener. I want my music to touch, move, and leave a  lasting impression, while remaining true to my universe and authenticity. Receiving awards  or recognition would of course be a meaningful milestone, but my main goal remains to  create work that has meaning and accompanies people. 

What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way? What I would like listeners to discover about me over time is above all the sincerity of an  artistic approach built on lived experience and authenticity. Beyond the songs, I hope they  perceive a life journey, a personal story made of doubts, resilience, and reconstruction. I  hope they understand that my music is not only an artistic project, but a way of sharing true  emotions and giving meaning to what we all go through. If, over time, listeners feel this  humanity and honesty, then my goal will be fully achieved.