Oklou makes spacious, organically influenced club music like few others. We chat to the rising producer and vocalist ahead of her EP release this Friday for today's Internet Crush.

Social media has changed the way we interact with our favourite artists. More than just musicians, they’re now personalities, people we can interact with on the daily. Now more than ever we’re aware that musicians are pretty normal people, they just have a weird job. Every week we get to know one of our favourite SoundCloud heroes, internet dating style, in our new column, Internet Crush.

 

Oklou’s music is the sound of the club stripped of its walls; thumping basslines and electronic melodies dragged out into open space and left to echo endlessly. Shaped equally by her upbringing in rural France and her time in Paris and now London, it’s a unique part of today’s electronic music landscape. Oklou’s latest addition to that landscape, her new EP The Rite of May is out this Friday, set to be her most pop-facing work to date it’s already garnering comparisons to SZA and Kelela. We chat to the producer and vocalist for this week’s Internet Crush.

Growing up in rural France how much time did you spend online?

I would say that from 8 to 11, as much time as the ADSL could offer to me and my family. Then, there was just one computer in the house until I had my own at 19, and I would have access approx. 1h per day.

Which city is more romantic, Paris or London? 

I would say Paris, for the picture people have of it. I guess any place can be romantic if you are so.

When did you decide to start sampling people’s Instagram stories?

I actually did it just once, I sampled Cardi B when she was filming a deer she saw outside her hotel window.

What’s your favourite Lil B song? 

The song with the video in the pet shop. Don’t remember the name, but something with “love” in it. (‘I Love You’ – ed.)

Who do you roll with? 

My friends.

Describe your sound in just a sentence:

I hope it’s healing some people like music I listen to is healing me.

Favourite colour:

A great orange, a bit dark.

Favourite movie:

This is too hard. If I have to choose one I would certainly pick one of Miyazaki’s works, but there again, hard to decide… Spirited Away.

What’s your star sign?

Taurus.

Have you ever been in love?

Many times.

Have you ever had your heartbroken?

Many times.

How do you deal with a broken heart?

Acceptance – I allow pain to take its time. And I talk a lot lol.

Last book you read:

An old little book written by Georges Sand named La Mare Au Diable.

First single/album you ever bought?

Gorillaz – Gorillaz.

First band/act you ever went to see live?

Henry Dès.

Earliest memory?

I was like three, I fell from the roundabout, hurt my head very bad and I just went to see the teacher to tell her “I didn’t cry”. Now I cry for any little beautiful thing that crosses my way, ahaha, damn.

What do you do in your spare time?

My life is all spare time so far but I love to go far away I guess.

Are you a morning or evening person?

Defo evening. I could sleep as long as the room is dark.

First song you ever wrote?

When I was like four, a song saying that I was born on the beach, my parents were dead drowned in the sea and I was raised by a polar bear. 

Favourite song of your own?

I think it might be an unreleased little thing called ‘140drhm’.

Favourite lyric?

The one I wrote for ‘They Can’t Hear Me’.

 

Oklou’s new EP The Rite of May is out Friday 16th March.