Fritz Michel puts a new spin on an old classic with his new single and video Suddenly You Love Me — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
A catchy and compelling reinterpretation of British invasion band The Tremeloes’ 1968 hit, the cover — taken from Michel’s debut EP On The Rocks, coming June 17 — takes a sharp turn on the usual breakup song. “Suddenly You Love Me is a relationship song but it’s got that carefree twist,” Michel explains. “So, our video juxtaposes bright colors, animation, and Dada-inspired surrealism with a woodsy, get lost in nature storyline to ride that delightful push me/pull you beat.
Engaging an array of creative collaborators, Fritz retraces the various threads of his life’s journey with On The Rocks, weaving them into a new reality. Siffler Sur La Colline, also featured on the EP, finds Suddenly You Love Me sung in French, no surprise given the fact that Fritz was born in France to American parents who would constantly play that song on repeat on the car stereo.
“That song was a big hit in the early 1970s,” Fritz recalls. “And I thought to myself, why not cover Joe Dassin? I speak French fluently and I have very deep roots in the country. As an actor, I’ve played many French character roles on television and in the movies, so I thought it would be really interesting to sing in French and see if I could find a French audience. Those weird connections inspire me. I grew up speaking French in school and English at home and that duality steered me into acting.”
Arriving on the heels of his latest single Look Out — which critics called “warm and alluring,” boasting “a cinematic sound — Michel is taking his next step with On The Rocks. While it finds him taking a bold step forward in his emerging music career, the EP draws distinct references to his bilingual roots and a multi-faceted creative history that constantly mines new avenues of expression and exploration.
The five songs of On The Rocks capture Fritz’s facility for expressive, accessible pop, thanks to a radio-ready sound that’s both exuberant and magnetic. Although he never had any formal musical training, Fritz plays several instruments, including guitar, bass and piano. His musical preferences are varied as well, ranging from jazz to Americana to rock ’n’ roll, and, in general, anything that offers him the ability to simply tell a story. The fact that Fritz has acted professionally in film, on television and on Broadway helped broaden his ability to imbue his efforts with imagination and insight.
“I think the reward of creating music — or any art for that matter — lies in the conversation and collaboration that precedes it,” Fritz suggests. “I find I’m fully attuned to the process when I’m simply listening and allowing myself to be receptive to those things that are transpiring around me.”
“I’m finding my way back to performing,” Fritz adds when asked about the future. “I really love playing live because that’s really where it’s at for me. It’s like putting on a play. You build on a premise, create a narrative, and then attempt to win over your audience with your ideas and invention. My journey has always been about the more people I can meet. Everyone teaches you something, and I think that’s an important lesson to impart.”
Watch Suddenly You Love Me above, sample more of Fritz Michel’s music below, and follow him on Instagram.
