Bonnie Banane is having a breakthrough

29th May 2024

By Maxine Williams

On a Thursday afternoon in early May, tucked in a little corner of the colourful and eclectic Standard Hotel, Bonnie Banane is telling me about how a breakup turned into a breakthrough. Her latest album, titled “Nini”, is a masterful blend of playfulness and vulnerability, an emotional rollercoaster that explores the highs and lows of love and self-actualisation. 

As we wait for our ‘HotBucha’ drinks (we decided that perhaps it was not quite late enough for us to have a proper drink), Banane passionately describes how a chance meeting with a musician at a screening in Paris, led to an unexpected partnership which produced the album that captures Banane’s evolving artistry. Every so often she stops to say “I love this song” in reference to the music playing through the overhead speakers of the restaurant. She’s a theatrical character who’s incredibly passionate about creative expression and storytelling. Every story and anecdote is described with such precision. It comes as no surprise then that “Nini” wonderfully captures Banane’s storytelling essence.  

Below, Banane tells us more about Nini, her feelings about growing alongside her music, and how even ‘failed’ love can be a great inspiration.

First of all, the album sounds really fun, and you can hear the silliness throughout the record, however it's underscored with a great sense of vulnerability - how did you strike that balance?

I guess the mood of the album and the mood that we wanted to get across is exactly what you said, it’s both. On the scale of emotions, I authorised myself to go further than the previous one. I allowed myself to get more angry, and a little bit more soft - so it was both. It wasn’t really planned, I just realised that I was into both moods at the time. That’s a common thing we all have now. We go from one emotion to another in an hour because of the news and our feeds. But the mood of the album is both; the scent of the album is both. 

What led you to create this album?

I met a musician that I hadn’t met before. I was at a screening for one of my videos in a movie theatre in Paris and I bumped into this guy. I realised I had actually heard of him before, through a mutual musician friend because they have a band together. I’d heard of him, and he’d heard of me, so we exchanged numbers, and the next day he sent me a piano demo. I never listen to what people send me because I don’t like listening to stuff from people that I don’t know. But I decided to listen and I loved it! It was Jazz, real slow!

I asked him if I could come by and try something, and that’s how it started. So I would say, the reason why I created this album was the fact that I met this guy. We produced it together. In French we say “co-direct” (co-réalisé), whereas in English you say “co-produced”, which is a bit confusing for me, but I understand why it is “produce” in English. 

What made you decide on Nini?

Honestly I had like fifty ideas, which were all so different. Some were really goofy, some of them were too serious. I have a passion for words, their formulation, how they go together, and how they sound. The working title was “joie intense, tristesse profound, angoisse mondial”. But then I realised that people were going to have a hard time saying it and they would end up abbreviating it to “joie intense” but that doesn’t reflect the album. Then, at the very last minute, I decided to go with my childhood nickname because this album represents me more than the previous one. It’s also the name of one of my favourite French artists: Nini Raviolette. She only released one EP, and still it was a big revelation for me because I didn’t realise you could write songs like this in French. She inspired me. 

I wanted something that was easy to pronounce but also means different things in different languages.[Nini] is also the name of places that I’ve never been. 


How did you approach this album differently from your first? 

Several things. With the previous one I went to Belgium, Switzerland, Paris, I went all over the place to work with different producers. For this one I said to myself that I wanted a tiny team, so it's more homogenous and more concise. I wanted it to take less time. Back to back from the demo to the release it was 2 years. The previous one took 3 years. So I was happy with this because it can be really exhausting to do an album. 

In Sacha / Toi ou moi? Tells the story of the confusing nature of chasing love or someone who might not love you back? What would you say are the overarching themes of this album?

Love is always the theme, especially in music. 90% of songs are probably love songs right? I love exploring failed relationships, love that doesn’t work, and also love that does work, triumphant love. With Toi ou moi, we took the bridge of Sacha and started a new song. Sacha is before I was with Sacha, what is driving me to speak to you? Then with Toi ou moi is like “was it me or was it you, that ended it?” 

It’s an important part of the album because when I started the album I was with Sacha and by the end we had broken up. It was a breakup and then a breakthrough during the album and during the process. 

If there was one thing you want people to take away from this album what do you want it to be?

Somebody recently asked me this, but I don’t know the answer! Maybe one lyric from ‘Hoes of Na’ it comes at the end of the verse: “Quelque chose en vous se plie mais rompt pas” which translates to “Something in you is bending but don’t break.” I would say take that with you. 

Why that line?

I don’t know how it came and I don’t know why but I think it sounds really cool in French. “Rompt” is from the verb “rompre”, which can also mean breaking but also when you break up with someone “je rompre avec toi”, it’s like a rupture. It’s an invitation to be more flexible, bringing us back to the initial abstract matter. I’m really proud of this lyric, so I would give that to people. 

Link to Bonnie’s album here.

VIDEO CREDITS:
Directed by Elisa Ribeiro
Produced by Mireille
Producer - Emile Olagne
Producer - Léo Burgat
Production Coordinator - Antonella Brière
1st Assistant Director - Yael Bouanich
Director of Photography - Nicolas Pradeau
1st Assistant Camera - Soa Brunet
2nd Assistant Camera - Ninon Dubois
Production Designer - Damien Moulierac
Assistant Production Designer - Lisa Leselier
Assistant Production Designer - Erwan Fale
Chief Electrician - Elie Elfassi
Electrician - Elliot Diligent
Key Grip - Candy Lorey
Stylist - Glen Mban
Head Makeup Artist - Lola Cadet
Head Hairstylist - Joy Benoni-Tali
Production Manager - Lisa Aboucaya
Chief Editor - Ariane Kajdan
VFX - Melchior Leroux
Graphic Design - Pablo Jomaron
Colorist - Zoë Candito
Management - Elodie Haddad & Grand Musique Management

A big thank you to Sample (Julie Rigourd), Filmantiq (Paul-Anthony), Cininter (Zoé Berg), Everest, Jean-Paul Gaultier, and Acne Studios.

Written & Performed by Bonnie Banane
Composed by Bonnie Banane, Janoya
Arranged by Félix Petit
Produced by Félix Petit
Mixed by Antoine Poyeton and Pierre Juarez assisted by Louise Bouget
Mastered by Emilie Daelemans