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Bent Van Looy

Singer-songwriter

 

C

Bent Van Looy

Singer-songwriter

To have a room all to yourself, far away from everyone and everything sounds like the perfect setting to singer-songwriter Bent Van Looy. To someone who’s continuously on the road, a private chamber is an ideal background to get away from it all. “I live in Paris with my girlfriend Martena, where’s it’s just the two of us. It’s wonderful. But this room in Antwerp is mine; it ’s a private space where I don’t have to consider others. I’ve been living out of my suitcase for years, which was very exciting. But being a guest at someone’s home involves a different kind of dynamics. When I lock the door of my chamber, I’m not supposed to do anything.”

To have a room all to yourself, far away from everyone and everything sounds like the perfect setting to singer-songwriter Bent Van Looy. To someone who’s continuously on the road, a private chamber is an ideal background to get away from it all. “I live in Paris with my girlfriend Martena, where’s it’s just the two of us. It’s wonderful. But this room in Antwerp is mine; it ’s a private space where I don’t have to consider others. I’ve been living out of my suitcase for years, which was very exciting. But being a guest at someone’s home involves a different kind of dynamics. When I lock the door of my chamber, I’m not supposed to do anything.”

Do you need your own space to be able to create?

It’s not a necessity. I just love the idea of having my own room. It sounds like a luxury, but I really needed a space just for me to able relax. This room contains everything I need. I stay here whenever I’m in Belgium. I collected the objects throughout the years. It’s not much, but it’s enough.

It looks so clean. I never considered you the tidy type.

I used to be the most disorganized person in the world! My school desk was utterly disgusting. But things do change. Working in a tidy space leaves room for new ideas. A dirty place does quite the opposite. I do everything in here, except paint. To be able to that, I need more space, which I don’t have here, nor in Paris. What’s more, is that the medium needs silence and time. Two factors I can’t allow myself right now. Fashion and music depart from a particular rhythm. Same goes for television, it all happens fast, which makes it easy to switch from one project to another. But when you paint, you have to stop everything you are doing and take the time to let things happen.

Music, fashion, television, radio, painting. Where do you find the time to do all of this and to combine it?

I’m very lucky. Once and a while I have to say no to projects, but usually, it all works out. I can choose whatever I want to do: put more time and energy in my fashion label or continue rehearsing. There’s no one telling me what to do. So the balance is always right.

You have to be very disciplined to live this way, no?

I work in a very structured way, which is good. In the past, it used to be quite different.

Did you always have the need to express yourself in multiple fields?

No, I reckon people should stick to what they know best. When you do something, you’d better do it well. I’ve always been into music, drawing and painting. I could never choose, and you know what: you don’t have to choose! As long as you’re serious about the things you do, you can do many things. Creativity is about telling a story and selecting the appropriate medium can be crucial to the nuance of the message. I have the freedom to translate my story into a song, a drawing or even into a sweater.

I’ve always been into music, drawing and painting. I could never choose, and you know what: you don’t have to choose! As long as you’re serious about the things you do, you can do many things.

In Belgium, you are considered as a fashion icon and in the past, you’ve worked on a men’s line for Le Mont St Michel. Did this collaboration bring out the designer in you to set up your label The Jante Law?

Yes, it did. I enjoyed this collaboration, and I regretted the moment it came to an end. That’s why me, Niek (Niek Meul, bandmember Das Pop) and Alexandre (Alexandre Mila, owner Le Mont St Michel) decided to join forces and to set up a new fashion brand. The Jante Law is a collective of agents that is always on the lookout for new members to add an extra layer to its story.

The Jante Law goes back to the novel ‘A fugitive crosses his tracks’, written in the 30’s by Aksel Sandemose, in which he defined The Law of Jante according to 10 rules. How do you translate this into a wearable collection?

Our first collection had this bureaucratic feel to it, and we carried out the first rule – you’re not to think you are anything special – to shape the story. But we don’t stick to those rules. Otherwise, it would become quite boring. But the principle stays the same: Don’t think you’re anyone special or that you’re better than the rest. The Jante Law is about extreme discretion, most rarely found in the fashion industry. I wanted to translate this concept of restriction into a medium where everything is possible.

Do men need a modest wardrobe?

Yes, they do. The Jante Law creates discrete fashion, simple and minimal creations, but unique by its details, finishing and the quality of the materials. Although it looks modest, it is quite luxurious. We like to create a timeless look.

A timeless look whereas your personal style is quite extravagant.

The clothing we create together is not a reflection of my style; it’s not a copy of my wardrobe. In that case, it would be a completely different story. [laughing] After all, The Jante Law is not my individual project; it’s a collaboration.

Is it a relieve to move around the fashion circuit, far away from the music scene?

People have no idea who I am, and I love it! I like to keep my activities in fashion and music separated, for they aren’t related. I enjoy being involved in men’s fashion, for it is quite different from what I expected and different from the woman’s scene. In men’s fashion everybody extends the hand and there’s a kind of backstage festival feeling to it, like when a string’s broken, you go to the dressing-room of another band to ask for a new one. In men’s fashion, I sense the same brotherly atmosphere.

With everything you do, you always make sure to take it abroad. Do you think it’s important to travel and to be on the road a lot?

Yes, I reckon it’s crucial. As a child, I never went on holiday with my parents. Holland was probably the furthest destination. So as a kid I dreamt of palm trees and having my own band. In everything I do, there’s always a longing for traveling. I need a home to work out my ideas, but I function best when I’m on the road. This has to do with movement and the idea to be in between situations. When you’re on the road, you navigate in some emptiness which make new ideas possible.

New ideas and new projects, like recording a solo album. With Soulwax, you rocked stadia, with Das Pop you played in clubs. Aren’t you afraid to perform on stage all by yourself now?

No, this evolution in my career is quite exciting and different. In the context of a band, I know what is expected of me. But now I’m doing things my way. When I play in front of an audience, and I’m performing solo, I have the tendency to start analyzing, and that’s when it all goes wrong. To prevent this, I’m practicing and rehearsing hard. [laughing] I’m satisfied with the record I’ve made, and I’m happy that these songs can finally come to life. They were in my head for far too long.

 

www.bentvanlooy.com
Text: Magali Elali
Photography: Bart Kiggen
Bent Van Looy