An independent hip hop, pop artist from Burleigh Heads (Gold Coast), in 2021 Lemaire has set himself the task of releasing a new track every month.
His first 2021 song baby is the deeply personal and romantic jam 'OneNotTwo', which details how Lemaire met his fiancé - awwww!"'OneNotTwo' is basically the story of how I met my fiancé. It's the cheesiest, sappiest song I've ever written and I love it," beams Lemaire.
"I've been sitting on this song for aaages and just couldn't wait any longer so here ya go.
"This is my first release of the year and I plan on dropping a new one every month, so get ready for that. 2021 will be a big one."
An uptempo, groove-infused song incorporating hooky guitar work and neo-soul chords, 'OneNotTwo' was a collaboration project where Lemaire teamed with fellow Queenslanders, the collective Namaste.
"Massive love to the whole team behind this track," adds Lemaire. "There's no way I could have made it without you.
"There are so many talented individuals in this part of the world and I'm so stoked to have them onboard with this project and projects to come."
Ahead of his performance at AIRWAVES Festival (Sunshine Coast) in March, Lemaire sits down for a quick chat.
Who is Lemaire... I am singer, rapper and producer from Gold Coast. When I'm not locked away in my home studio writing raps and making beats, I'm either performing with my five-piece band or cooking lasagne that's better than your mum's.
I sound like... I take inspiration from a long list of artists, ranging from Anderson .Paak and Mac Miller, to Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa, to James Brown and The Brothers Johnson. I like sing-along choruses, rap verses and funky basslines.
My first gig was... I began performing as a solo busker at about 15 and have been playing shows ever since.
I think my first gig was at a cafe in Ocean Shores, and I remember Xavier Rudd and Ash Grunwald both happened to be there. I'll never forget the fist bump they gave me when I finished the last song.
When did you settle on the stage name, and was it a unanimous decision... Lemaire is actually my last name. So yeah, not super creative on that one.
In the studio I usually... Start with either guitar or bass, just to get some chords and a bit of vibe going, before adding keys, melodies and drums on top. I usually make music on my own, but have started collaborating more over the past few months.
If I could tour with anyone... Anderson .Paak. He is my favourite musician on the planet and I could never get sick of hearing his live show night after night.
Social media is... Hard! I often forget to use it and as an artist it is one of the most important ways of connecting with fans. I try to upload as often as I can, but would much rather be making music if I'm being honest.
My favourite app at the moment is... Spotify. I still remember trying to download tracks off Limewire back in the day, so having access to nearly every song you can think of is still amazing to me.
If you'll have me on your bill, all I ask is that the rider contains... Only half of the band actually drink, so if anything, I ask for LESS beers so the rest of the band isn't completely sloshed by the time we go on.
If you had to live in a city abroad, where would you choose and why? Not a big fan of cities to be honest. I don't know, too much concrete.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us? My go-to is handmade tortellini in a creamy truffle sauce, BBQ pork Bao, or pizza. I love making dough and it's always a flex.
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was... Sorry, what's a gym?
What's the one chore you dislike the most? Mowing the lawn. When I was a kid our lawn mower never had a bag attached, so all the grass clippings and sticks would flick up into my legs whenever I mowed. When I buy a house, the backyard will just be a pile of dirt.
Do you have any phobias? So many. My anxiety is triggered by a long list of things big and small, but as long as I don't let it control my life, I'll be fine. Nothing feels better than facing something you're afraid of and coming out on top.
Would you ever partake in a reality show? Nope, probably not. Hahahaha!
If you could prank anyone, who's your target, and how are you bringing them down? My target would have to be Scotty and The Ninjas; I feel like they deserve to be on the receiving end for once.
