It's been eight years since Laetitia Sadier toured Australia and this November she returns in grand style with her latest project, the Laetitia Sadier Source Ensemble.
Laetitia is best-known for her work as vocalist and driving creative force behind English-French avant-garde band Stereolab.
In March, she and the Source Ensemble released their album 'Finding Me Finding You' that she says has been received with unexpected positivity.
When Laetitia & The Source Ensemble tour Australia in November, it will be her first time performing here since her Laneway Festival appearances with Stereolab back in 2009. “We're looking forward to coming to Australia,” Laetitia says.
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“Of course this is the furthest away we would have travelled and I think you can't go much further than that.
“It's been very rewarding in the sense that it's a big effort to make a record, it's a big effort to try and stay a musician in terms of the economics of it and making a living. It's very tricky and often times it's a labour of love really.
“So I must really thank the band and the fact that people in Australia invite us to play there and that there is still a faith around the necessity of supporting culture and that kind of culture, which is not manufactured for the masses; it's not cynical, it really comes from the heart and a very singular type of music and culture.”
The upcoming tour will see the group play a limited run of club shows in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne as well as a performance at the National Gallery Of Victoria for the closing night of The House Of Dior exhibition.
As for what she and The Source Ensemble have planned for the Australian shows, Laetitia advises audiences, particularly those hoping to see a Stereolab show, not to have any expectations and to attend with: “An open mind and an open heart.
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“I think that's very important so that we can exchange something, so that all these 24 hours [sic] of travelling in a high-pressurised tube in the economy class – we all know how uncomfortable that is and how grinding it is – to make it really worthwhile.”
Australia isn't just another tour stop for Laetitia, it's the place where her Stereolab bandmate Mary Hansen was born. Sadly, Mary was killed in a traffic accident in 2002 and Laetitia's return means reconnecting with Mary's surviving family.
“For me Australia means Mary Hansen, it means Mary's family, means meeting with them and Mary's mum, so this is very emotional for me to come to Australia. Primarily it's like meeting my sister's family so to speak, so this is extremely special,” she says.
“We've been to Australia over the years and I've seen it grow. I remember coming for the first time to Brisbane for instance and having a very observing eye because we were travelling with Mary and coming to her land, so you pay extra attention. She talked about [Australia] very fondly.”
Laetitia Sadier Source Ensemble Shows
Thu 2 Nov - The Foundry (Brisbane)Fri 3 Nov - Howler (Melbourne)
Sat 4 Nov - National Gallery Of Victoria (Melbourne)
Sun 5 Nov - Oxford Art Factory (Sydney)
