Songwriter's Corner: Roody Laforest

"Cheri, mwen konnen m pa ase." That's what Roody Laforest sings on his debut single, Mwen Pa Ase. It takes an honest man to admit his shortcomings. But after chatting with the Montreal-based singer, we realized though Roody tells it like it is, he can be a little too hard on himself. Wikimizik talked to him about his musical roots and writing process. We hope you enjoy his straight talk as much as we did.



Who is Roody?
How am I supposed to answer this question? Let's make it short and sweet. My real name is Ronald Laforest Jr. I was born in Montreal and went to Haiti for many years at the age of 10. That is where I fell in love with the music of the Caribbean. I now live in Montreal and music takes a big place in my life and I thank God for that.

Let's talk about your latest single, Corps á Corps. Why such a title and how did you come up with it?
To be honest, I don't even know myself. I was playing the guitar and the words came out by themselves. All the lyrics were done in 30 minutes. Corps á Corps was for me the only title suited for these lyrics.



How do you usually decide on a title for a track?
Most of the time the title comes out after the lyrics to make sure they both match really well.

How did the collaboration with Michel Dulyx (TMD) come about?
TMD is my bro and we share the same passion for music. When I made him listen to the the track, he was really interested and he wanted to make a collaboration. He did a really good job.

Your texts have a certain poetic tone to them, how did you start writing? What was the very first song you wrote?
I don't consider myself to be a very good writer. But I like to write. I feel free. It's easier for me to express myself that way rather than talking. I am glad that people like and appreciate what I write. The very first song I wrote hasn't even been produced yet, lol. I wrote it after a relationship that really hurt me. I wanted to keep a good memory of this relationship so I decided to write about it...

So far we have three great love tracks from Roody. What other types of songs should we expect from you as an artist?
For now, as a solo artist, I think I will stick to love songs. There's so much things that we can say about love, so many ways to do it, so many stories to tell.

You're based in Montreal. Do you feel that musical expectations are different in the Montreal base compared to other places?
Montreal is a very nice city where people are so lovely, but I think Montreal's artists, including myself, do not explore it the right way yet. But it's a work in progress... for the best I believe...



You were once a member of the group Antidote of Montreal and have now embarked onto a new solo career. Can you compare the two experiences?
It's really two different things, but both have their good and bad sides. As a solo artist, it's easier to move. You decide and follow you and only you. A team is also helpful. When your team works as one, it's also easier. It's difficult to have 8-9 members and expect everyone to have to the same vision as you. But being part of Antidote de Montreal was a really great experience that made me grow and learn so many things about the music industry.


Listen to Roody's tracks:
Corps á Corps - Roody
Mwen Pa Ase - Roody