Anthony Touma scores a summer hit with Over You

Lebanese-French star Anthony Touma tells us why, despite social media, breaking into the music industry is much harder than it used to be as he discusses his latest single, the catchy and colourful Over You. Have you heard it yet?

These days with the influx of singing reality shows it's hard for us to remember or even take any of the contestants seriously once their season is over. It's a pretty tough road for singers who really want to make it in the business either regionally or internationally and sometimes reality competition shows can make that a lot harder.
Anthony Touma, who was born in France and has also lived in Dubai, Jordan and London, was a semi-finalist at The Voice France (Season 2) and winner of Dancing with the Stars Middle East (Season 3). He even managed to branch out into acting when he starred in the Lebanese film And Action. The guy is a hard worker and has gone beyond the 15 minutes of fame reality shows can give artists, and is starting to establish himself as a triple threat on the screen by perfecting the qualities of a complete artist.
He started performing in weddings, corporate and private events when he was 16, as well as working part-time at a recording studio as piano player and composer. That's dedication if we ever saw it. Today, Anthony is signed by Universal music and has three hit singles under his belt, Walk Away, Break Your Heart and Don't Go and now his latest single Over You is out for the summer, prior to his album release.
Over You is a catchy summer tune written and composed by Anthony himself with music production by Sleiman Damien and Tarek Majdalani and the fun and kitschy music video is already gaining a lot of attention online.
We caught up with Anthony to discuss his transition as an artist, his upcoming album and also about how he creates music.
How was the transition from being on a reality show like The Voice France to trying to be a working artist? Many find it difficult to continue pursuing this line of work after being on a platform like The Voice.
Yes, the transition is really hard. People tend to follow and appreciate the artists within the context of these shows - will they go out this week? Will they stay another week? They looked sad today, they did well today etc. Once the show is over, a lot of people lose interest and move on to the next season. However, I really believe that it was only after my contract with the show was over that I truly took the time to find myself artistically and invest in myself in order to become a much better version of the artist I used to be. I'm very happy with how far I've come since, as a singer as well as a songwriter.
Tell us about your new single Over You.
Were you ever in a relationship that ended badly and witnessed your ex move on so quickly while you were still trying to figure out what's wrong? Over You talks about the stage that comes next, when you decide to pick yourself up, and move on! It also talks about how this song that was written about that particular ex-girlfriend will become so successful that it will haunt her everywhere she goes: "Everyone you know will sing this song I wrote, about the way you broke my heart in two." 
Tell us about the idea behind the music video, which appears quite colourful and fun.
We wanted to do something fun, that people would enjoy watching and that wasn't too serious in itself. That's why we chose to have lots of colours, lots of characters that represent different people present in our society (in an exaggerated way obviously) and most importantly, we wanted to visually represent the idea behind the song. Me and my entourage start this dance that will follow the ex-girlfriend everywhere and have random people around her doing the dance moves as soon as they see her. Even her friends turn against her at the end of the music video. her own father too.
You're currently working on an album that's coming out this summer. Can you tell us more about what the album is about and the type of sound and feel it has?
Ups and Downs will be the name of my upcoming album in July. The name reflects on all the ups and downs I had to go through to get here today and make that album. The album consists of eight tracks that have a very clear modern pop sound. I made sure every track could be a potential single, there are no fillers in the album. Some have a big 'clubby' sound and others are more stripped down. I'm very excited to see the reactions.
Can you describe the process of creating an album?
The process is long but beautiful. Every track has its own character, story and vision. Artists write a ton of songs that never end up on the album. You think this one track will be your favourite and then you are surprised by how amazing another track sounds after it's been produced and recorded. Some days you go to the studio and nothing is working for you. Other days you go in and record the whole thing in an hour or two and it sounds perfect. Creating an album is an emotional ride, it is a lot of hard work and it requires artists to be in the right environment. I am lucky to have worked with two producers, Sleiman Damien and Tarek Majdalani, who both pushed me to give my best work so far by being picky and thorough with every track.
You've been performing and writing songs since you were a teenager but when was the defining moment for you that you knew creating music had to be part of your life?
I honestly am unable to pinpoint a certain date or time when it all became clear to me. It happened over stages. It definitely started early, at around 12 years old, it grew stronger in high school and when the time came to choose a career, it was like my mind and heart were made up a long time ago. I can't see myself doing anything else. 
Tell us how you felt when you signed with Universal Music and how do you hope this will help your music career?
Signing with a major record label like Universal Music is truly a dream come true and a big milestone in my career. They have believed in me and trusted me to do what I think suits me best accordingly. They understand my vision and allow me to grow naturally and patiently. My aspiration is to become an internationally renowned artist who started and is based in the Middle East. I hope to achieve that with Universal Music by my side.  
Who were your musical influences growing up? English, Arabic and French.
English: Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Elvis. French: Francis Cabrel, Michel Berger, Patrick Bruel. Arabic: Julia Boutros.
What's on your playlist right now?
A lot of Charlie Puth, Shawn Mendes, Post Malone and Camila Cabello. 
What is the process of writing a song for you? Is it planned or organic?
Sometimes it's planned, other times it's spontaneous. Sometimes, I'd be playing on my piano and a melody would pop out of nowhere. Sometimes I would be driving and the same would happen. And other times, I'd come up with a story or a concept I want to write about and sit around my piano or guitar to experience it. It honestly works much better when it is not planned. 
What is the most difficult things about creating an album and being in the music industry today?
The music industry today is changing at such a fast pace. What is trendy today could last years but it could also last a couple of months. Album sales, especially physical, are dropping exponentially and with all the social media and all the online platforms and the streaming wave arriving, it's much harder for new and upcoming artists to break through the clutter and be heard. Yes, more platforms are available and sometimes it doesn't cost much to create content and have it online, but to truly build a loyal fan base and following has become, in my opinion, much harder, especially that the listener's attention span or even interest in who's singing has dropped. How many songs do we hear today that we know or we've heard but we have no idea who's the artist behind them? (Even worse for songwriters and producers). That being said, it's still an exciting and challenging world to be in. Travelling the world and meeting new artists and listening to their stories will make you see life differently.
How important do you think social media is for an artist like yourself who is just starting out in the industry?
Social media could be a plus, a way to reach more people and spread the music. But it's not always the most useful for artists. Social media has become more centered about people's private lives, jokes and a lot of faking going around. There's a very ugly and shallow side to social media. If an artist can break through that, then social media will serve as a powerful tool and weapon. 
What are some misconceptions people have about singers/songwriters?
"It's so cool how you don't have a 9 to 5 job! Like you can do whatever you want whenever you want" . No! A true artist has his mind and heart working 24/7 non-stop. An artist goes through so many frustrations and struggles to find his sound, his song, to reach the right people. An artist has to always question himself in order to improve. And most of the times, an artist has a hard time explaining that feeling to those who don't relate. It's really not the "good life" everyone thinks it is. It's very tiring, especially mentally. Not to mention that for those who are less fortunate in this field (the majority), it's not stable financially like a 9 to 5 job that you know is going to get you a fixed amount of money at the end of the month.
 

• Dubai