Men I Trust: A Quiet International Success Story
In a world dominated by internet-fueled trends, the Quebec-based group Men I Trust has been quietly building an international following. The band recently performed in South America, and in January, they were in Asia. Our journalist met with Emma, the ethereal lead singer, ahead of a concert in Seoul.
The backstage area of the KBS Arena in Seoul, a multi-purpose complex with a pool and sports facilities, is anything but glamorous. The same goes for the room where LaPresse was waiting for Emma, with its thin table and straight wooden chairs, reminiscent of a detention room in a high school.
Emma enters, speaking in English. It's a natural reflex for Men I Trust, who give over 50 concerts a year, mostly outside of Quebec. They are accustomed to giving interviews in English, or through an interpreter when they venture outside the United States and Europe.
After the initial confusion, Emma adjusts. "Ah! It's going to be in French? That'll be easy then!" she exclaims, with a joyful tone. Men I Trust will take to the stage in an hour. Emma shows no signs of nerves, even though she admits to always being nervous before a performance. "I think that's a sign that I still love it," she reflects.
A Development Guided by Fans
Men I Trust are making their fourth visit to South Korea since their debut. The first time, they played at a festival, Emma recalls. Now, they perform in Asia in venues of varying sizes: 8,000-seat venues in Tokyo, 5,000 in Singapore, 2,200 in Osaka (a capacity similar to that of the MTelus), and the same in Seoul, just last January.
Hundreds of fans were waiting outside the KBS Arena long before the concert was due to start, despite the freezing temperatures of -15 degrees Celsius, which is very cold for Seoul. Most were lined up behind signs indicating the different sections of the venue, while employees of the KBS Arena let them in one by one, zone by zone, like boarding an airplane.
The merchandise tent was also in the cold.
During Men I Trust's early tours, Emma herself would take a seat behind the merchandise tables after concerts and use the opportunity to chat with the band's fans. "Now, it's not possible," says the singer. There are too many people.
"Asia is a very important market for us," she explains, adding that Men I Trust's development remains guided by their music. "We've always been meeting our fans where they are. We've been lucky from the start to have a public here."
A Public That Has Gained Confidence and Is on the Same Wavelength as the Group
Men I Trust's atmospheric rock is not designed to ruffle people's hair. Instead, it's meant to lull them. Their Korean fans listened to their repertoire in almost complete silence, nodding their heads to the slow rhythms. "There's an intense love of music," Emma notes.
"We played in front of 7,000 people in Japan, and you could have heard a fly fly," she says about a concert held the day before.
"I found it difficult at first when we came to Asia. I thought, 'Oh my God, do people like this?' Now, we appreciate it. We get along so well on stage, it's like we're in the studio."
A Delicate Bubble
The only moment of the evening when the Seoul audience got animated was when the guitarist broke a string during the solo of the song All Night. He continued without a hitch, which earned him the crowd's cheers. Otherwise, Men I Trust created a cozy bubble with delicate melodies, ethereal atmospheres, and mysterious ambiance.
Emma and her bandmates are not done with the planes. After Asia, they headed to South America, playing in Argentina, São Paulo, Brazil, and Colombia. In June, they have an important European tour ahead of them. In the fall, it will be Australia.
"No matter where we are, there's probably someone who's seeing us for the first time. Someone who's been waiting for this moment for five, six, or seven years. No matter where we are, it's important to me," Emma says. "It motivates me."
Visit the band's website at https://menitrust.com/
