This weekend, after two months of tennis silence, Corentin Moutet, 21 and 77th in the world, brings out his rackets for the opening of the clay court scene and the qualifications for the Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo.
The Ile-de-France left-hander has not, however, remained silent in recent weeks.
He continues to compose ... in the tradition of "Cutaway" his first EP
(Ed: Extended Play)
rap out last fall.
His latest clip, "Psychoanalysis", was posted a few days ago.
Far from the image of an angry brat that the player often conveys on the court, the emerging artist reveals a mature young man, all in depth and sensitivity ...
Why did you decide to come out of the shadows musically?
CORENTIN MOUTET.
I had been making music for two or three years now, but I had never made it public.
The spring 2020 containment was the right timing.
I had a lot more time to go into depth and create a project, not just compose music one by one without knowing what to do with it.
I wanted to be able to progress, find my musical identity, my style, before releasing anything.
The themes of estrangement or loneliness have been present in my life for a long time with tennis-related trips, but I was able to do a real introspection.
Was it difficult to make your first EP?
All the texts were written quite quickly.
It was really a project to indulge, take out everything I had to say and there wasn't a lot of retouching.
Ultimately, it is not normal that it comes so quickly.
What is "easy" is when you are authentic and tell your story.
We observe, we transcribe.
Being alone at home with no one around, no tomorrow because every day and night was alike, it left me time to immerse myself freely in my music.
What are your references?
I listen to 99% of French rap.
Artists who have for me pretty texts like Scylla or Guizmo, guys like Hamza or Laylo who have particular universes and melodies.
I had a period when I listened to a lot of French music, especially for the texts and the language which was a little richer with different turns of rap.
I haven't read a lot of books but some really touched or inspired me.
All this hides in his subconscious and comes out unexpectedly.
These are just the things in life ...
In rap, everyone has a nickname.
Even athletes.
The footballer Noor Arabat is Dinor, the volleyball player Earvin Ngapeth was Klima and then Earvin.
Why sign with your own name?
Most of the time, I tell my life story.
I didn't want to choose another name because I'm in tennis, I'm in music.
It is the same person, who feels the same emotions.
In rap, it's not common.
It may not be accepted, frowned upon, or not very helpful.
But music brings everyone together, regardless of culture, nationality or religion.
It is a universal language.
I don't want to label myself saying I do this or that.
I just keep my first and last name.
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Your clip "Impasse"
(Editor's note: with tracksuit, cap and large engine)
was it a kind of ritual of integration?
I wanted to show that I could do this kind of rap too.
Rap is seen in this way, but if you are not "old school" to say
"They are thugs and bandits"
, if you dig a little is very rich.
I like to show off.
If it takes singing I can do it, rapping I can do it, and, that, I can do it too.
Does music take precedence over tennis?
Little by little, all my free moments are filled with music.
It's a common thread, I keep learning.
I go to a tournament with my rackets and my microphone.
I am sometimes asked what I would choose between the two: one is my job and my passion and the other is a need.
The two are inseparable and essential for me.
I'm more of a tennis player trying to be a rapper.
The common point is the pleasure.
Both do me good.
I cannot live without the sport which allows me to exercise, concentrate, challenge myself and the music which frees many things and makes me meet great people.
Is there a little schizophrenic side to be shared between the two?
There are more rules on a field than alone behind your microphone, where you can say a lot of things that you are not allowed to say or that you would not be able to say in life.
On a field, there is a whole institution behind which sets rules and which means that you cannot be yourself because that can be punishable, frowned upon, criticized ... The system that I know on the circuit pushes players to be robotic and smooth.
So, in the end, we all choose to be as smooth as possible.
Rap at the moment is easier and above all more enjoyable and healthier than playing tennis.
On a court, however, you do not hesitate to show your strong character ...
I am simply someone who has emotions and I like to live them.
It's true that it's complicated for me to have to control them, deny them, hide them.
For me, someone who has emotions is someone who lives, who accepts his weaknesses, his strengths.
I find that touching.
We all have bright and dark sides, I show them and I accept them.
These are two sides of me.
They are going to watch us play in big stadiums, win a lot of money and, ultimately, people forget a little that behind there are human beings like them.
Normal.
Everyone has the same pain.
Are you planning to perform on stage?
Music is transmitted.
Without a stage, if it's just staying without ever seeing people, it doesn't have much interest!
Whether in tennis or in life, I like to communicate, share.
And then I like to go to the end of things, so the scene is necessarily a goal.
There is a lot of stuff in preparation, a lot of stuff ready, it's constant work.
We will see how people receive it.
I have ambition in both.
For the moment, I am going back to tennis and I hope that the training will pay off.
