Debut full-length record from Billet Doux

French duo Billet Doux features the talents of Kaycie and Pierre, a project which grew from a creative connection and quickly bloomed from a planned collaboration between two solo artists into a band. Their music is forged in the overlap between cosmic pop rock, indie pop, punk energy and heartfelt songwriting, creating songs that aim to find beauty, hope and renewal even in moments of disarray. As Billet Doux, their sound is driven by shared passion, informed by a love of melody and lifted by a belief that music can illuminate the darker corners of life while still acknowledging them.

Both members were born and raised in France but their musical upbringing was coloured by a deep affection for Californian punk, rock, folk and indie pop stylings. The influence of artists ranging from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Blink-182 to The Dø and Kings of Leon helped shape their creative vision and that blend of influences can be heard in the way Billet Doux balance infectious hooks with emotional context, combining uplifting energy with a charming sincerity.

They first started out in Paris back in January 2022 when Kaycie was recording her solo EP and Pierre arrived at the studio as one of the musicians booked for the sessions where an immediate connection formed. There was a feeling that they already understood one another creatively, a shared musical language that made collaboration feel inevitable. Writing together quickly became second nature; a bass or guitar riff from Pierre would spark an idea, a drum pattern would establish the mood and rhythm and Kaycie would build melodies on top. Initially starting as a feature on each other’s solo projects, the pair quickly formed a plan to create a band together, sealing that decision on a street in Amsterdam.

The name they chose, Billet Doux, carries its own romantic significance, pronounced in French, the phrase means “secret love letter,” a fitting title for a project built on connection, emotion and shared creative vision. When it came time to define their sound, they knew exactly who they wanted to work with and Olivia Merilahti, one half of The Dø, had long been an artistic inspiration. After sending demos through Instagram, they received the response they had hoped for and the collaboration led them to a studio in the south-west of France, a region often referred to as French California, where together they shaped the sonic identity of Billet Doux.

Now, following a string of well-received singles released over the last year that have already firmly planted Billet Doux on the map of must watch artists on the rise, they now bring us their most ambitious work thus far with their brand new debut record titled Superbloom Is Here Again. The title references the extraordinary bursts of flowers that appear in the deserts of Southern California after periods of heavy rain, serving as a powerful metaphor for the album’s central idea that renewal can arise from difficult circumstances and that joy can return after chaos.

The eleven-track record opens with “Ghost Collector, which starts with the muted plucks of clean guitar before the pair’s layered vocals usher in a grooving indie pop scene that flows with catchy melodic leads and the soft rustle of drums. Wrapped in an absorbing atmosphere and tinged with tender emotion, it’s an instantly memorable and highly affecting folk-inflected jam that’s impossible not to love. “Two Scorpios” glides with breezy guitar chords and swooping vocalisations before slipping into a bright soundscape of upbeat vocal lines and laid back instrumentation, crafting a delightful musical experience that’s engaging and original from start to finish.

“Cautious” lands with pulsing bass guitar and snapping percussion as Kaycie’s expressive voice rolls in, met by Pierre’s warm vocals before the track jumps into a lively alternative pop outing brimming with energising rhythms, colourful synth-driven arrangement and infectious hooks. Other highlights on the record include tracks like “Chaos and Halos” which showcases the duo’s heartfelt songwriting in an elegant setting of gentle piano-focused instrumentation capped by hushed vocals. “Seahorse” gradually builds from soft piano notes and the atmospheric sound of alternating vocal lines towards a moving soundscape which gathers pace with pattering drums and plucked instrumental tones to cast a dazzling listening experience.

The title track “Superbloom Is Here Again” creates an intimate scene of mellow guitar tones and alluring vocals, progressing with shuffling drums and graceful vocal layers carrying delightful melodic leads and picture painting lyricism. Bringing the album to a close with “Portraits,” blissful vocal harmonies float above lightly gritty guitars and rattling percussive shots to deliver an invigorating pop rock finale to Billet Doux’s truly sensational debut full-length release.

Listen to Superbloom Is Here Again below