IN CONVERSATION WITH SAINTE VIE

interview by NATALIE GAL

Sainte Vie is a Mexico City–born electronic music producer, sound engineer, and label owner. At the heart of our conversation is Sainte Vie’s new album, “Pablo”, a powerful tribute to his late father. Written in the wake of his father's passing, the album became a vessel for grief, healing, and remembrance. As Sainte Vie revisited memories and the music they once shared, he created a body of work that merges his Mexican roots with his refined electronic production, shaped abroad in places like France and the U.S.

“Pablo” is such a personal and emotionally charged album. How did the process of making this record help you navigate your grief and stay connected to your father’s memory?

Making this album has been a deeply moving and magical process filled with very powerful emotions, some of which I had never felt before. I started making this album shortly after my dad’s passing. I knew I wanted to dedicate this first album to him, as music was always one of our strongest points of connection. He wasn’t only my father but also my best friend. During the creative process of the record I decided to re-visit my entire life in search of all the memories I had from him. I wanted to dig deep into our beautiful connection and story.  I wanted this album to be a beautiful tribute to my father. Although I was really sad about his passing, doing this research made me feel close to him, bringing me peace and calm during my grief… We loved each other so much… We always will. I put a lot of effort in describing all these emotions through music. 

The process of making this record was extremely healing. It was a truly magical reminder of how powerful, and beautiful our connection has always been and always will be.

You have played at MOGA Festival, how did that experience feel and affect you? Moreover, is there a specific moment that is especially memorable for you? 

Yes! I really loved it! In my opinion it was super well organized and they were super nice to me! The location is also really really special.

My favorite moment was when I played my new track ‘Sobrevive’ featuring vocals from Juan Son. I had never played it live before and the track is quite different from my usual stuff so I was pretty nervous but people love it and immediately connected with it which made me really really happy!

The new single, “Unconditional,” is beautiful and deeply layered. Can you tell us about the story or memory that inspired it?

Thank you! Definitely! My track “Unconditional” is inspired on two main things:

• The unconditional love that exists between my father and I.

• The connection I have with my dad through dragonflies. My dad’s favorite insect. A few weeks before he passed away he had a call with a painter and my dad was describing a dragonfly in a beautiful way.. I overheard the call and that moment became one of the last memories I have from him. I also love how a lot of people connect with their loved ones after their passing through certain animals, I find it truly magical. I like to think one of the many ways in which I connect with my dad is through dragonflies. 

You are known to blend electronic music with global influences. How do your roots in Mexico and your international experiences shape your art, especially on this album?

Well, I’d say I can attribute a big part of my knowledge in electronic music to my international experiences as it was really during my time living in France and the US that I started focusing more on electronic music. That said, my first contact with music was in Mexico when I was a kid. My dad first properly introduced me to music. We would listen to a lot of latin rock which is still one of my favorite music genres. Since this album is all about my dad and our memories together, I put a lot of effort into merging my experience in latin rock with my experience in electronic music as he would also really enjoy electronic music. Many of the album’s vocal tracks are actually in Spanish, and, even though they’re primarily electronic music, they were also influenced by latin rock.

From playing in rock bands to studying sound design in New York, your musical path is very diverse. How did those early experiences define your vision for “Pablo”?

For “Pablo” I really tried to blend my rock background with my sound design and electronic music background. My background in rock music brings me back to my childhood memories with my dad so I definitely needed to have some of that rock background on the record. For example: during my childhood years my dad and I really loved a band called Porter. We used to go to their concerts a lot and we particularly loved the former singer of the band, his name is Juan Son. For “Pablo” I got in touch with Juan Son to see if he would be interested in singing in one of the songs of the album. I’m super happy he said yes and now the album has one song called “Sobrevive” featuring Juan Son’s incredible vocals. Coming out soon…

“Pablo” truly feels as a statement of love and emotional strength. How has creating this album changed your understanding of legacy, both as a son and as an artist?

Creating this album reminded me and proved me that some bonds are never broken. It showed me how my connection with my dad is still alive and will live forever, and how we will continue to communicate through music, magic, nature, signs, memories, dreams and more… The love between my father and I is eternal.