Name: Yasmine Modestine
Nationality: French
City of residence: Paris and Devon

Can you describe what you wish to communicate through your art work?
Feelings, I suppose. I have never thought about it that way; I mean songs are part of our lives. You almost can retrace your life through songs. Well, I can.

So I suppose I want to communicate this: moments of life, sharing feelings -- but of course it would be a lie if I’d say it is not about me -- and having people being touched by what I sing and write. When someone tells me "it does me good to hear that song of yours", then I have made it. When people think they could have written my words, this is it, telling my life with his words. When they say I have a beautiful voice and they enjoyed the show for all I tried to give, this is it. Sharing feelings, moments of life, tears and laughter -- I love to make the audience laugh between sad songs -- and when they talk to me or ask for an autograph or want to have a photo taken with me, it is very moving. I experienced this recently in Korea.

Audiences are all alike and different, different one day from other, alike from one country to another. It is a moment of peace, you see, those tiny moments in life when you feel I am he as you are me as we are all together.

1. You never know, and as John Lennon wrote it, "life is what happens while you’re making other plans". It wasn't so completely different, because we were actually looking for a way to perform at the village hall.
2. This is all it takes -- being there and being interested, being open. It only takes good will to make dreams become true. That is really a lesson for me.

What kind of financial support is available for artists?
You need to have some of course. You need to find means to be able to do what you want to do; it is not easy. It is hard to tell precisely. You always need money and means to be subsidied, so you need to work out how to be able to pursue your dreams. Hard to give a receipe, for I am still experimenting. You need to be on the deck all the time, that is the hardest because you wish you could live it up sometimes.

How would you describe the art scene; for instance is it thriving or on the wane?
I believe the art scene is more thriving in England than in France. I believe – well before the crisis, and in spite of the cost of living being more expensive, there was more energy and possibilities to do things in England than in France. I think despite there being more subsidies in France, there is less opportunity to practice, to perform, to be seen and heard. Plus the subsidies mostly go to official artists. So it may lead to a Catch 22 situation. Also, I feel there are less prejudices in England when an artist practices multiple disciplines. In France, it is always a matter of suspicion, and you are often dismissed, when you can sing and act for instance, or act and direct, or paint and write, and so forth. Only when you are very famous, are you allowed to be a full artist. Sort of. But well, England is no promised land either.

To listen to a radio interview with Yasmine speaking (in English) about how she was inspired to write "Sally's Song", click here.

Yasmine Modestine / Expatica