Copie de Interview - QOYA - 2025 (ENG)

Qoya is a very intriguing trio from Grenoble that we’ve already reviewed in our zine. Blending Post-Punk, Rock, and Doom Metal influences with ease, this young band has truly managed to carve out a sound of their own. A band like this deserves our full attention, as they express themselves with genuine passion and sincerity.

Their new album, Karma, is a beautiful piece of work that we wholeheartedly recommend. It felt essential for us to learn more about this undeniably fascinating project.

Interview conducted by Xzvrey in 2025.

Lien Spotify - QOYA

1/ Hi Qoya! How are you doing? It’s a pleasure to interview a band that walks a different path than what we usually feature in our zine. What have you been up to lately?

Hi there! We’re doing great, thanks. We’ve had the opportunity to play here and there, but most of all, we’ve started writing new material. We’re also planning new dates for the upcoming season.

2/ Let’s start with the basics. Could you describe the band and tell us about its beginnings? Who are the musicians involved? How would you describe your musical style?

We’re a trio from Grenoble, formed in late 2017. Initially, we wanted to start a post-punk band with influences like Eagulls or Joy Division. The band revolves around Quentin (guitar/vocals) and Antoine (guitar). Amar joined soon after on drums. Later on, we met Anthony, who became our bassist. That’s the lineup that recorded our first EP, The Fall.

Afterwards, we weren’t entirely happy with the result and mutually decided to continue as a trio. The chemistry was so strong between us that we preferred working with a bass synth instead of bringing in a new musician. Amar took on the synths in addition to drums, which gave the band a whole new artistic direction.

That new direction really came to life on Yokai, our first full-length album released in 2021. The sound of that album really laid the foundation for what Qoya has become.

As for our style, we’re not big on labels, but people generally describe us as post-rock or goth rock, which fits fairly well.

3/ You recently released Karma, a stunning album in my opinion. What kind of feedback have you received so far? Are you happy with how the audience and press have received it?

Thank you so much for the kind words! The feedback has been very positive, although still within a relatively small circle. Our PR, Clément Dubosc, did a good job getting the word out, and we received great reviews from several outlets (New Noise, Verdamnis, Veil of Sound...)

We also get lovely compliments at our shows and feel that the album is generally well received.

4/ The instrumental parts of your songs are very developed. Do you spend a lot of time crafting each instrument’s line? What role do vocals and lyrics play in your music?

Thanks again!

We do spend a good amount of time on the instrumental sections, but depending on how inspired we are, it can go very quickly. The instrumental for a song can take anywhere from a single 4-hour session to two full months.

Vocals usually come at the very end. The lyrics are arranged based on the length of the instrumental parts, and the themes tend to arise naturally.

5/ How do you organize your work as a band? Do you rehearse often? Who writes the songs and lyrics? And what are your lyrics about?

There’s no strict structure — we usually compose during rehearsals, either as a duo or trio. From there, the chemistry does the rest.

We rehearse pretty regularly, usually 3 to 4 times a month. Amar recently moved to Brussels, so the rhythm has changed a bit, but we always find ways to keep up our practice and creativity.

The lyrics are written by me (Quentin), and they mainly revolve around spirituality, past lives, and spectral entities.

6/ Before forming Qoya, were you already involved in other bands or musical projects? What’s your background as musicians?

Quentin : I really started singing when I formed Shifthead, a punk rock band influenced by the Californian wave. That band had all the symptoms of a first project, but I only keep good memories of it. I also played guitar for a few years in Hadewijch, a doom band from Lyon.

Amar : Yes, I was in a punk band in middle and high school. We played a few shows around Grenoble but split up after high school. I also studied classical percussion and later drums at the Grenoble conservatory.

Antoine : Yes, I was in a punk band in middle and high school. We played a few shows around Grenoble but split up after high school. I also studied classical percussion and later drums at the Grenoble conservatory.

7/ I know for a fact that you’re actively looking for shows. So you’re open to playing live. Have you already had the chance to perform your music in front of an audience? What’s your relationship with the stage? Are you more outgoing or reserved when it comes to the crowd?

Yes, we’ve been playing shows regularly since the beginning of the band. That said, we haven’t yet played outside of France. Our music tends to create a fairly intimate connection with the audience, and we’re very comfortable with that dynamic.

8/ What are your main musical influences and personal tastes? Could you share a few names with us?

Quentin : I grew up surrounded by New Wave — my dad’s CDs and tapes led me pretty quickly toward goth and post-punk, especially the classic bands like Depeche Mode, Joy Division, Kate Bush, or even the oft-maligned Indochine. Later on, I developed a passion for black metal and doom, with bands like Emperor and Type O Negative, which definitely left a lasting mark on how I make music.

These days, I keep exploring the past, especially in goth (a special place in my heart for early Xymox), black metal, and doom. But I’m also open to other genres — I occasionally get stuck on country or electronic tracks.

Amar : I listen to all kinds of things. I went through a big jazz phase, which really influenced my drumming — artists like Alfa Mist or Yussef Dayes. Nowadays, I mainly listen to rap, ambient, and experimental music, which are my main inspirations for Qoya’s electronic parts. I’d name Ian William Craig, billy woods, and The Humble Bee.

Antoine : I got into music pretty young with nu-metal like Linkin Park and Korn. Then I moved into prog with Pink Floyd and Porcupine Tree. For the past few years, I’ve been in love with stoner/doom (QOTSA, Pallbearer) and coldwave (Molchat Doma, She Past Away). My guitar style is probably a mix of all of that -laughs.

9/ Your music blends elements of coldwave, post-rock, and doom metal with great finesse. It’s rich and layered, yet everything fits together perfectly to create a unique sound. Do you feel a certain pride in having crafted something original? Was that your intention? Have others told you the same?

Thanks again!

"Pride" might be a strong word, but we are definitely happy with what we do and the artistic choices we’ve made — especially when we get positive feedback from the audience. We believe we’ve managed to naturally blend all our influences into our music, and if it sounds good, then great! -laughs.

As for feedback, people often tell us that our sound is quite unique, and we can tell it sometimes catches listeners off guard — but we’ve rarely seen anyone walk out of a show, which is always a good sign.

10/ Time for a fun break. Your new album is called Karma. How’s yours doing these days? What would you like to be reincarnated as? What were you in past lives? (Personally, I was a moth in a sweater — it was lovely.) ?

Quentin : I hope mine’s doing okay — that’s all I can wish for! I think I was a hermit in a past life, and I feel like that still affects me today, especially in the way I relate to people -laughs. As for the future... I leave that up to time and nature.

Amar: I think my karma’s doing fine! As for the rest, I’d probably need to see a medium.

Antoine : I probably wasn’t Gandhi in a past life, but I think I have positive karma. I’m currently doing my best to earn my reincarnation.

11/ As you know, we talk a lot about the Post-Punk/Goth scenes here. Are you familiar with those musical worlds? Do you listen to them? Are there any bands you particularly enjoy from that spectrum?

All three of us come from different musical backgrounds, but yes, we do listen to quite a bit of post-punk. We’re into current acts like She Past Away, and also the Russian post-punk wave with bands like Nürnberg* or Ploho. But Quentin is definitely the goth of the group — he’s passionate about the scene and a die-hard fan of The Chameleons, Low Life, and Clan of Xymox.

*[Editor’s note: Actually, Nürnberg is a Belarusian band.]

12/ You’re based in Lyon, right? Are there any good places to see live shows in your area? How are the independent scenes doing where you live?

We’re actually from Grenoble, the capital of the Alps. There are quite a few nice venues here (L’Ampérage, Le Ciel...), though like everywhere else, they’ve been struggling with the current situation. That said, the local scene is thriving creatively, especially in Grenoble.

A good portion of our gigs (about half, actually) take place in Lyon. There are some great venues there too, like Les Pentes (formerly The Farmer) and Le Sonic, which is a perfect place to hear coldwave.

13/ What do you do outside of music? Do you have jobs, passions, hobbies? What kind of people are you?

Quentin : In Grenoble, we’re lucky to be surrounded by mountains, so I do a lot of hiking and love getting lost in nature. I also read a lot. Besides that, I work as a microelectronics technician.

Amar : I studied art and I’m now a visual artist. I mostly do installations, performances, and lead workshops.

Antoine : I’m an engineer, but I constantly escape into sci-fi, fantasy, and speculative fiction. I’d describe myself as a curious person who alternates between being a homebody and a free spirit depending on the moment.

14/ Are you currently involved in any other musical projects? Other bands, zines, radio shows, concert organizing?

Amar : I’m also the drummer in a blackgaze band called Darak, which I joined this year. I also make ambient and slightly experimental solo music under my own name (Amar Ruiz).

Quentin : I recently recorded the first EP for a solo project called Funeste — a kind of hybrid darkwave with dungeon synth influences, inspired by acts like Ulver, Dead Can Dance, and Depressive Silence. It will probably come out later this year. As for organizing events, I regularly help out with Eptagon, an art collective that Qoya is part of.

Antoine : I also help out with Eptagon as treasurer. I’ve been dabbling in electronic music production, but nothing concrete yet.

15/ What are some of the most meaningful encounters you’ve had through your work with Qoya? Have there been big satisfactions? Any disappointments?

We’ve built strong connections with the other members of the Eptagon collective, which includes some excellent bands operating in more metal-oriented styles, such as Liquid Flesh, Barus, and Azimut.

Our main sources of satisfaction revolve around what we create — we’re proud of our first two albums. As for disappointments, they’re generally quickly forgotten, though we do have some lingering regrets about the production of our very first EP.

16/ What does playing music mean to you? What role does it play in your life? What are your future projects?

Music plays a central and cathartic role in each of our lives, and the three of us have shaped our lives around this passion. Our future projects involve composing new material and continuing to explore artistically — we take our time to create something we’re truly happy with.

17/ Time for the food question — don’t even think about dodging it, haha. What are your favorite dishes and drinks? Any special Qoya recipe to share?

Quentin : Our ravioles du Dauphiné, of course.

Amar : At a show in La Clusaz, at the Lion d’Or, we were served a shot called Marseille-Grenoble-La Clusaz. We’re still traumatized, haha.

Antoine : I’ll probably make some enemies with this, but I’m a big fan of Jägerbombs (even though, as someone from Grenoble, I should probably be promoting Chartreuse). If I had to suggest an easy and healthy dish, it would be spinach and goat cheese lasagna.

18/ What would be your wildest dream with Qoya, and how could the readers of Jeu d’Ombre help you?

Quentin : We’d love to tour more in France and abroad, even though that’s pretty costly nowadays. That said, I don’t really feel like I’m chasing a particular dream — we already give everything we have to our compositions.

Antoine : Making a The Wall-style film with Qoya’s music... but I think I’ll wait for a major promotion at work before launching that -laughs.

19/ Sadly, we’re already nearing the end of this interview. Is there anything else you’d like to say to our readers?

Just a big thank you to everyone who supports us — it really means a lot to us.

20/ Thank you so much for your answers. The final words are yours, and I hope to meet you in person if we get to play a show together one day 😊 Take care, see you soon!

Thank you for the interview and your thoughtful questions!