With a deep-rooted, rewarding career that spans over two decades, Olivier Mateu, who is known under the moniker Rodriguez Jr., is a well-respected musician who transcends defined genres with his eclectic, vibrant electronic music. His latest full-length studio album project Feathers & Bones embodies his newfound personal liberation and is set for worldwide release on May 26th via his recently launched imprint of the same name. Of the ten tracks, there are two singles that were created with his wife and musical partner Liset Alea. The incandescent album not only represents their compelling journey from Paris to Miami, but also illustrates the bittersweet emotions that come with change as they embark on this fresh chapter of their lives.

The two initially met about 20 years ago while creating music for Laurent Garnier’s label, F–Communications, and continue to maintain the utmost respect, support, and admiration for each other. “Whether it’s related to music or our family, Olivier is an intense, passionate visionary who solves problems in innovative ways. He has a logical yet creative mind and you can hear that in his music.” The devoted husband endorses that his wife is his “inspiration and muse” who expresses her voice through “a fountain of emotions.” The magnetic couple initially started recording and finished the album in Paris but felt like something was missing, so they decided to wait and continue working on it when they moved to Miami two years ago. “We tried to find more freedom in our lives as we adjusted from a cold apartment to a big sunny space,” depicts Olivier. “This album is not about specific places but more about the transitional period from Paris to Miami and the movement towards freedom.” The accomplished multi-instrumentalist enjoys the creative flexibility and risks that he would not have done otherwise on another album. One unconventional form of reviewing his mixes was listening to them in the middle of the ocean on his jet ski, which definitely influenced the perception and interpretation of the invigorating music.

Since moving to Miami, the transformational experience has been worthwhile for the blissful pair. Despite the Cuban-American singer and songwriter growing up here, Liset feels like it’s simultaneously familiar yet foreign at the same time. “There are whole new neighborhoods that have blossomed, and I love exploring my hometown through a new set of eyes. Miami is fertile all around, and it seems like you can sprinkle an idea and it just grows, which is not too bad for a swamp.” Olivier finds that his experience has been shaped more by reconnecting with others, feeling the changes of the city, and finding the right balance in his day-to-day life. “There is so much to explore and there are so many opportunities to grow in America. The music scene here compared to other cities is very mixed because you can feel all these different influences that come together like a collage. I love Miami and all that it embraces: the multicultural communities, the weather, and the intensity of the city.” If there are any particular sentiments that they share at a place, it will become a song regardless of where the free-spirited souls go. “We’re both sponges in that we love to feel places and with what’s going on around us. We absorb things and filter them back through the form of a song. Somehow, we vibrate at the same frequency and are very sensitive to minute details, which are all very impressive to experience as a couple.” Some inspirational places they’ve created songs from include South Africa, South America, everywhere in Europe, and Route 66 in America, which was a childhood dream they had the privilege to experience together.

The alluring nomads honor their heritages and recognize how it makes up a large part of their identities. “What makes me proud to be Cuban is our adaptability,” says Liset. “That’s always been important to connect to that part of myself because I know that if there’s ever any barrier, I’m somehow going to figure it out. You can always adapt to any new situation, environment, or country.” For the Frenchman, he values the history, elegance, art, philosophy, architecture, and music of his birth country though it felt like everyone was stuck in a dark place after the pandemic. “I couldn’t recognize those values anymore. So I decided to move and represent France somewhere else in this city that’s like ‘a cocktail of cultures.'”

The lighthearted pair both integrate social media into their lives in an optimistic manner. Liset is a writer who journaled obsessively as a child, so she feels that her Instagram is a modernized journal that allows her to reconnect to those memories and nostalgic moments that would eventually become songs. “Pictures are complementary to the songs I release. When you enter someone’s little bubble on social media, you can see their point-of-view through a little window.” Whereas Olivier views it as a fantastic tool where one can connect with different audiences all over the world. “You can adapt, adjust, and share music with different communities. Back in the day, you had to be played on the radio to be recognized and it was impossible.”

Both are grateful for where life has taken them now and where it may lead them in the future. Although the former vocalist of Nouvelle Vague came from jazz and pop, Liset ventured into French house music around twenty years ago and is proud that it wasn’t just a phase since she continues to do it today. “It was such a projectile launch and I’m happy that I stuck with it,” she reflects. Olivier expected to still be in the music industry today but didn’t know that it’d bring him so much joy and happiness. “I was way too stressed about the future but eventually learned to trust the process,” he explains. “It’s going to be alright. You cannot control your past and you cannot directly control your future, so you have to embrace the present.” He feels that he definitely exceeded his expectations in life and is appreciative that music brought them together. Check out their latest album and support the uplifting duo now on Beatport and YouTube.