M83: Indie No More?

Some fans prefer M83 to stay niche, others are happy for their mainstream success.

Indie band M83 are enjoying mainstream success now.

The French electronic band have been actively touring since they released their sixth studio album “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming” to positive reviews in 2011. One of their songs from that Grammy-nominated album, “Wait”, even made it to romance film The Fault in Our Stars (2014), making it possible for a wider audience to appreciate their music.

While some fans are happy for M83’s mainstream appeal, others are frustrated that their favorite indie band is no longer “indie”. Many took to YouTube to express their disappointments over the band’s consent to have “Wait” featured in a commercial film.

But how did fans in Singapore feel about M83’s growing success? UrbanWire spoke to some among the 2,000 fans who caught M83’s recent concert at The Coliseum, Hard Rock Hotel. Here’s their take:

“I think people are reacting this way because some people are too proud and they don’t want their band to go mainstream.”

– Nicholas B, 20

“It is a great opportunity for all the not so popular bands to showcase themselves and I really believe that a lot of people learn to love M83 from that movie (The Fault in Our Stars).”

“I think that the fact about these ‘hipsters’ or the ‘indie people’ is that they don’t want their bands to be popular because they want to keep them small.”

– Del Robles, 29

“I personally believe that the song (“Wait”) was extremely fitting for the movie … so for people to actually bring up this point (that the song shouldn’t be used in mainstream movies) is quite ridiculous in my opinion.”

– Denise Teo, 19

Led by Anthony Gonzalez, M83’s recent concert was their second in Singapore. They were here to headline the St. Jerome Laneway Festival, an annual music event which featured indie acts, as well as to promote their new album “Junk”, which promised “a lot of eclecticism”.

Check out their performance in the clip below.