Belgian band C’MON C’MON creates enduring pop music that resonates in the same league as Teenage Fanclub, Nada Surf, and Toad the Wet Sprocket. Their exquisite blend of delicate melodies and pleasing vocals evokes a timeless quality. In their debut album, “The Crack and The Light,” the level of production is so impeccable that it’s difficult to fathom it as a first offering. The sheer excellence of the music is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Jorrit Hermans, the lead singer and guitarist, sheds light on the creative process behind this remarkable achievement.

What was the moment you knew you were on to something?

When our producer Alex Newport told us he liked our first demos and could hear the finished result we could create together. The this became true when we heard back his first mix. That was a special moment.
Second moment was when we approached legendary music manager Stephen Budd in London and he told us the record was really really good and wanted to work with us.

When did you decide to start asking for opinions on the new songs?

It just came naturally that we shared demos with people we respected and admired and got their feedback on the songwriting. We took it from there and then it simply got out of hand and here we are…

The meaning of success has changed over the years. What would success look like for the new record?

If we can touch people’s hearts when they listen to the record, that is enough for us. We’re here to create something beautiful and that’s the only metric of success we allow ourselves to live and work by.

Is the best song you ever wrote on this one?

Definitely not. I think as a songwriter when you feel you’ve done your best song, well, then you’re done.

As an artist, you choose to show your emotions to the world. Is it always comfortable to do so?

No it is not, in fact it’s very awkward since we’re 3 quiet, soft-spoken, contemplative, shy guys who love making power pop music together while having a laugh and a joke. But our fans support us and that gives us the confidence to come forward with our work.

How do you decide when a song is finished and ready to be recorded?

When all 3 of us feel that it ticks the right emotions, has the proper feel, hook, melody and harmony to it and – most importantly – we we cannot leave out anything more, only then have we reached the conclusion of our songwriting process. While we do that, a song gets demoed and reworked maybe 10 or 15 times before we get to the final arrangement for pre-production. By now, I think we feel quite well when we have something that’s good enough and ready to record.

How do you balance experimentation with commercial appeal in your music?

Nice question. Simple answer: we do not. We never care about commercial arguments or consequences. We only write, sing and play the music we love to. This we aim to do as righteously as possible.

Playing music in front of a crowd. What’s all the fun about?

The fun to perform on stage is in being able to engage and connect with the audience and create your temporary bubble together with the people, knowing that it will fade away after the show.

You can’t control the way people ‘hear’ your music. But if you could make them aware of certain aspects, you think, set your songs apart. What would they be?

Surely the vocal harmonies and the hooks, especially in the middle-eights we write.

If you could tour the world with two other bands, who would you ask, and why?

These days, we’re particularly fond of Eyelids, and of course, opening shows for Teenage Fanclub or Nada Surf would be a privilege for CMON CMON.

What compliment you once received will you never forget?

An American radio DJ once introduced CMON CMON with, ’The rock’s pretty hard but maybe your mom likes it?’

Those magical moments when you’re working in the studio. Which moment was the most magical?

When Alex pushed me on the vocals night after night, lifting me up and pushing me to sing better and better and I could hear what he made me do and it was just magic. He worked me so hard and I was totally dead after those two weeks of singing but it was all worth it.

The record is done, the music is out. Is the best fun done now or is it just beginning?

The fun just starts over because we’re already writing the follow up album to “The Crack and The Light”. We just love working on songs and crafting them to perfection. Or at least, to our definition of what is a perfect pop song.

What’s up for the next couple of months?

Promoting the album, preparing to tour and writing, writing, writing.