Ten days of creating music in a magical place: ‘No distractions, just a perfect flow of creativity.’
Poundo at the CNM listening session at the Wisseloord Studios
Last November, 7 French artists had their 10-day CNM residencies in the Wisseloord Studios in Hilversum, the Netherlands. All artists just finished their stay in the acclaimed studios that previously welcomed multi-platinum producers and artists in earlier CNM residencies. Last November, Poundo, Sika Deva, Koji, MKL, Alchimeek, Scar and Shawass delved into Wisseloord’s creative atmosphere. What was their experience like in the woods of Hilversum?
Centre National de la Musique
The Centre National de la Musique is a French organization designed to accompany and support the various stakeholders in the music sector, from artists and songwriters to labels, music publishers and sound engineers. Wisseloord has been collaborating with CNM, alongside Bureaus of Export of other countries, for several years now. Each year brought memorable moments for everyone involved. In previous years, multi-platinum producers and artists such as Johsef, Coco Bans and Folamour joined the CNM residencies.
Last November, Poundo, Sika Deva and Koji were the first three to delve into Wisseloord’s creative atmosphere. Poundo discovered the CNM Residencies thanks to her publisher François Julien from Chancy Publishing: ‘He handled all the application details for me. He believed it would be a great opportunity for me to focus on creating in an inspiring environment. I feel incredibly grateful, as their support made it possible for me to enjoy this unique and immersive experience.’
‘Music was the only thing that mattered’
The moment Poundo arrived, she was completely blown away. ‘The facilities were incredible—everything felt so professional and inspiring. What struck me most was that we were living and working in the same space. It created a fully immersive experience, with no distractions. At times, it felt like I had stepped into a parallel dimension, almost like an episode of Black Mirror—completely dedicated to creativity and music.’
For Poundo, working on her music in the Wisseloord Studios was transformative. ‘It is because having 24/7 access to such a high-quality setup allowed me to fully immerse myself in the creative process. Living in the studio space made it feel like music was the only thing that mattered—there were no distractions, just a perfect flow of creativity. The environment was both relaxing and energizing, which made it easy to stay focused and productive. I came out of the residency feeling inspired and more confident in my artistic direction.’