Miraval Studios 

Second life for a sanctuary

After several months of renovation work, Brad Pitt and French music producer Damien Quintard have reopened Miraval Studios. This place is a Mecca for musical creation, set down among the vineyards of Provence.

“My life has changed completely, and very fast,” says Damien Quintard. “When you have such a fantastic project in hand and have been chosen by none other than Brad Pitt as his number two – who wouldn’t be overwhelmed?” The young French music producer has some great achievements under his belt. His music for the opening ceremony of the European Olympics in Bakou in 2015 won him an Emmy Award at 22. He was eager to tell us about his new adventure. “Entering this holy of holies in the footsteps of giants who have recorded great music here and giving it a new lease of life, that’s a major milestone in my life.”

The studio was set up by jazz composer Jacques Loussier in 1977. From then until it closed in 2000, it was used by bands and artists such as Pink Floyd (for The Wall), Sade, Téléphone, AC/DC, The Cure, Sting, Indochine, Chris Rea, The Cranberries and more.

All new, built around light

The challenge for the renovation was to innovate without losing the studio’s original soul. To combine new technology and new design with all the atmosphere of the past. So the best analogue equipment from the past, like the SSL 4000 console, rubs shoulders with the Dolby Atmos mixing system  and a hybrid analogue/digital sound desk designed by Brad Pitt and Damien Quintard, called the Spaceship. 

The studio will be open to all genres, from pop, rock and rap to classical music. The acoustics are perfect. To create a light, bright ambience, the walls have been painted white and the windows enlarged, giving an impression of immersion in the natural world. The 350m2 Studio One will boast instruments from all over the world, a room full of vintage synthesizers and, says Damien Quintard, “the world’s best Dolby Atmos recording room.” 

As well as the various recording booths, the building includes a mezzanine overlooking Studio One, sound and video editing booths, and living space for artists in residence. The suites, designed by Brad Pitt, offer panoramic views of the estate. Making Miraval a timeless bubble, a place to get away from it all and let creativity flow free. “We wanted to make a place where you can be free. That’s how we imagined it. A sanctuary,” explains Brad Pitt. “Everything is created here,” adds Damien Quintard, “Even rosé wine.”

A few weeks ago, singer Sade, whose band has won four Grammy awards, came back to the studio 30 years after recording her legendary albums Stronger Than Pride and Promise here. “I was really curious and impatient to see what music would emerge here,” says Brad Pitt, who has demonstrated his love of Provence by choosing this place as a destination for artists from all over the world. A place where they can record an album differently.

By Valérie Rouger