Biography
Raoul Vignal, a Lyon native, crafts songs grounded in folk traditions yet shaped by jazz-like nuance through his nuanced interplay with fellow players. His English-language material stays intimate and understated, favoring hushed delivery over bold projection while he reveals inner thoughts, and his precise acoustic fingerstyle creates a quietly captivating atmosphere. The debut album The Silver Veil from 2017 kept things minimal and direct, centering almost entirely on vocals and guitar, whereas Oak Leaf in 2018 brought greater assurance to that same approach. By contrast, Years in Marble from 2021 moved toward richer textures and more structured melodies as it examined mature relationships and human shortcomings.
Born and raised in Lyon, Vignal first took up the guitar at age fourteen and soon mastered it. During his teenage years he played electric in several bands, but at twenty he turned toward folk and shifted to acoustic playing, studying fingerpicking methods in depth. He began composing material suited to this technique and started performing regularly, sharpening his stage presence. In 2013 he moved to Berlin, where he joined the local singer-songwriter scene and composed the score for the 2014 short film Sweet Water of Memory.
While living in Germany he issued three EPs, including one tracked by Martin J. Fiedler at Klangbild Studios. Impressed by the material, Fiedler encouraged a full-length project. Although Vignal returned to France in 2015, he followed that suggestion and revisited the Berlin studio to cut The Silver Veil, which Talitres Records of Bordeaux issued to strong critical notice and wider recognition. During extensive touring he added bassist Jordy Martin and drummer Lucien Chatin, whose understated yet solid contributions became a signature element.
The same pair backed him on Oak Leaf, recorded in Lyon and again warmly received across Europe. After further international dates, Martin departed the group. For Years in Marble, Chatin handled drums once more while Vignal recorded his own bass overdubs with the project’s engineer.
Born and raised in Lyon, Vignal first took up the guitar at age fourteen and soon mastered it. During his teenage years he played electric in several bands, but at twenty he turned toward folk and shifted to acoustic playing, studying fingerpicking methods in depth. He began composing material suited to this technique and started performing regularly, sharpening his stage presence. In 2013 he moved to Berlin, where he joined the local singer-songwriter scene and composed the score for the 2014 short film Sweet Water of Memory.
While living in Germany he issued three EPs, including one tracked by Martin J. Fiedler at Klangbild Studios. Impressed by the material, Fiedler encouraged a full-length project. Although Vignal returned to France in 2015, he followed that suggestion and revisited the Berlin studio to cut The Silver Veil, which Talitres Records of Bordeaux issued to strong critical notice and wider recognition. During extensive touring he added bassist Jordy Martin and drummer Lucien Chatin, whose understated yet solid contributions became a signature element.
The same pair backed him on Oak Leaf, recorded in Lyon and again warmly received across Europe. After further international dates, Martin departed the group. For Years in Marble, Chatin handled drums once more while Vignal recorded his own bass overdubs with the project’s engineer.
Albums
Singles
