Thomas Roussel's free thinking and creativity, combined with his desire to break the mould, make him the ideal partner for the Maison Richard Mille which, since its foundation in 2001, has shown an unwavering determination to break the existing codes of haute horlogerie by promoting craftsmanship and meticulous technique. "The uncompromising standards and originality of Richard Mille watches evoke the rigour and imagination required in the composition of orchestral music," said Thomas Roussel. "But beyond that, we share the same desire to communicate passion and emotion and the same desire to realise new creative paths." Their respective statements about a contemporary, free and uncompromising art form create a natural bond between Thomas Roussel and Richard Mille. The two share a passion for contemporary art and artistic professions, whose infinite creativity is always linked to great precision. Thomas Roussel's entry into the Richard Mille family is perfectly in line with the brand's dedication to contemporary creativity, starting with the acquisition of the publishing house Éditions Cercle d'Art, originally founded with the support of Pablo Picasso, and ending with partnerships with Frieze, the leading contemporary art fair, and with the Palais de Tokyo in Paris. For more than fifteen years, Thomas Roussel has remained true to both of his true loves, aclassical music and electronic music, in an unwavering way, starting from known paths and navigating through the two worlds that know very little about each other. In 2018, during a performance with a dozen musicians at the Grand Rex in Paris, he re-orchestrated some titles from Ed Banger's electronic music catalogue to celebrate its 15th anniversary. Even today, his music cannot be reduced to being a mere hybrid of the two genres. Moreover, his ultimate ambition was already clear from the release of his first album, The Future Comes Before, in 2017. Under the stage name Prequell, the musician turned out to be a fantastic pop composer. Thomas Roussel composes using orchestras, string ensembles and percussion sections, but also of course with the help of synthesisers and machines. Always and despite everything, his music remains absolutely unique and has the ability to transcend the boundaries of style. His compositions are like comet stars floating through the galaxies, sometimes warlike and fierce, others peaceful and serene. Each one is imbued with pure emotion. His is a tangible and generous approach that the musician has shared with Maison Richard Mille and will soon be a source of inspiration for new projects.
