Steel & Velvet is a folk-rock band born in 2021 from the friendship of Johann Le Roux (vocals) and Romuald Ballet-Baz (guitar), Breton musicians who both benefited from solid classical training. Soon joined by another guitarist friend (also Breton), Jean-Alain Larreur, more rooted in blues-rock, they offer a collection of songs recorded in a spirit similar to that of Johnny Cash’s American Recordings. Acoustic guitars and vocals. Their sound is minimalist, stripped-down, and authentic. Most of their repertoire consists of covers of North American artists from the worlds of folk, rock or grunge. Nevertheless, they also dabble in composition, releasing their first single, «Poppy Field» (Song for the Armistice), in May 2022.
One of the band’s distinctive features is that they favor concert venues that allow singer Johann Le Roux to remain unamplified, thus maintaining a more organic and intimate connection with the audience. They also attach importance to the visual aspect of their artistic universe, collaborating closely with Brest-based photographer and videographer Loïc Moyou, who shapes their visual identity through his photos and videos, as well as the logo he created for Steel & Velvet.
‘Waiting for Some Warmth’ was released in May 2023. This four-track EP is a tribute to Mark Lanegan, who “really loved this type of music, when someone can take a guitar or light instrumentation and a beautiful voice and can transport me somewhere.”
In October 2025, Steel & Velvet returned with a new artistic offering: ‘People Just Float’, two works in one: a six-track EP and a short film directed by Loïc Moyou.
The six songs were carefully selected to form the soundtrack for a dreamlike western. Together, they tell the story of Joshua, a man living in seclusion in a cabin who, while hunting, discovers a frightened woman in the forest. Musically, the band maintains the continuity of its previous output: stripped-down acoustic versions with an authentic sound. Some songs remain close to the original versions, while others have been reworked. This is particularly the case for «Orphan’s Lament» (Robbie Basho), originally played on piano by the American artist and which benefits from a brilliant guitar adaptation by Romuald (Ballet-Baz). A small novelty, however: Johann Le Roux’s daughter, Jade, sings on two tracks.
SOURCE: Official Bio
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/steel.and.velvet
https://www.instagram.com/steelandvelvet2021/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7i4aH86wr4aynpZ0Eh44Jz
https://www.tiktok.com/@steel.velvet
https://www.youtube.com/@steel-and-velvet/