Jason Edwards – Interviews
On June 30, I connected with M&SQUAD through a detailed email exchange that stretched across borders — a conversation shaped by the distance between France and Korea, yet filled with the same passion that drives the global K‑pop community. Even without meeting in person, their words carried a clarity, warmth, and sincerity that revealed the true identity of the group: five artists united by creativity, discipline, and a shared desire to bring Korean performance culture to European stages.
Born in France but inspired by Korea, the group stands at a cultural intersection where K‑pop’s artistic codes meet European interpretation, diversity, and emotion. Their evolution — from Mathew’s initial solo project to a full vocal‑and‑dance ensemble — illustrates how Korean culture continues to inspire new artistic forms abroad, and how European performers, in return, contribute to its expansion through their own vision.
As they prepare for their upcoming performance at the Korean Touch Festival in Lyon, one of the most anticipated K‑culture events in France, M&SQUAD shared their story, their creative process, and the ambitions that drive them forward.
Can you introduce M&SQUAD: how the group was formed and what brings you together artistically?
MATHEW: Our concept is to bring the biggest K‑pop hits to the stage while reworking them to add our own creative touch. We rearrange most of the choreographies, and sometimes we even modify the melodies. The goal is to make the audience feel the energy of their favorite songs while immersing them in our own universe.
The idea for the group came when I was thinking about the direction I wanted to take with my shows. In reality, I don’t like being alone on stage. I have a vital need to share these experiences, to have a real team with whom I can live these intense emotions. So I decided to bring together four dancers from the Lille region whom I already knew: Kenza, Laura, Emmy, and Ansel.
Originally, their role was completely different — they were supposed to be my backdancers. That’s actually where the name M&SQUAD comes from: literally “Mathew and his squad.” We did our first convention in that format, but I quickly had a revelation. I realized they weren’t just excellent dancers — they had hidden talents in singing and rap. I couldn’t ignore that.
My desire to help other artists shine through my visibility took over again: these talents deserved to be expressed! So I made the decision to transform the project into a real group of five singers/dancers, even if it meant putting aside my solo performances as Mathew. And today, when I see what we accomplish together, I’m more than happy and incredibly proud of them.
ANSEL: To be honest, at the beginning, the four of us were a bit apprehensive. Singing and dancing at the same time is a real physical and vocal challenge. But once we felt the audience’s energy and the joy of sharing the stage together, the desire to go further took over. Little by little, what started as a simple project became a real group. What unites us today is our shared ambition to create complete performances and to share our passion with the audience.
The idea for the group came when I was thinking about the direction I wanted to take with my shows. In reality, I don’t like being alone on stage. I have a vital need to share these experiences, to have a real team with whom I can live these intense emotions. So I decided to bring together four dancers from the Lille region whom I already knew: Kenza, Laura, Emmy, and Ansel.
Originally, their role was completely different — they were supposed to be my backdancers. That’s actually where the name M&SQUAD comes from: literally “Mathew and his squad.” We did our first convention in that format, but I quickly had a revelation. I realized they weren’t just excellent dancers — they had hidden talents in singing and rap. I couldn’t ignore that.
My desire to help other artists shine through my visibility took over again: these talents deserved to be expressed! So I made the decision to transform the project into a real group of five singers/dancers, even if it meant putting aside my solo performances as Mathew. And today, when I see what we accomplish together, I’m more than happy and incredibly proud of them.
ANSEL: To be honest, at the beginning, the four of us were a bit apprehensive. Singing and dancing at the same time is a real physical and vocal challenge. But once we felt the audience’s energy and the joy of sharing the stage together, the desire to go further took over. Little by little, what started as a simple project became a real group. What unites us today is our shared ambition to create complete performances and to share our passion with the audience.
How would you describe the crew’s identity and what sets you apart on the French K‑dance scene?
LAURA: If I had to summarize our identity in one word, it would be: authentic. Beyond the performance, what truly sets us apart is offering highly polished shows while staying 100% ourselves on stage. We don’t try to project a fake image — we want the audience to see us as we really are, to break the barrier between the stage and them, and to allow them to identify with us.
MATHEW: I completely agree with Laura — we have a special connection with the audience. We don’t just want to perform and wait for applause. We build our shows with the intention of making them participate, move, and sing. In the end, we want these concerts to belong to everyone!
ANSEL: I also think what really sets us apart is the fusion between singing and dancing. Doing dance covers is already demanding, but when you add live singing, the dynamic changes completely. It pushes us to constantly step out of our comfort zone and push our limits.
But it also gives us huge creative possibilities when building our shows. We can create moments of communion where the audience sings with us, dances with us, and truly lives the performance from the inside.
Of course, it requires a lot of adaptation. We often have to rework certain choreographies to manage our breath and sing properly at the same time. It’s an exercise that forces us to be both creative and extremely rigorous, always searching for the best balance between vocal and visual performance.
KENZA: For me, it’s our diversity! We all have different backgrounds, beliefs, and origins, yet we become one on stage. It’s a beautiful way to show that music has no barriers — that passion and love always bring people together.
MATHEW: I completely agree with Laura — we have a special connection with the audience. We don’t just want to perform and wait for applause. We build our shows with the intention of making them participate, move, and sing. In the end, we want these concerts to belong to everyone!
ANSEL: I also think what really sets us apart is the fusion between singing and dancing. Doing dance covers is already demanding, but when you add live singing, the dynamic changes completely. It pushes us to constantly step out of our comfort zone and push our limits.
But it also gives us huge creative possibilities when building our shows. We can create moments of communion where the audience sings with us, dances with us, and truly lives the performance from the inside.
Of course, it requires a lot of adaptation. We often have to rework certain choreographies to manage our breath and sing properly at the same time. It’s an exercise that forces us to be both creative and extremely rigorous, always searching for the best balance between vocal and visual performance.
KENZA: For me, it’s our diversity! We all have different backgrounds, beliefs, and origins, yet we become one on stage. It’s a beautiful way to show that music has no barriers — that passion and love always bring people together.
How does your creative process work: choosing choreographies, rehearsals, preparing shows?
EMMY: Most of the time, the initial spark comes from Mathew. His experience as a professional performer has greatly developed his creativity, and he always manages to surprise us, haha! Then he shares his ideas with us, and we discuss them to create something collective — a real team effort! Everything is considered when choosing songs: each member’s vocal abilities, the choreography, the balance between old-school and recent tracks, and above all, we choose songs that make both the audience and us happy!
LAURA: We structure our performances very thoughtfully. We consider outfit changes, study which choreographies flow best together to ensure coherence throughout the show, and look for the perfect dynamic to build a setlist that delivers emotion from beginning to end. If there’s one thing we never plan, it’s interactions with the audience. We want that to remain 100% natural. Every audience is different, which creates unique situations at every concert. We love that — those moments become our best memories!
ANSEL: Rehearsals can be a real puzzle because we all have studies or jobs. We have to juggle schedules, communicate constantly, and find time slots where everyone is available. Often, rehearsals end late at night. But once we’re all together in the studio, the fatigue disappears and we give everything!
MATHEW: A show like the Korean Touch concert requires at least two months of intense physical preparation to be ready on the big day. Endurance is essential to perform a full 90‑minute concert!
LAURA: We structure our performances very thoughtfully. We consider outfit changes, study which choreographies flow best together to ensure coherence throughout the show, and look for the perfect dynamic to build a setlist that delivers emotion from beginning to end. If there’s one thing we never plan, it’s interactions with the audience. We want that to remain 100% natural. Every audience is different, which creates unique situations at every concert. We love that — those moments become our best memories!
ANSEL: Rehearsals can be a real puzzle because we all have studies or jobs. We have to juggle schedules, communicate constantly, and find time slots where everyone is available. Often, rehearsals end late at night. But once we’re all together in the studio, the fatigue disappears and we give everything!
MATHEW: A show like the Korean Touch concert requires at least two months of intense physical preparation to be ready on the big day. Endurance is essential to perform a full 90‑minute concert!
You will perform at the Korean Touch in Lyon. What are you preparing for this event?
KENZA: We’re preparing several new songs that we’ve never performed on stage before. They’re recent and very popular tracks. It’s a great challenge for us because these new songs require more endurance — but we have to push further at some point, haha!
MATHEW: We also worked on a brand‑new show structure full of surprises, including special guest appearances!
EMMY: We really hope that when the audience leaves the concert, they feel like time flew by and that they were part of the show. Once again, our biggest goal is to transmit emotions — even to those who know nothing about K‑pop!
LAURA: It’s true that we often meet people who originally came to accompany friends, children, or relatives. When they tell us afterward that they loved the show without knowing anything about this universe, and that they can’t wait to see us again… I think that’s our greatest reward.
MATHEW: We also worked on a brand‑new show structure full of surprises, including special guest appearances!
EMMY: We really hope that when the audience leaves the concert, they feel like time flew by and that they were part of the show. Once again, our biggest goal is to transmit emotions — even to those who know nothing about K‑pop!
LAURA: It’s true that we often meet people who originally came to accompany friends, children, or relatives. When they tell us afterward that they loved the show without knowing anything about this universe, and that they can’t wait to see us again… I think that’s our greatest reward.
What have been your most memorable performances or projects so far?
LAURA: The Korean Tour Festival!
EMMY: Without hesitation, the Korean Tour Festival!!!
MATHEW: I think we all completely agree on that, hahaha!
ANSEL: We had the chance to sing in front of more than 1,500 people at that convention, on an absolutely insane stage. The energy in the room was incredible. It’s hard to describe, but when so many people sing and react with you, it’s a moment you never forget.
EMMY: Without hesitation, the Korean Tour Festival!!!
MATHEW: I think we all completely agree on that, hahaha!
ANSEL: We had the chance to sing in front of more than 1,500 people at that convention, on an absolutely insane stage. The energy in the room was incredible. It’s hard to describe, but when so many people sing and react with you, it’s a moment you never forget.
How do you experience your relationship with your audience?
KENZA: It was a bit complicated for the four of us at first because people didn’t know us and mainly came to see Mathew. We didn’t feel very legitimate during fansigns and meet‑and‑greets. But Mathew helped us feel comfortable, introduced us to his community, and created a real bond between us and the audience. Over time, we found our place by his side and fully embraced what we were experiencing.
EMMY: We still struggle to realize what’s happening to us. We went from the shadows to the spotlight very quickly, and we didn’t expect the audience to welcome us like this. We’re truly grateful and deeply touched by their love.
MATHEW: I have an incredibly supportive and kind community. They didn’t hesitate for a second to welcome M&SQUAD into their hearts and immediately trusted this new project. I will never thank them enough for supporting everything I do with such passion. I have a real team relationship with them — we give each other strength every day online, we reassure each other, we help each other, and we aim for success together. I feel a very deep love for them.
EMMY: We still struggle to realize what’s happening to us. We went from the shadows to the spotlight very quickly, and we didn’t expect the audience to welcome us like this. We’re truly grateful and deeply touched by their love.
MATHEW: I have an incredibly supportive and kind community. They didn’t hesitate for a second to welcome M&SQUAD into their hearts and immediately trusted this new project. I will never thank them enough for supporting everything I do with such passion. I have a real team relationship with them — we give each other strength every day online, we reassure each other, we help each other, and we aim for success together. I feel a very deep love for them.
What are your goals for M&SQUAD in the coming months?
ANSEL: To keep offering performances that are more ambitious and complete. We want to create an even more explosive show, with stronger dances always connected to singing, and that truly reflects each member’s personality. And… who knows? Maybe one day you’ll hear our first original single?
MATHEW: Eeeeh, hey hey hey, shhhhhh, that’s still a secret for now, haha! More seriously, I want this group to keep evolving, to push further, and to offer even more professional shows with bigger resources. And why not collaborate with other artists in the future? That would be a huge honor.
LAURA: I dream of having our own songs and filling big venues with an incredible audience!!!
MATHEW: Eeeeh, hey hey hey, shhhhhh, that’s still a secret for now, haha! More seriously, I want this group to keep evolving, to push further, and to offer even more professional shows with bigger resources. And why not collaborate with other artists in the future? That would be a huge honor.
LAURA: I dream of having our own songs and filling big venues with an incredible audience!!!
What message would you like to share with young dancers?
EMMY: Dare to dream big and don’t be afraid to seize opportunities.
ANSEL: Be kind to others and to yourselves. Progress takes time, but every experience matters.
KENZA: Keep learning, sharing, and above all, enjoying what you do.
LAURA: Never let anyone tell you whether you’re meant for something or not. Listen to your instincts, give yourself the means to succeed, and believe in yourself!
MATHEW: Throughout my journey, people told me I would never fit into society’s standards and that no one would ever care about my talent. Today, I prove them wrong because I turned all the pain I was given into strength and used it to move forward. Do the same — find that strength within you, go for it, give yourself the chance to reach your goals. And if you struggle to believe in yourself, let us believe in you.
ANSEL: Be kind to others and to yourselves. Progress takes time, but every experience matters.
KENZA: Keep learning, sharing, and above all, enjoying what you do.
LAURA: Never let anyone tell you whether you’re meant for something or not. Listen to your instincts, give yourself the means to succeed, and believe in yourself!
MATHEW: Throughout my journey, people told me I would never fit into society’s standards and that no one would ever care about my talent. Today, I prove them wrong because I turned all the pain I was given into strength and used it to move forward. Do the same — find that strength within you, go for it, give yourself the chance to reach your goals. And if you struggle to believe in yourself, let us believe in you.