NTO Talks “I Cared For You,” Mont Rouge and His Upcoming Album “Naked”
Few artists have shaped the emotional side of modern melodic techno quite like NTO. Born Anthony Favier, the French producer and live performer emerged from the South of France and became one of the defining names of the melodic techno movement, later co-founding the influential Hungry Music collective alongside Worakls and Joachim Pastor. His sound has become widely recognized for its soaring melodies, deep basslines and cinematic atmosphere.
Over the years, NTO has built a career around live performance, emotional intensity and a clear melodic identity. His catalog includes standout works such as “La clé des champs,” “Invisible,” “The Morning After,” and the 2021 album “Apnea,” while his recent chapter has brought him to All Night Long, the French electronic label now connected to his forthcoming album “Naked.”
Following the deeply personal release of “Fior Di Macchia,” NTO now joins forces with Swiss electronic duo Mont Rouge on “I Cared For You,” released via All Night Long / Believe. The single, also featuring songwriting from Noah Kulaga, continues the emotional direction of NTO’s upcoming album while connecting his melodic techno world with Mont Rouge’s hypnotic, groove-led electronic energy.
Interview with NTO
“I Cared For You”: Nostalgia, Memory and Letting the Song Breathe
What was the first emotion behind “I Cared For You”?
Nostalgia, I think.
That strange feeling when something is over but still very alive somewhere inside you. Not really sadness… more like looking back at something that mattered a lot.
The title feels very intimate. What does “I Cared For You” mean to you personally?
It’s about caring deeply for someone, and what remains after things change.
But I also like that the title can mean different things depending on who’s listening. That’s important to me, I don’t want to explain everything :)
Working with Mont Rouge and Noah Kulaga
How did the collaboration with Mont Rouge first happen?
It actually started with the vocals. I had written a first idea, and then Noah Kulaga wrote the lyrics around it and really brought the story to life.
After that, I started working on the production with Mont Rouge. Our worlds connected very naturally and the track kind of found its direction from there.
It was a really organic process, which is usually when the best things happen.
A Glimpse into “Naked”
The release has a strong melodic and emotional direction. Is this a sign of what we can expect from the upcoming album?
Definitely yes.
Naked is probably my most personal album so far. It’s still made for the dancefloor, but there is a lot of emotion, memories and things I’ve been going through these last few years inside it.
It’s probably the closest my music has ever been to who I am.
When you work on music this emotional, do you usually start from a memory, a melody, or a mood?
Most of the time, a melody.
But usually the melody itself comes from a mood or something I’m living at that moment. So it’s difficult to really separate them.
Studio Habits, Life Outside Music and Touring
Do you have any studio habits or rituals before starting a new idea?
Not really haha.
Coffee maybe? I actually try not to have too many rituals. I like entering the studio without knowing exactly what’s going to happen, that’s part of the excitement for me.
Outside of music, what’s the hobby or pastime that helps you disconnect the most?
Being outside, definitely. Nature, riding my bike, spending time with my family…
Anything that gets me away from a screen basically, which is becoming more and more necessary :)
You’ve been touring a lot recently. Has the energy from the road influenced the way you’re approaching this new chapter?
Yes for sure. Playing live constantly reminds me that music is also something physical and collective.
But lately I’m also trying to protect the studio from touring a little bit. I don’t want every decision I make while producing to be about how a track will work on a huge stage.
I need both worlds.
Still Evolving After All These Years
What’s the most unexpected or funny thing that happened to you while touring?
After all these years there are honestly too many…
Missed flights, lost bags, weird hotels, ending up in places where I have absolutely no idea how I got there haha.
Touring is basically a very inefficient way of travelling around the world with your friends.
After all these years, what still excites you about creating and sharing music?
Evolution.
The idea that I can still enter the studio tomorrow and make something I couldn’t have made six months ago is incredibly exciting to me.
I’m much less obsessed with success now. I’m more curious about where music can take me personally, and how everything I live can somehow find its way into it.
NTO’s upcoming album “Naked” is set for release on October 16th, 2026. The album is now available for pre-order, with NTO’s official website already announcing “Naked” as his new album and Apple Music listing it as a 10-track pre-release.
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