Yves Paquet’s goal is to be “A Decent Man”

Belgian artist Yves Paquet doesn’t buy into to the Kardashian culture, where you need a private jet and your own island to land it on. His new single “A Decent Man” puts it simply yet beautifully: “Who needs airplanes to go shopping in New York? / I just want to be decent, a decent man.”

“It’s about learning to take a step back, to leave space for nature and one another,” says Paquet. This is something I aspire to myself: a more simple, humble, present way of living. The world is rapidly changing. Between hectic agendas, social media and the pressure we put on ourselves, it can sometimes feel suffocating.”

Paquet wants to do what’s right for the planet because he’s lived all over it. Born in Brazil, he had a #1 hit in Belgium in 2018 called “UFO” (with The Subs), a dance track sung in German. The video for “A Decent Man” was shot in Northern Ireland.

“A Decent Man” is the title track on Paquet’s new 10-song album. Most of the songs have a feathery, light-folk feel. “Heart Of Giants” sounds like something you could have heard in a Greenwich Village café in 1960, while “Heavy Sun” has an infectious, McCartney-esque melody.

We need more decent dudes in pop music – and Paquet is brimming with human kindness and undeniable talent. His new album is one of the sleepers of 2023 so far.

Listen to “A Decent Man” below, or find the full album on your favorite streamer.