Miraval Studios

{{Short description|French recording studio}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}} '''Miraval Studios''' is a recording studio located in the Château de Miraval, a 900 hectares estate located in Correns, in the Var department of Provence (France).<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/label/271897-Studio-Miraval Studio Miraval, profile and discography], ''Discogs''.</ref> Founded in 1977 by French jazz pianist Jacques Loussier and sound engineer Patrice Quef, it was in operation under the name '''Studio Miraval''' until the mid-2000s, but sat unused after the acquisition of the estate by actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in 2011. Brad Pitt and French producer Damien Quintard reopened the fully restored and refurbished studios under the name Miraval Studios in October 2022.<ref name=adi>{{cite news |last=Hansen |first=Kristine |url=https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/brad-pitts-latest-design-project-is-a-music-studio-at-chateau-miraval |title=Brad Pitt's Latest Design Project Is a Music Studio at Château Miraval: The star is renovating Miraval Studios with French producer Damien Quintard |work=Architectural Digest |date=13 December 2021 |access-date=18 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vineyardbrands.com/content/Photos/0106/0106-19-06-21-10-21-26-549.jpg?v20190621102246633 |title=Château Miraval: Studio Miraval |work=Vineyard Brands |location=Birmingham, Alabama |date=21 June 2019 |access-date=18 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMl6CVOfQSY | title=Miraval Studios - Reopening 2022 | website=YouTube }}</ref>

== Studio Miraval (1977–2000s) == [[File:Jacques Loussier-02.jpg|thumb|right|Jacques Loussier, founder of Studio Miraval.|170px]] For hundreds of years, the Miraval estate in the south of France has inspired artisans, vintners and other creatives. Surrounded by gardens, stone terraces, fountains and a forest of white oak and evergreen, the 900-acre property has produced wines and olives since the 13th century.

In 1977, the estate's then-owner, French pianist and composer Jacques Loussier,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.evene.fr/celebre/biographie/jacques-loussier-16871.php |title=Biography of Jacques Loussier| website=Lefigaro|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:aifoxqt5ldte~T1|title= Jacques Loussier|website=Allmusic.com}}</ref> and sound engineer Patrice Quef<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/patrice-quef-mn0000744922/credits|title= Patrice Quef |website=Allmusic.com}}</ref> built a state-of-the-art recording studio on the property, the Studio Miraval. Loussier began by recording his own work, mainly for films, and then started taking on French artists such as Maxime Le Forestier and Pierre Vassiliu.

Miraval achieved fame thanks to Pink Floyd, who came there in 1979 to record part of their album ''The Wall''. Subsequently, equipped with one of the first SSL mixing consoles in France, Miraval recorded AC/DC, Judas Priest, The Cranberries, The Cure, Muse, Wham!, Level 42, David Sylvian (solo and with Rain Tree Crow), Chris Rea, Sade, the Go-Betweens, Steve Winwood, Yes, UB40, Chris Braide, Shirley Bassey, the Gipsy Kings, Shakatak, Rammstein, Fonky Family, Kelly Family, Blankass, Silmarils, Jimmy Barnes and many others. Later on, in the early and middle 2000s, Rammstein recorded the album ''Mutter'', and Courtney Love also spent a few weeks in the estate.{{Citation needed|date=September 2025}} Muse used the studio for their 2006 album ''Black Holes and Revelations.<ref name="Telegraph">{{cite news |last=McCormick |first=Neil |date=6 July 2006 |title=Messages from Mars |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2006/07/06/bmmuse06.xml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070709052333/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=%2Farts%2F2006%2F07%2F06%2Fbmmuse06.xml |archive-date=9 July 2007 |access-date=13 April 2007 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=London}}</ref>''

In 1998, Loussier sold Miraval to businessman–turned–wine producer Tom Bove who resold it in 2011 to actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.vanityfair.fr/culture/people/articles/les-mal-aimes-de-correns/23843|title=Brad Pitt et Angelina Jolie : les mal-aimés de Correns|trans-title=Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie : the evil-aimés of Correns| language=fr |magazine=Vanity Fair|date=2015-01-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Inside Brangelina's 1,000-acre French estate|date=2014-08-28 |url=https://nypost.com/2014/08/28/a-peek-inside-brangelinas-1000-acre-french-estate/|author1=Ceaser, Jennifer |author2=Gross, Max|work=The New York Post}}</ref> who decided not to operate the studio anymore.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/news/ni0948189 |title=Jolie & Pitt's Rock 'N' Roll Castle|website=IMDB|date=2008-08-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828060541/https://www.imdb.com/news/ni0948189 |archive-date=2009-08-28 }}</ref>

== Miraval Studios (2022–present) == On 10 October 2022, Brad Pitt, now separated from Angelina Jolie (who sold her shares in the Miraval estate),<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnews.fr/people/2021-10-07/domaine-de-miraval-en-conflit-avec-brad-pitt-angelina-jolie-vend-ses-parts-du |title=Domaine de Miraval: en conflit avec Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie vend ses parts du château et du vignoble |date=2021-10-07 |work=CNews |language=fr |trans-title=Domaine de Miraval: in conflict with Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie sells her shares of the château and the vineyard}}</ref> and French producer Damien Quintard officially reopened the completely redesigned and refurbished studios under the name Miraval Studios.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMl6CVOfQSY | title=Miraval Studios - Reopening 2022 | website=YouTube }}</ref>

One of the studio's first additions is a console with hybrid analog and digital capabilities, a Dolby Atmos system, and all the technology needed to pre-mix for film and television projects. Recording booths and workstations for sound and video editing are also included.<ref name=adi/>

Sade and her eponymous band were the first to record at the studios.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/features/miraval-brad-pitt-damien-quintard-recording-studio-cover-story-1235150576/ | title=Brad Pitt and Damien Quintard Reveal the Rebirth of France's Legendary Miraval Studios | magazine=Billboard |date=2022-10-07|author=Havens, Lyndsey}}</ref> Travis Scott used the studio for his 2023 album ''Utopia''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=II |first=C. Vernon Coleman IIC Vernon Coleman |date=2023-08-09 |title=Travis Scott Has a Surprising Connection to Brad Pitt Thanks to Utopia |url=https://www.xxlmag.com/travis-scott-brad-pitt-utopia/ |access-date=2023-08-12 |website=XXL Mag |language=en}}</ref> Some of the 2024 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds album ''Wild God'' was recorded at Miraval.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Wild God |url=https://www.nickcave.com/releases/wild-god/ |access-date=13 December 2024 |website=NickCave.com |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

== External links == *{{Official website}} * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIN5F5UNw5E Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds recording ''Wild God'' at Miraval.]

Category:Recording studios in France Category:1977 establishments in France Category:Buildings and structures in Var (department) Category:Companies based in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur *