The L.A. Rochelle project and pseudonym was born from tragedy, as the artist escaped his flat in Paris where his best friend had taken the life of his other best friend. Both were his flatmates, and the pair were hiding a relationship due to one of the friends hiding their sexuality, driven to being so secretive for fear of judgement from their family.

Dealing with immense trauma and grief, L.A. Rochelle immersed himself in his music – a process that redefined his perspective of love, friendship and loss. It was through his escape from his hometown, La Rochelle in France, to L.A., that the name that would later define his project came into being.