His voice. His face. His accent. And now his new fragrance. Michael Bublé has pretty much ticked everything off the checklist. And on one hot, muggy night in North London, I called Michael in New York, to find out all the juicy deets of his new scent, By Invitation…
Tell me about the new fragrance…
It’s light and pretty with notes of vanilla, rose and sandalwood. I can’t wait for people to try it. I just know women will feel confident and sexy wearing it.
Why did you decide to create a fragrance for women?
It was the first thing I wanted to create. I wouldn’t rule out doing a men’s scent in the future, though. Making a fragrance was a natural extension of what I do – I reach out and connect to people. I’d been thinking about releasing a fragrance for the last 10 years, and – trust me – I was very cautious about it. But the more I talked about it, the more interested I became. And it makes me so happy that I can introduce myself to women who may not be my music fans.
What have you always loved about fragrance?
I love the way it connects me to memories. Fragrances always take me back to special moments, and when I smell female scents, they remind me of the women in my life who I’ve loved.
When did you start wearing fragrance?
I was about 12 or 13, at high school, and I wore way too much! I was obsessed with Calvin Klein Obsession For Men and Joop! Homme. I smelt like a perfumery!
What are your favourite smells in By Invitation?
The sandalwood, red fruits, vanilla, rose and musk. I tend to wear fragrances that have sandalwood, so this really inspired me for By Invitation. I didn’t want anything too floral or sweet, but something nicely blended and feminine. We created quite a few fragrances, and I took the final three versions home. My wife chose her favourite and I chose mine, and they were the same!
What does the name By Invitation mean?
I spent hours thinking about what to call it! I realised that I’m inviting women to try something new and become part of a special event.
Where would you wear By Invitation?
A woman can where it anywhere. There’s not a place I wouldn’t want my wife wearing it. And if a woman walked into a lift wearing it, I would be happy!
What do you think of when you smell By Invitation?
I feel a great sense of excitement and nervousness. I have high expectations, and I think people are going to love it. A lot of love was put into this perfume, so I’m really proud of it.
How does your wife feel about it?
She’s so excited because it’s the scent she chose. She also loves the bottle, which is gold and stunning. Luisana uses her favourite perfume bottles as decorations in our house once she’s finished them. I think she’ll be doing the same with this one.
What have you learnt by making your first fragrance?
How complex creating a fragrance is! But also how lots of patience can create something beautiful.
If By Invitation was one of your songs, which one would it be?
It would be Everything.
What was your main involvement in making By Invitation?
I’ve never created something and not been a part of it. I was involved in every process in the making of By Invitation (even when I wasn’t actually present!). From talking over ingredients with expert Michael Edwards to the bottle and packaging… I loved every minute of it. I’m a big fan of science and astrophysics, and the fact that I could walk into a lab was so satisfying.
What do you think your fans will think about By Invitation?
I think they’ll love it and will want to wear it all the time. They were so excited when I announced the news. One of the big questions I’m asked is when I’ll be doing a men’s fragrance. The answer is, if By Invitation works, I’ll expand. I have a record coming out in October and a movie, but I’ve put more work into this than anything, so all that’s left to do is let people smell it for themselves…
By Invitation launches at The Perfume Shop on 11 September 2016.
