A New French Single Hits #1
Australian pop star, Kylie Minogue has released a new French language single that has already broken the charts…
Australian pop star, Kylie Minogue has released a new French language single that has already broken the charts. The song, On Oublie le Reste, is a duet with French singer Jenifer, and includes a nod to one of Kylie’s biggest hits, Can’t Get You Out Of My Head. The new sure-to-hit track features lyrics sung entirely in French by both Kylie and Jenifer and incorporates the famous “la la la” refrain from Can’t Get You Out Of My Head, which reached #1 in 40 countries in 2001.
Throughout her career, Minogue has been known for reinventing herself in fashion and music. She is described as a style icon and has been recognised with several honorific nicknames, most notably the "Princess of Pop". Minogue is also recognised as the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time. In 2008, Kylie received one of France’s highest cultural awards when she was made a Chevalier dans l’ordre des Arts et Lettres (Knight of Arts and Letters) for her contribution to French culture and for her overall love of the country. “Princess of pop, uncontested queen of the dance floors, you are a sort of Midas of the international music scene who turns everything she touches into gold, from records to micro-shorts,” said Christine Albanel, the French cultural minister at the time, when presenting the award to Kylie in Paris.
France wasn’t the only country where the song hit #1. Australia, Britain, Germany, Ireland and New Zealand all boosted the duet to the #1 spot. On Oublie le Reste, which in English means “we forget the rest”, continues Kylie’s long association with France where her music has generated twenty-four Top 40 hits, including 10 Top Ten singles and now, a chart-topping #1 single.
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about how A New French Single Hits #1! Ready to jam out to the newest Kylie Minogue track and understand her lyrics en Français? Our native instructors and culturally immersive classes will allow you to dive deep into the French language and improve your entire listening experience. Click below to learn more!
French Day of Music
A collaboration between Egyptian and French musicians for a government sponsored musical on the longest day of the year? Sign us up!
The French Institute in Egypt will hold the 2019 edition of the Music Day at Al Azhar Park on June 20th. However, if you’re looking for a lineup, you may be out of luck. The Egyptian and French artists that will partake in the festival are usually discovered on that day.
This year's edition will focus on Rai and its late iconic performer Rashid Taha while featuring a unique variety of artists including the Egyptian musical band El-dor el-Awal (First floor), French - Algerian singer Soufiane Saidi and French Mazzleda team. The closing set will be performed by DJ Countess.
Music Day is an annual music celebration that takes place on June 21 where citizens of some cities are allowed and encouraged to play music outside in their neighborhoods or in public spaces such as parks. Many free concerts are also organized, where musicians perform for fun as there is no payment involved.
Organizers ensured that Music Day takes place on the day of the summer solstice and was originated in Paris in 1982 by French Minister of Culture, Jack Lang, and Maurice Fleuret, and since then, it has been celebrated in 120 countries around the world.
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about the French Day of Music! Want to hear some of our favorite French hits? Listen to the official JP Linguistics Spotify playlist below!
The Trouble with Teknivals
Turns out you can party too hard.
Festival-goers at an illegal rave in France have been taken to hospital after contracting hypothermia after an unexpected snow storm hit the unauthorized hill top festival at a military site in Creuse over the weekend. Hundreds of survival blankets were handed out to attendees by rescuers, with many people receiving treatment on site.
Teknival is in its 26th year and only reveals the location of each installment at the last minute. It’s estimated that 10,000 people attended this year’s edition with only 500-600 staying until the end after temperatures plummeted to nearly 20 degrees F. The festival was further dampened by more than 100 police officers made a number of seizures of drugs including cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine.
Currently French law permits free parties with 500 people or under (subject to no noise complaints), and while Prefets generally refuse the applications now required for free parties with over 500 people, through constant negotiations with the Ministry of Interior since the August 2002 teknival on the French/Italian frontier at Col de l’Arches where sound crews set up rigs inside the Italian border facing the party goers in France, the French Government have reluctantly allowed up to three large teknivals each year, even though they are technically unauthorized events.
Teknivals also take place outside legal festivals such as Printemps de Bourges, Transmusicales in Rennes or Borealis in Montpellier. Teknival negotiators deal directly with the Ministry of Interior, not the Ministry of Culture (with whom the commercial ventures seeking official status must deal) indicating that they are largely not cultural but security concerns.
We hope you’ve enjoyed The Trouble with Teknivals! What are your thoughts on these giant free festivals? Should the government allow them to continue, or are they simply too much of a public health risk? Join the conversation below!
French Music Icons You Should Know: Edith Piaf
With a life as notorious as her music, the chanteuse captured the hearts of millions.
Edith Piaf was one France’s first international superstars of the twentieth century, with her chart topping ballads like “La Vie En Rose”, “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien”, and “L’Hymne à l'Amour.” She lead a life touched by drug and alcohol addiction, scandalously public love affairs, and all the melodrama only a French chanteuse could provide. Through the tumult, Piaf managed to capture the hearts of the French people and remains an icon 50 years after her death.
Photo: Gilles Petard
Before her twentieth birthday, Piaf had been exposed to some of life’s harshest knocks. She had recovered from from keratitis-induced blindness, lived in a bordello, and lost a child to meningitis. Piaf used her sorrow to fuel her trademark powerhouse performances, which boosted her to fame within the French nightclub circuit within the span of one year. Her stage name “La Mome Piaf”, slang for “The Little Sparrow” is attributed to her “waifish” stature of only 4’8” and increased the buzz around her performances. She was known to leave her audiences breathless with her ability to draw a thunderous voice from her petite frame.
Piaf shot to National fame during World War II and is attributed for raising the French people’s spirits during the German occupation of France. She played an instrumental role in the release of hundreds of French soldiers from Prisoner of War camps by using her influence over her German fans during negotiations.
She rose to fame in America following the war and throughout the fifties after a lone New York Times critic saved her first U.S. tour with a positive review. She became a French classic in the states nearly overnight.
With fame also came a return to her various vices and volatile lovers, and Piaf’s health tragically declined at the turn on the sixties. Her performances were plagued with fits of coughing and fainting until she was convinced to retire from performing by her loved ones. She died of liver cancer in 1963 and was granted the highest honor of having the French flag draped over her casket during her traffic-stopping funeral procession.
Piaf’s impact is still felt today with her pieces being covered by artists of every genre, used in film soundtracks and commercials across the world, and her own recording still topping streaming charts. Edith Piaf is proof the the biggest impacts can come from something small (and French.)
We hope you’ve enjoyed exploring French Music Icons You Should Know! Want to hear more of our favorite foreign artists? Click below to check out our official JP Linguistics Spotify playlist!
Signing with SACEM
A new deal ensures the dominance of the French musicians’ union.
Signing with SACEM
SACEM - the French Society of Authors, Composers, and Publishers of Music has recently signed a new deal with The Music Sales Group to take over digital licensing for portions of it’s catalog containing more than 120,000 works. The belief is that by expanding the society’s reach, it will be more effective in collecting royalties for their artists.
The agreement has been effective since July 1, 2018 in more than 130 territories across the globe. It covers famous composers and musicians from the 1920’s through today and has worked extensively with independent publishers to assist in digital licensing across the world. In 2018 alone, SACEM has linked up with PEN Music, The Music Goes Round Publishing, and IMPEL with The Music Sales Group joining as the latest high-profile partner.
CEO Jean-Noël Tronc has stated that he is pleased with the deal between the 2 companies and that the partnership has highlighted how SACEM has become an industry leader in multi-territory licensing.
“This partnership further cements SACEM’s industry position as the partner of choice for both international and independent music publishers.” - Jean-Noël Tronc
The SACEM organization has been advocating and collecting for musicians, composers, and songwriters since it was established in 1850. One year later, the professional union became a society (société civile) of authors, composers, and publishers who divided the author’s rights collected amongst the members, and this rule has been maintained to the present day.
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about how The Music Sales Group is Signing with SACEM! Do you think this will be a victory for musicians around the world? Join the conversation below!
The Diverse Foundation of Orange Blossom
A French band finds inspiration outside of America’s sphere of cultural influence.
This week, we are spotlighting possibly one of the most diverse music groups on the planet, but more specifically, in France. Members of Orange Blossom -- a French electronic / world music group has come out with heavy praise recently for their affinity of Turkish music. While this may seem a bit odd, it comes as no surprise to anyone that is familiar with the band.
Orange Blossom consists of 3 members and was formed in Nantes in 1993 with their first album (which was self titled) Orange Blossom, came out in 1997 on the Prikosnovénie label, selling 15,000 copies.
Possibly the most interesting aspect of the band is the diversity of the members. The lineup has included Pierre-Jean Chabot (known as PJ Chabot) on violin and Jean-Christophe Waechter (known as Jay C.) on percussions and vocals. In 1994, Éric (organ) joined the band and a first audio tape was recorded in September and their first album, Orange Blossom, then released in 1997.
Before their second album came out, the group was influenced by ethnic and traditional music. They met and collaborated with several non-French artists, like Ivorian percussion group, Yelemba D'Abidjan, and Egyptian group, Ganoub. They toured in Egypt, France, and Belgium. Vocalist Jay C. left the band in 2000 and created Prajña. In 2002, percussionist Mathias Vaguenez and vocalist Leïla Bounous joined the group. The album Everything Must Change came out in 2005 on the Bonsaï Music label.
The group’s popular hit in Turkey, “Ya Sidi,” was used in the soundtrack of popular television series Cukur (the Pit).
When asked about Turkish music, drummer Arenas said he "loves" it and that he respects Turkish music and loves the ney -- an end-blown flute mainstream especially used in the Middle East -- as well the saz, a traditional Turkish stringed musical instrument.
“Because people want to copy the American music all the time, we have traditional music.”
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about The Diverse Foundation of Orange Blossom! Who is your favorite foreign music artist? Join the conversation below!
Streaming Success
Contrary to popular apprehension, streaming has revitalized the local French music scene.
There has been a growing sentiment in recent years that the shift from physical music acquisition to digital has been a burden on independent artists. To contrary, it has only increased the popularity of music, specifically in France, but also amongst local artists.
In the first half of 2018, music streaming services in France grew almost 40% and make up almost 60% of the total music market in France according to SNEP, the country’s trade organization for recorded music. They reported that there were about 27 billion music streams in France in the 6 month period equalling out to more than 1 billion streams every week.
This stands in contrast to the almost 20 billion streams that were made during the same period last year. Keep in mind that in the first half of 2015, there were only 7.5 billion music streams. Those that may want to attribute this to platforms that do not compensate artists should note that nearly 70% of the streams were made through paid services.
Both physical recordings and downloads, however, have been hurt by the success of music streaming. Last year 48% of music sales in France came from physical recordings and 5% from downloads, and this year 40% of sales came from physical sales and 3% came from downloads.
To paint the picture of what is driving this surge is in what the French are streaming. According to SNEP, local music acts are leading the market. 19 of the top 20 albums this year were French. A total of 16 of the acts in the list are considered rap artists. These numbers should ease fears in the country that streaming would internationalize the industry in France at the expense of French recording artists, who make use of a quota system on the radio.
We hope you've enjoyed Streaming Success! While the shift has certainly helped French artists, do you think this shift from owning music to streaming will be positive or negative in the long run of the music industry? Join the conversation below!
Getting Past the Musical Gatekeepers
A technological innovation in an industry filled with red tape.
There is a new contender in the world of online platforms aimed to aid independent musical artists in bypassing the gatekeepers of the music industry.
For independent musicians, a variety of challenges often stand in the way of promoting their work. Fortunately, a new startup called Tunetrax offers a simple solution: one platform to act as an artist’s hub for all web based outlets including website, social media management hub, and a direct line to connections in the music industry.
Tunetrax aims for musicians to build successful careers through the use of one dashboard that helps musicians publish, distribute, and promote audio, among other things, automatically update their social media, and interact with and sell directly with fans.
French entrepreneur, Rémi Jourdan witnessed the struggles of both the talent buying and musician perspective which prompted him developed this one-stop music platform. Everything is instantly shareable onto all the major social networks and helps the musicians connect with fans, agents, venues, and other industry figures.
We hope you've enjoyed learning about Getting Past the Musical Gatekeepers! How do you think continued development of services like Tunetrax will affect the music industry? Join the conversation below!
Élysée EDM
France gets ready to party chez le Président !
Of all of the events one may envision at the French presidential palace, a rave may rank relatively low, but in this case, one would be wrong. The French presidency hosted an electronic music show in the courtyard of the Élysée palace on the country’s Music Day as part of the 37th annual Fête de la Musique, also known as Music Day.
The festival was founded in 1981 when Maurice Fleuret became Director of Music and Dance with the mantra "the music everywhere and the concert nowhere.” Upon discovering that five million French citizens played a musical instrument, he debuted the very first Fête de la Musique in 1982 in Paris. Since then, the festival has become an international phenomenon, celebrated on the same day in more than 700 cities in 120 countries.
This marks the first-ever electronic music event to take place at the presidential palace. Officially dubbed Élysée Fête La Musique, the 4 hour concert is a celebration of “French Touch,” a style of French electronic music popularized in the ‘90s by famous artists including Daft Punk, Cassius, Modjo, Justice and Etienne de Crecy.
Nearly 1,500 people were in attendance during the free concert. However, for those that were unable to acquire tickets in time, there are still many raves that will take place in unique settings throughout Europe this summer including an abandoned military base in the Netherlands and a sun-soaked vineyard in southern France.
We hope you've enjoyed learning about Élysée EDM! Interested in experiencing Fête de la Musique in its founding country? Our culturally immersive group classes taught by native instructors will enable you to dance the night away with a true understanding of the language and culture that has cultivated this tradition.
Zaz and All That Jazz
The story of the Gypsy-jazz singer who’s breaking headlines in France.
It is no news to France that Zaz, a French pop singer with a gypsy jazz style, is at the top of her game, but it might be news to you. So, who exactly Is Zaz? Let JP Linguistics be the first to tell you. Born Isabelle Geffroy, she first appeared in the music scene with her self-titled album "Zaz" and won over the hearts of fans with her top-charting hit "Je Veux" in 2010. Although she is often compared to the iconic French singer of the 1950s Edith Piaf, Zaz has independently made quite a name for herself. Her unique acoustic vocals and charm differentiate her as a modern-day, gypsy jazz singer.
Header Image: Schorle (www.commons.wikimedia.org)
Zaz’s Early Life
Zaz was born in Tours, France on May 1, 1980. At a young age, she began learning piano, violin and guitar at a music conservatory in Bordeaux as she aspired to pursue her music career. Her first few gigs as an artist were in 2001, with such bands as Fifty Fingers, and Izar-Adatz (French for "Shooting Star"). Upon the release of "Zaz" in 2010, she began touring around the world, and quickly topped the charts in Belgium, Switzerland and Austria. Her knowledge of music and intuitive abilities enable Zaz to provide her audiences with quality shows.
Je Veux
I Want - Je Veux (English translation)
Give me a suite at the Ritz hotel, I don't want that
Chanel's jewellery, I don't want that
Give me a limo, what would I do with it?
Offer me a staff, what would I do with it?
A mansion in Neufchatel, it's not for me
Offer me the Eiffel Tower, what would I do with it?
I want love, joy, good spirit
It's not your money that will make me happy
I want to die with a hand on my heart
Let's go together, let's discover my freedom,
Forget all your prejudice, welcome to my reality
Upon it's release in 2010, "Je Veux" quickly became the most popular song in France, and inspired Zaz to release her first self-titled album, which sold 700,000 albums worldwide, the biggest French music export in year. Zaz won Song of the Year at Les Victoires de la Musique, the French equivalent to the Grammy's in 2011, and the European Border Breaker Awards in 2010 for French Artist Most Played Abroad. "Je Veux" was so respected because of its encouraging lyrics about the ethical view - "money doesn't buy happiness."
The success of her first album inspired Zaz to follow-up with her next album in 2013, "Recto Verso." In this album, she continues to expose her incredible vocals through her iconic, and traditional music style. "Recto Verso" reached number one in Switzerland, and number two in Germany and France.
Paris
Zaz released her most recent album in 2014, a compilation of traditional Paris-themed songs. It contains classics, such as "Sous Le Ciel de Paris," which was made famous by the iconic Edith Piaf, among other covers of Paris ballads. This album won her much recognition for its originality from her previous albums, and for its appreciation of French culture.
Are you a fan of Zaz? Leave a comment with your favorite song below and share this article with your friends online using #jplingo @jplinguistics.com. Looking to learn how to speak French? Check out our Private Lessons and Group Classes at www.jplinguistics.com.
Luce - Going Against the Norm
The Nouvelle Star performer is making a big name for herself.
Luce is a French Singer and Songwriter known best for going against the norm with her funky personality and eccentric fashion sense. Although she is lesser known in the states, Luce is widely recognized in French for winning the eighth series of the French music competition Nouvelle Star. Auditioning on a bet, this spur-the-moment decision turned out to be her claim to fame. She won over audiences and engaged a huge following over the course of the competition. Today, Luce continues to inspire her fans to go against the norm. Her newest album, Chaud, hit the top 100 charts for its spunky instrumentals and lyrics.
Image Credit: Damien Schmitt (www.commons.wikimedia.org)
Born Lucie Brunet in Perpignan, France on January 28, 1990, Luce expressed her love for music by practicing the flute at a young age. However, she began pursing a different career entirely when preparing to study nursing in Montpellier. It was a last minute decision for her to audition for the TV talent show series, and it ultimately changed the course of her career. In 2011, she released her first album Première Phalange, and toured around Europe.
In recent years, Luce released her second album called Chaud in February of 2015, with the singles "Polka" and "Malibu" earning much recognition. This album put Luce back on the map for its funky instrumentals and vocals.
POLKA - Lyrics
I want to dance the polka
I want to dance it in your arms
I want to dance it right away
I want to dance every sequence
I want to dance the sequence
Even if I don't know the steps
I want to dance it, it's crazy
I want to dance it while following
Even if I don't know the pace
I want to enter in the dance
I could dance no matter what
Especially since it's with you
I know I have my clogs
Yes but I wear the hat
And if I can't stand up
I will dance it around your neck
Even if I am not on the list
I want to enter on the track
Je veux danser la polka
J'la veux danser dans tes bras
J'la veux danser tout de suite
J'la veux danser toute cuite
Je veux danser la polka
Même si je sais pas le pas
J'la veux danser, c'est fou
J'la veux danser tout d'ssous
Même si je suis pas la cadence
Je veux entrer dans la danse
J'pourrais danser n'importe quoi
Tant que c'est avec toi
Je sais j'ai mes gros sabots
Oui mais je porte le chapeau
Et si je tiens pas d'bout
J'la danserais à ton cou
Même si j'suis pas sur la liste
Je veux entrer sur la piste
We hope you enjoyed learning more about French pop star, Luce. To listen to the full album and to follow Luce, click here. To learn more French language and culture, visit the JP Linguistics services homepage. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for articles delivered directly to your inbox.
10 French Songs To Fuel Your Workday
Enjoy this playlist of 10 French music videos to get you through the workday!
There is nothing quite like music to spice up a busy workday. With that, we hoped to send some inspiration your way with songs from popular artists like Zaz, Helena & Suzanne along with others may be less recognized. Regardless, music is a great way to practice your French skills. Enjoy these 10 French Songs To Fuel Your Workday!
3 Reasons Why Stromae Matters to French Culture!
Stromae is taking the world by storm. Read about his impact on Francophone culture.
It is likely that you have never heard of Stromae before, but the Belgium-born pop icon is quickly breaking ground in the U.S. in ways that no other French singer has before. Since his number one hit in 2009, Alors on Danse, he's gained a huge following in Europe and, more recently, in North America. Since reaching number one, he's collaborated with producers like Kanye West (who remixed Alors on Danse) and toured music festivals like Coachella and SXSW. It's no easy task crossing the ocean in the music industry, but he is one musician that is bringing pride to French culture and we are here to tell you why. We hope you enjoy 3 Reasons Why Stromae Matters to French Culture!
1. He Promotes the Joie De Vivre
While many pop singers in modern culture are looking for ways to stand out, Stromae is reaching within. Just take a look at his interpretation of the song L’amour Est un Oiseau Rebelle from the famous opera Carmen. This video critique on social media is his clever way of creating a musical protest towards the over consumption of online living. Instead of sitting on Instagram all day, he would prefer that we focus on more real-life experiences. For example, maybe having a delightful meal with friends, a simple glass of wine with a lover, or strutting a perfectly tailored outfit amidst a busy city street. All of these things, living and experiencing life, is of most importance to French culture. It's the Joie De Vivre!
2. He's A Sophisticated Artist
Of the primary interests in French culture, Art would be among the top. Whether discussing Art or critiquing it, the French pride themselves on having a strong sense of sophistication. While some forms of Art are more celebrated than others, when focusing on the music genre, hiphop (which Stromae has a strong background in), the French are typically not satisfied with the flood of music videos focused on bling-bling and male dominated themes that objectify women. Stromae eventually took a stand to 'backseat' his hiphop career after no longer being able to get behind the message of what the genre promotes. When asked in an interview by Ebony Magazine, "Why did you abandon your hiphop career?," he responded:
It’s an important school for me, hiphop music, and still today. But I had this problem, the meaning problem of hiphop music. In the music that we know in Europe is mostly this kind of bling-bling hiphop, with naked women and limousines and stuff. And even if I was a big fan of the rhythm, the groove, I had a problem with the meaning. So all the time, I was criticizing this style. So my manager said to me, “OK, why are you all the time criticizing the music and talking about only the music? If you are not happy actually, just change.” [laughter]
And he was so true. So I was like, “OK, maybe.” It’s a good inspiration for me, the groove and stuff, but maybe I have to talk about something, real life actually. And he told me like, “Why you don’t try just to explain something about the real life?” And I was like, no, it’s gonna sound cliché. Talk about love, it’s always the same kind of… And actually, I discovered it’s not the way. (Source: ebony.com 'Stroma Invades America' interview)
Take a look at his music videos Quand C'est or Papaoutai below and you will immediately get the sense of how this artist is making a huge statement while maintaining integrity, authenticity, and poise. His sense of sophistication (while staying current and relevant to pop music) is what's making a huge impact on the French culture.
3. He's A Cultural Ambassador For French Speaking Countries
Rarely in the U.S. do we find a celebrity pop star singing in French. In fact, I can't think of any besides Lady Gaga who randomly throws a French (or German) word here-or-there into her lyrics. More than just being a popular music icon, Stromae is maintaining authenticity through his writing and performing music en Française - even as he breaks into new markets like the U.S. He is getting tons of attention for this and, while I may be slightly biased here, this use of French language is what is making him a super star. Even though writing music and performing it in French is natural for him, Stromae's stardom is raising awareness about French language and culture to Americans. The themes within his records are relative to his cultural influences and his lyrics portray a 'European mentality.' For many Americans who have yet to visit Europe, this presence is only creating more awareness about French speaking cultures and helping Americans to embrace them.
Now that you know a little bit more about Stromae, check out his music online via YouTube, iTunes, and more and continue to take notice of his career growth in the United States. One great way to learn French is to listen to French music, so we suggest adding a few of his tracks to your playlist. Are you already a fan of Stromae and have a favorite song? Don't forget to share it in the comments section below! Interested in more French language and culture? Sign up for one of our Group Classes or Private Lesson to advance your French skills. Bonne journée!