French Music Blog
ABOUTThe French Music Blog is the place to find the latest hits and music reviews of contemporary French singers.
Featured French Singers
Meet The Adorkable Jeanne Cherhal  With her quirky, comical piano stylings and Nouvelle Chanson style, singer-songwriter Jeanne Cherhal has become a force in contemporary French music.
She was recently named a chevalier (knight / dame) by France's Minister of Culture, and her latest album has her on the short list for a 2015 Victoire de la Musique (French Grammy) for Best Female artist.
This creative musician built her reputation through her enchanting live shows, playing spirited compositions that evoked French chanson and cabaret and memories of the legendary Chanson Françiase singer,…Here’s Why Tété Had Me At Bonjour  Tété is a self-taught guitarist and Folk-Pop singer-songwriter. He draws on French and English-language Pop (particularly the Beatles). He's a critics' darling and one of French music's most beloved stars.
He might not have the superstar status of Christophe Maé, but he should. A road musician first and foremost, he's spent much of his professional career under the radar. But he's definitely a French artist to know.
He's been compared to a lot of different artists, but in my opinion, the big draw is that blends…Now THIS Is How You Do Americana  The best French bands seem to have a hook that sets them apart from the rest. For La Maision Tellier, the hook is that they make bilingual "Americana" music. If you like Folk Rock bands like Mumford and Sons, Wilco, The Decemberists, and The Shins, then you'll enjoy La Maison Tellier. The band is named after a brothel in Guy de Maupassant's famous short story of the same name. They hail from Normandy -- the location of their fictional namesake brothel -- and each member of the group has…Bow to Shy’m, Your French Pop Queen  Talk about a metamorphosis. This artist went from guesting on Hip Hop tracks to basically doing whatever she wants. Yep. It's her world.
Shy'm is often called the French Rihanna, and she lives up to the comparison with her broad crossover appeal and ever more frequent "break the internet" moments. With a slew of hits and best-selling albums under her belt, she's become one of the biggest names in French music. Every new album and televised performance of hers is a music event.
Follow her journey from…Tal Makes French Pop that Inspires  The French singer Tal is a young Urban Pop star known for her optimistic songs and authenticity. She's been celebrated as a fresh and vibrant voice in French music, largely because she focuses on universal themes of hope, courage, and brotherhood rather than trite love and breakup songs. Her style blends R&B with mainstream Pop.
Née Tal Benyerzi, she moved to Paris from Israel when she was 1 year old. She's a self-taught guitar and piano player, hailing from a family of musicians who were fond of American Soul,…Is Archimede the French Oasis? Definitely Maybe  With a sound that seamlessly combines British Pop with French Rock, the band Archimède bridges the gap between the musical past and present and between the two nations that inspire their music. Brothers Nicolas and Frédéric Boisnard create songs imbued with The Beatles' Pop melodies, the catchy guitar Rock of Oasis, the Yéyé vibe of Jacques Dutronc, and Renaud's irreverent lyrics. Nico sings, plays harmonica, and writes the lyrics (in French, thank you very much), and Fred composes the music and plays guitar. The duo began writing songs as teens in their…Stromae: Dance Floor Provocateur  If there's an artist of the moment, it's definitely Stromae. (Pronounced STROH-MAI, it's "maestro" with the syllables inverted.) The enigmatic performer is often compared to another Franco-Belgian singer-songwriter, Jacques Brel, for his realist subject matter -- even if it is delivered over a killer dance beat.
A study in contradictions, both visual and musical, this artist is currently the toast of Europe. He's struck a nerve with recession anthems and disillusioned Pop songs that make you want to both shake your booty and slit your wrists.
With his…Corneille Enchants Across Boundaries  With every Nico & Vinz hit and Bro Country single, it seems the racial fault lines in music are being erased. France, being way more sophisticated than us, figured this out long ago.
Corneille (pronounced Kor-NAY) launched his career in his adopted home of Montreal, but it was France that first embraced him as a beloved Pop singer back in 2003. This platinum-selling artist triumphed over personal tragedy to become one of today's most popular singers in French-speaking countries around the world.
Though he was inspired by…Vanessa Paradis: Finally, A Serious Songstress Emerges  Vanessa Paradis has certainly defied the odds. When an unlikely hit song catapulted her into the international spotlight at age 14, she seemed destined for one-hit wonderdom. But with luck and and some reinvention, she has parlayed her 15 minutes of fame into a successful career spanning over 25 years.
. . . → Continue Reading: Vanessa Paradis: Finally, A Serious Songstress EmergesJulien Dore: Quirky French Heartthrob  Quirky French heartthrob Julien Dore is known for his playful approach to music, and his penchant for making downright wacky music videos. He gained notoriety during season 5 of Nouvelle Star (French "American Idol"), when his riveting performances quickly became the main draw.
But there's more to him than a pretty face, perfectly tousled locks, and a reality show title.
Born and raised near Nimes in the south of France, Julian Doré is the great-great-great-nephew of the artist Gustave Doré, illustrator for the literary works…M: French Rock Superstar  The innovative French singer M is known for his playful Rock compositions and wildly theatrical live shows. His cooing falsetto is perfectly suited for his Rock-meets-Disco Funk sound.
Born Matthieu Chedid, he chose the pseudonym "-M-" and fashioned a whimsical superhero alter ego (with his wild suits and "M"-shaped hairdo à la Grandpa Munster -- a look he's since traded for "M"-shaped sunglasses) to help him overcome his shyness on stage.
Over the course of 5 studio albums, live recordings, and numerous soundtracks (including an Oscar nominated…Joyce Jonathan: Bubbly Pop, a la française  If you like cheerful Folk Pop you'll enjoy singer/songwriter Joyce Jonathan. Her sweet voice and acoustic guitar strumming are an irresistible combination. At just 20 years old, she conquered the French music world with her award-winning debut album of feel-good acoustic Pop.
Jonathan grew up in the northwest suburbs of Paris, and began playing piano at the tender age of 5. By age 11, she was writing her own songs. Her musical influences include the late French R&B singer Teri Moise, Jason Mraz,…Christophe Mae: French Acoustic Pop Singer  Singer-songwriter Christophe Mae performs acoustic Pop infused with Folk, Reggae, Blues and Soul. His music has an upbeat acoustic vibe, similar to Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, or John Mayer. He's one of the biggest Pop stars in France today.
The singer, born Christophe Martichon, hails from Carpentras, a town in the Provence region of southeast France. A self-taught musician, Mae is heavily influenced by Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, Tracy Chapman, Otis Redding, Ben Harper and Jack Johnson, and one can hear threads of them woven throughout his…Alizee: Can the French Britney Spears Grow Up?  It takes former teen stars a while to find their footing once they grow up. No one knows that better than Alizée, the one-time teenage protege of Euro Pop queen Mylene Farmer.
I'll admit up front that I am NOT a fan of Alizée's music. In her early days, she came off as a French Britney Spears, with a layer of icky Euro Pop icing. She was too "packaged" and manufactured, which I instinctively interpreted as a cover for a lack of talent. But the "Lolita" stuff was doing…Natasha St-Pier: French-Canadian Chanteuse  Success in Canada is no guarantee of stardom in France. Only a few have made the leap across the Atlantic in any significant way. Veteran singer Natasha St-Pier is one of the precious few. She's won over both Canadian and French audiences in her decade-long career. With six albums to her name and over 2 million records sold, she's an international music success story.
. . . → Continue Reading: Natasha St-Pier: French-Canadian Chanteuse
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