Although Les Cowboys Fringants, Malajube and Karkwa have made inroads in France, groups and younger solo acts have a hard time breaking in. The cost of travel forces Ariane Moffatt to work with French sidemen, which musically makes it "like starting all over again." (She calls De la Simone "mon agent secret français" when it comes to recommending musicians.) Pierre Lapointe won't travel without his band and largely plays clubs in France.Valérie Lehoux, who did podcasts on Francos shows for Télérama, finds it ironic that "la relève" and "alternative" Quebec chanson is known in France these days through Coeur de Pirate, "who can only appeal to very young adolescents - she came up very fast and maybe she'll go down the same way." As for Martha Wainwright crossing over to sing Piaf and other French material, she tried to tough it out to the end but, "J'ai craquée."
She did like Catherine Major and high-energy poet Yann Perreau: "We don't have anyone like him. He's strong but nuanced. Very virile and graceful at he same time, very powerful." She also enjoyed Karkwa and Moffatt: "Her lyrics touch me, her sound is infused with North American styles. She has a great synthesis."
Extract from "Spring across the ocean" article by Juan Rodriguez, Freelance for The Montreal Gazette, , Photograph by: Allen Mcinnis, Gazette File Photo, Freelance
It's with pleasure that I try to initiate my French peers to a new wave of mainly Montreal based artists. What I admire with Quebec artists is that many do not surrender to the pressure of making it internationally : they keep on singing in French for the most part. Things are opening up gradually, France is becoming more Quebec friendly, hence putting aside clichés and artists such as Garou, Celine Dion. So keep on coming here!!!
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