The voice of Angèle
Although the writer of these lines is a native French speaker, born and bred in Paris, France, he tends not to listen to all that much contemporary French or French-speaking music. OK, back to the “I” pronoun, it’s easier: the fact that I don’t listen to French music is not (only) about being pedantic, but also because a) I don’t follow the trends as much as I used to as a youngster, and therefore tend to hear more about international English-speaking releases first, b) although French / French-speaking music has arguably had its fair share of giants (think Edith Piaf, the recently departed Charles Aznavour or Belgium’s pride Jacques Brel), I will argue that the current crop of talent is, apart from a few exceptions here and there, not exactly at Brel level — and will likely never be…
Enter Angèle.
Anyone who’s been living in France or Belgium for the past couple of years has heard of her — and heard her. In just a few singles, the young Belgian singer has managed to become the de facto princess of French-speaking pop with her unassuming vocals and incredibly infectious hooks. Last but not least, her lyrics actually mean something, and by that I contend that they have a weight rarely seen in pop music these days (or any day), in French or English alike.
“Balance ton quoi”, Brol, 2018.
Take “Balance ton quoi”, the 6th single from her 12-track debut album, Brol (she then reissued it, adding 7 more tracks to please her increasingly impatient fans). Released right when the “Me Too” movement was exploding on the world stage (remember those pre-Coronavirus times when Trump talking disinfectants was not the only thing on everyone’s mind?), it is a smart, efficient and hyper catchy song about what she, a young female artist in the entertainment industry, has had to endure and how pernicious sexism (and more) can be to society, and how much work still needs to be done in the regard. The accompanying video, complete with a fun little sequence featuring rising French actor Pierre Niney in a role showcasing his bad guy chops, only emphasizes the sweet and sour approach Angèle has chosen to get her point across. Instead of being frontally accusatory, she instead offers a perfect pop song, with beautiful synth production making it look like light fare, only to come with lyrics about sexual harassment and women’s empowerment. Nicely done…
Last week, as many of the world’s leading entertainers (virtually) gathered for the massive charity event One World: Together at home setup by the great Lady Gaga, Angèle performed her song to an audience who likely didn’t know her all that much, and even less so the meaning of her lyrics. Here’s to hoping the catchiness of the track will be enough to entice English-speaking audiences to want to know more about this undoubtedly burgeoning talent in contemporary music…