Difficulty: Intermediate
France
This electro-pop song named “La place des anges” belongs to the Belgian group Yaaz’s album Azerty. The word “Azerty” refers to the Qwerty keyboard’s cousin, which is more adapted to French typing.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Miss Acacia is a character in the novel La Mécanique du Cœur (“The Mechanics of the Heart”) by Dionysos lead singer Mathias Malzieu; in it, the protagonist falls madly in love with her.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
“Neige” is another fantastical number from French rock band Dionysos. The group, which has been together since high school, lists several film directors among their influences, and it’s not hard to see the impact of one in particular, Tim Burton, on the dark, whimsical stylings of this video.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Lunatic Age is a four-member group from France’s Montpellier, a band that makes rock and roll “as though every song could be the last.” The song “À quoi bon?” deals with the heavy subjects of alcoholism and child abuse.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Get lost in the dreamy lyrics and musical styling of Vincent Venet with this song from his 2005 album “Humeur.” Venet, who describes himself as an author, composer, performer, and director, wrote and composed the album in just several weeks in the beautiful Ardennes of Belgium.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
The band No One Is Innocent (whose name is also the title of a single by the seminal punk band the Sex Pistols—coincidence?) have described themselves as “electro-rock-blues” and list influences as diverse as Beck, Betty Davis, and Black Sabbath.
“La Peur” was written around the time of France’s most recent presidential election, and if you listen to the lyrics, it’s not hard to hear its influence on the song’s theme. Perhaps now No One will write an ode to the USA’s new president; they could call it “L’Espoir.”
Difficulty: Intermediate
Canada
Annie shows off her skills as a chanteuse, her sharp wit, and her penchant for penning clever lyrics in this rockin’ number from her band Ma blonde est une chanteuse. See if you can count how many of Annie’s personae you catch a glimpse of, and how many of her Annie-mated wordplays you follow in this fun video. Beware: the song is seriously catchy and may leave you wanting more!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Rock and roll, garage, hard-core, street punk — from Black Flag to Agnostic Front to Crisis, Frustration isn’t just a sentiment, it’s a way of life! With Frustration, “Your life will be sadder, but it’ll be more lucid.”
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
DJ Gilb’R and I:Cube, a unique duo, are the key ingredients of Château Flight. Their innovative electro-fusion beat, with hints of everything from pop to soul, is demonstrated on their album, The Meal.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Matthieu Chedid, better known as M, comes from a long line of talented artists. Mathieu is the eldest son of famous French singer Louis Chedid and the grandson of the writer Andrée Chedid.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Tahiti
In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Tahitian artist DJ Harmelo released "Mets ton masque" ("Put on Your Mask") to encourage people to do exactly as the title says during the COVID pandemic. Check out DJ Harmelo's SoundCloud for more of his catchy tunes!
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
On his sixth album, Plan B, slam poet Grand Corps Malade tells his story through his songs. This one, "Dimanche Soir" (Sunday Night), is dedicated to his wife of twelve years.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
Moroccan rapper Lartiste is enjoying a huge success with his hit song "Chocolat." Recorded as a duo with the singer Awa Imani, the song is being played non-stop in the French-speaking world thanks in part to its catchy refrain, cho cho cho chocolat.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
Maître Gims teams up with Niska for "Sapés comme jamais." Dressed as a sapeur, a sort of Congolese fashionista, Maître Gims embraces his Congolese identity with panache and impeccable style.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Belgium
Belgian singer Stromae sings "Je cours" (I Run) from his first studio album, Cheese. The song's cryptic lyrics seem to be a reflection on his music career.
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