Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Maître Gims' song "Bella" (from his solo album Subliminal) is an epic tale set in Spain where beautiful Bella wrecks havoc in all the villages she visits. Lovelorn men are falling for this "femme fatale" everywhere, and Maître Gims doesn't heed the locals' advice to stay away from her but instead falls for her too. You'll notice that Maître Gims uses a form of slang known as verlan, in which a word's syllables are reversed.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Maître Gims's song "Changer" (To Change) is a promise to change and rescue his crumbling relationship. Too busy building his empire, he neglects his family and wants to become a better person, but is it too late to make amends? Maître Gims's choice of decor, the atmospheric ambiance of a grandiose castle—empty but for him, a guard dog, and the ghostly figure of a woman in the background—only adds to the feeling of mystery and heartache.
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: Intermediate
France
Bruno Légeron tells us about his family business of making artificial flowers and feathers for fashion houses and the movie industry. The Maison Légeron dates all the way back to 1727.
Difficulty: Beginner
Burkina Faso
Though Mai Lingani grew up in Côte d’Ivoire, she is one of the most popular singer/songwriters in Burkina Faso, where she was born. In 1998 that country presented her with its highest award for a musician, the “Prix national de la chanson.” In addition to her beautiful French and melodious English, Mai also speaks (and sings in) three African tongues: Moré, Dioula, and Bissa. Please enjoy our interview with this delightful talent!
Difficulty: Newbie
France
Mademoiselle K and Zazie bring us "Me taire te plaire." The song's title means "keeping quiet to please you" (with tongue in cheek, perhaps?). We're certainly glad these two ladies aren't too quiet to sing to us!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Madame Monsieur sings "Mercy," a song based on the true story of a baby girl who was born on board a Nigerian refugee ship. Her mother went into labor on her way to a refugee camp in Sicily.
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
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
France
Lauren shows us around the Croix-Rousse neighborhood in Lyon, famous for its traboules, a series of passageways located below the buildings. The neighborhood is a favorite spot for artists and families alike.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
Lauren continues her tour of Lyon's Croix-Rousse neighborhood, a favorite haunt of artists and students who go there to live, work, and shop. The neighborhood also maintains its heritage as a center for craftsmen.
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
In this video, Lucette teaches us how to make some delicious, homemade apricot jam. She also skillfully recites an apricot-related tongue-twister!
Difficulty: Advanced
France
Louis and Fabio meet in a park to discuss the nice weather, their summer vacation plans, and the benefits of taking a break from their phones. You'll learn a lot of new slang words in this video!
Difficulty: Beginner
France
In her song "Nos secrets" (Our Secrets), pop singer Louane Emera laments a relationship that is fading like "a bouquet of maybes." It's a melancholy and philosophical song about coming to terms with a broken relationship.
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