It's impossible not to mention Édith Piaf, she is the French queen of love songs! Pick your favorite, there are so many!
Mine is: Les trois cloches.
The other queen of love songs is from Québec. Céline Dion masters the power of love in French as well as in English. Je sais pas is one of my favorites.
To stay in Québec, check out this version of Sous Le Vent by Garou, featuring Céline Dion.
I am sure you don't know this one, but you should 😊! Nadau is a French band from Tarbes (in the south of France). They are authentic, they love their terroir, and they sing both in French and in patois (regional dialect) landais. Check them out, they are awesome! For today, I chose Mon Dieu que j'en suis à mon aise.
We mentioned several queens of love songs, but we can’t forget the king. He is from Belgium, and is deservedly one of the most famous francophone singers: Jacques Brel. For today, I will stick with the classic Ne me quitte pas.
Still in Belgium, the world famous Stromae has written a very emotionally charged song about the absence of his father, Papaoutai. On Friday, February 10 it was les victoires de la musique in France, Stromae was rewarded with the most important prize of male artist of the year.
On a more Jazzy note, La Rue Ketanou has a great selection of songs. To start, let's listen to Ma faute à toi.
Another artist that I really like is Louise Attaque, Viens j't'emmène au vent.
Zaho is an Algerian/Canadian artist, and she has a very touching voice. Tourner la page is sometimes vital but not that easy...
Last but not least, la grande Barbara, with Ma plus belle histoire d'amour c'est vous.
If you are in the mood of dancing and / or looking for the best Valentine's gift for your Francophile partner, you could come to our new offering: Dancing Off the Page, to spend a French evening on Friday, February 17!
Clémence Bary-Boloré
Cultural Programs Manager / Office Manager
Clémence has a Master’s degree in Cultural Projects Management. She worked in Paris for several years for theater companies. She likes discovering new cultures, people and places, which is why she crossed the ocean to start a new experience in Boston. She is glad to be part of the French Library to promote French culture and language. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, hiking, kayaking and all forms of art!
Contact