Oui, je t'aime
The last Couleur Café Festival made me discover a French duo called Brigitte. It was a beautiful summer night in Brussels and I was wondering about what I was going to experience. I knew nothing about them except for one of their videos, but I felt a kind of very positive energy in the air. And I was right because their performance was really exciting and all the audience seemed to be in tune with that duo so powerful, deeply elegant and with a very clever sense of humour. Definitely, Brigitte seduced me forever.
Brigitte was formed in 2008 by Sylvie Hoarau (the brunette) and Aurélie Saada (the blonde). They developed a very theatrical style on stage taking the name from the French actresses Brigitte Bardot and Brigitte Lahaie. So Brigitte is a revival cabaret as a homage to the chanson française and the fifties and early sixties fashion.
Aurélie Saada had started her music career under the name Mayane Delem in 2001 although she had worked as an actress being member of Les Quiches who filmed some short films in a non-sense humour style. Musically, her first solo album was Un monde ailleurs released in 2003.
Sylvie Hoarau started her music career founding the trio Topaze along with Stéphane Dorey and Greg Maume in 1991. Once the bassist Jérôme Maklès joined the band, they renamed to Vendetta and released their debut album in 1998 under the title Trop sages. Finally they separated after five albums, being the last Drôle d'idée (Barclay /Universal) released in 2004.
Once their ways crossed Brigitte emerged as a very special force. After a first EP called Battez-vous (2010, 3e bureau - Wagram), their debut album arrived as an statement of principles. Et vous, tu m’aimes (2011, 3e bureau - Wagram) includes sixteen songs co-written with Franco-Lebanese singer/songwriter Camille Bazbaz and French troubadour Albin de la Simone. Their sounds go from eastern references to hip-hop. Wonders like Monsieur je t’aime “Impatiente, infidèle, je ne vous résiste pas. Mes verres fumés, mon vieil imper', je suis cachée, coupable, fière, echappée pour quelques heures d'une vie rangée qui me perd” seduce us with a sweet melody sung in a sensual voice that whispers us all their desires. Après minuit has a very funky rhythm with some psycodelic moments. “Emmène moi danser ce soir, fais moi valser, fais moi boire.Je veux me suspendre à ton cou.Je veux voir des beaux gosses à genoux”. We want them to make us dance too, and definitely they do, all day and all night.
BRIGITTE VIDEOS click here
BRIGITTE VIDEOS click here
Text by Juan Carlos Romero
Brigitte website www.brigittemusic.fr
Photo courtesy of Festival Couleur Café
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