Vanille

Vanille (Canadian chanteuse Rachel Leblanc) released a new and VERY brilliant single this week. Of course, it’s full of retro vibes, and of course it’s a tearjerker about lost love: ‘Mais à quoi bon mourir seule dans cette vie aux mille pleurs?’ (But what’s the point of dying alone in this life of a thousand tears?). Ths is golden Filles Sourires material. Wrote about Rachel earlier, see.

Also this week, a new single by another Vanille was released, a French version of the bossa nova classic Aguas de Março Agua de Beber, written by Antonio Carlos Jobim, French lyrics by Pierre Barouh. This Vanille, actually called Vanille for real, is the daughter of famous French singer Julien Clerc.

But wait, there’s ANOTHER artist with the Vanille-moniker, also French, from Paris, I give you dj/producer Vanille Ferragu.

If you really dive into it, you’ll find even more Vanille’s. It’s a vanilla world people, we just live in it.

a2ele

From December 2024, this EP by a2ele (Adele). Recently heard a track on FIP Radio. A2ele is a French singer/producer who counts Mylene Farmer, Rihanna and Kate Bush among her favorites. She first released music via Soundcloud, now there are a handful singles and this EP. It’s mostly electronic, there are 80s synthpop references, it’s dreamy, sometimes danceable and always sweet. Try this:

Yzoula

Former La Femme-singer Yzoula takes a solo-trip (with help from producer Louis Fontaine) for these gorgeous retro-songs. Album coming up:

Spill Tab

The reason I missed previous spill tab hits, might be because the Thai-born, French-American singer only sang songs in English. But now, signed to Because Music (Charlotte Gainsbourg, Justice, Christine & the Queens), she debuts in French. Her new album, called Angie, contains at least two French songs. Assis is a spectacular slab of sultry soul, with a very cool Fender Rhodes piano solo:

Poligone

Poligone is a Franco-Swiss duo (Pauline & Hugo) who found each other because they both likes Flavien Berger, L’Imperatrice and chanteuse Barbara. They’ve been making singles since 2021. Their latest track refers to the golden age of synthpop/80s teen movie soundtracks; if you’re into Videoclub and Niagara, give this track a spin. EP is coming up, another track on Bandcamp.

Osez!

Alain Bashung passed away on March 14, 2009. To mark that date, Le Couleur released an interesting cover version of his Osez Josephine. Without that slide guitar, but with extra danceability:

Certainly not the first time Osez Josephine got covered. Remember this one?

Lady Lola

Just a few singles under her belt, very pop but in a good way. This new track (I heard it on the Nouveautés stream on FIP) is more jazzy, slow, sultry. Her music is mostly moody, also in a nice way. A name to keep track of. Find more tracks on Soundcloud HERE. Instagram HERE.

Marie-Flore

She’s coming over to Amsterdam, on March 13 (other dates HERE), which is nice:

Myra

From her wonderful new EP, this beautiful track by the exquisitely voiced Myra: