EllesOnParis

The idea looks so simple: ask a bunch of songwriters to compose a song about every Parisian arrondissement, then have famous actresses, singers and filles sourires favourites sing those songs. A female ode to the eternal city… I wish I came up with the idea, but alas, it was Nicolas Boualami Gaubiac who deserves all credit.

The result is a project called “ElleSonParis”. And the result is as exciting as it sounds

The songwriters are big names like Alex Beaupain, Thomas Roussel, Philippe Bresson, La Grande Sophie and Alain Chamfort. And what about the line-up! We have Juliette Gréco (!), Jane Birkin (!) Charlotte Rampling and Hanna Schygulla on one side and Zaza Fournier, Adrienne Pauly, Agnès Jaoui, Elisa Tovati, Irène Jacob and more on the other.

“ElleSonParis” is a musical tour through the arrondissements of Paris. They pay tribute to the Paris’ neighborhoods, all with their different character and own history.
Some of the songs are a bit so-so (one is not better than the high school musical level, but I won’t tell your which one…), but in general it is very nice trip into the City of Light.

Jane Birkin sings a song for the 16th arrondissement. A sober song with some with piano (or is it a  harpsichord?) called “5, Avenue Marceau”. Just in case you wonder: that was the home address of.. Yves Saint Laurent. And Chez Régine? We’ve all been there, no?

Jane Birkin – 5, Avenue Marceau
Adrienne Pauly – Chez Régine

Elisa

Since her second album, ‘”Je ne mâche pas les mots” from 2006 (remember?) she has been a favourite of Filles Sourires.. And since the end of June there is a new album from here,  and we didn’t even write about it. In the years between the albums she did some acting and appeared on some tribute albums, but now there is a whole new album, her third in total. It is as dreamy as the title “Le Syndrome de Peter Pan” suggests, but a bit more poppy and less outspoken than her 2006 album.Still it is nice up-tempo with some catchy songs. The duet with Belgian singer Tom Dice (“Ils Nous Faut”) even became a small hit in France. Here you have the video of it, but I must admit it is not the best track of the album. Here you have an other song, which sounds much more like “our” Elisa…

Elisa Tovati – L’ABCD