A couple of posts ago (Examples of Stereotypes France has of Québec, and vice-versa), I wrote about a discussion between a well known Québecois music reporter and a well known French (France) song writer, André Manoukian.

It was Manoukian’s comments about a Québécois singer, Pierre Lapointe, which touched off the entire discussion.  So who is Pierre Lapointe?

He’s a multi-award winning, top-album selling singer.    His awards include multiple Felix awards (some of the highest music awards available in Québec).  Two of his albums ranked first-place best-sellers on two occasions in Québec, and two other albums ranked second place best-sellers (two platinums, one gold).   His songs and albums have also had high rankings in France.

His music is truly quite different.  I’m not sure how to describe it.  I’ve read others describe it as “melancholic”, “cloudy”, “foggy”, “out-there”, and “psychedelic” (I’m not sure how this latter one applies to music, unless the listener is on something).

Myself, I’m not sure that any of these apply as an accurate description in any great substance.  His genre is certainly different.  So here is my own attempt to describe his music using well-known Anglophone Canadians as comparisons:  -Imagine rhythms similar to those of Leonard Cohen, but much more modern and with more melody.  Mix that with a beat similar to many of Jan Arden’s songs (with the ability to carry lyrics in a much more patterned manner), and then wind it up with a spattering of Rufus Wainwright-styled lyrics and tones, but with a voice much more like that of Michael Buble (actually, I’ve thought on a number of occasions if Buble were Francophone, his voice would be very similar to Lapointe’s, and he’s 6 years younger than Buble).

See if you can find some of his videos (on official sites of course), and see what you think.  Am I sort of in the ball-park with my description?   I don’t really think his songs are melancholic… but they give you a fuzzy-foggy kind of feeling – yet strangely give you the desire to keep listening (they’re mesmerizing in that sense — is that “psychedelic”?).

He has been regularly coming out with albums from 2002 to present.   Some of his more popular songs have been (but are not exclusive to):

• Je reviendrai
• L’étrange route des amoureux
• Nos joies répétitives
• L’étrange route des amoureux
• Deux par deux rassemblés
• Tel un seul home
• Dans la forêt des mal-aimés

Pierre Lapointe’s official website is :  http://www.pierrelapointe.com/nouvelles.php.

His website lists his next concerts (all in Québec for the next few months).  But if you are in the area, it would make for a really nice out – some fine dining then a night out with friends at the concert hall 🙂 .

His songs and albums are available through various venues and platforms.  Please do not pirate and stick to official sites.   Our artists are part of our cultural fabric.