Music from france

Florane Lavend'homme

Having grown up in the French-speaking part of Belgium, I was massively exposed to the French musical market. Therefore, it is very difficult for me to pick only a couple of artists to discuss in this section. There are just way too many singers and bands that I like and I think are worth listening to! So, I will try to break it down into different genres - from timeless music legends to young emerging artists - in order to make a list of TEN French singers, rappers or bands.

In electronic music, it is unnecessary to mention the obvious. I’m sure you all know world widely famous DJs like David Guetta, Martin Solveig or Bob Sinclar. And if you don’t check them out, they’re pretty great. If you like electro pop, electro rock or electro house, let me throw out  some more names: DJ Snake, Lilly Wood & the Prick, Watermät, Petit Biscuit, Møme and the famous duo Justice, that you probably already know with their songs “D.A.N.C.E.” or “We are your Friends.” This electro music section brings me to the first artist of this list: Kungs.

1. Kungs
Born in 1996, Kungs is a young musician, producer and DJ from France. His single “This Girl” brought him international success. You have probably already heard it before. If you liked that one, check out some more of his songs like “Don’t You Know” or “I Feel So Bad”.

2. Tez Cadey
Tez Cadey is a 23-year-old music maker from Paris. He gained renown with his song “Seve”, that became interestingly very popular in Asia.

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3. Klingande
Klingande is a 25-year-old French DJ and producer. His style can be categorized as tropical house. His single “Jubel” gained worldwide popularity. His style is very recognizable thanks to his recurrent use of piano and saxophone.

4. Daft Punk
One of these timeless bands that will remain popular for a very long time. Daft Punk was formed in 1993 in France. They were very popular in the 1990’s following the French house movement and they managed to maintain their success over the years until todayalways keeping their unique musical style mixing electro pop, funk, techno, disco and rock. The duo almost always wears robot helmets during public appearances, matching their musical style. Released in 2013, “Get Lucky” reached the top ten of the music charts in more than 32 countries.

France went through a a glorious decade of eighties music. Rock bands got everyone grooving. We don’t hear them as frequently today, but they all are still pretty popular and everybody knows some iconic songs. On this list, we could mention, among others, Téléphone, Images, Jean-Jacques Goldman, Rita Mitsouko, Noir Désir, Daniel Balavoine and Louise Attaque a bit later. And if there is one song that everybody will know, it is “L’aventurier” by Indochine.
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5. Indochine
Indochine is one of the major French bands active in the 1980’s that made everyone dance - even decades later. Their song “L’aventurier” is an all-time classic and as soon as the music starts, I bet everyone will recognize it. In French-speaking countries, people would go crazy as soon as the beat dropped and start singing along! This is part of many peoples’ musical memories (although maybe not for the last generation of young teenagers as they’re probably too young for that).

In French variety, as you have guessed, there are hundreds of singers and bands that are more or less renown. It is again extremely difficult to pick just a couple to present. This section could have a full article on its own and it would probably be too long to read. So I picked one artist that I personally like - Zazie. And if you are interested in French variety you could look it up online or on Youtube, where you will find many more artists. Check out the participants of the charity organization “Les Enfoirés” and you will already find a nice sample of contemporary French singers, musicians and personalities.
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6. Zazie
Zazie, born in 1964, is a French singer and songwriter. She has a tender voice and uses the French language in a playful and smart way. She started her career in the 1990’s and still enjoys a great success today.

7. Soprano
Soprano is a French rapper and songwriter. His style combines rap, hip-hop and pop. He started his career in 2000, is still active today and keeps gaining popularity. He has become a musical icon in the field of French rap.

8. Orelsan
Orelsan is another famous French rapper, but in another style. Rapper, songwriter and record producer, Orelsan has already a pretty complete career so far. He has been compared to rap legend Eminem several times. The song “Regarde comme il fait beau” has a very joyful and soft tone but reflects the apathetic way of life of many millenials.
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9. Woodkid
Yoann Lemoine, often known by his stage name as Woodkid, is a French singer, songwriter, music video director and graphic designer. He has worked as a music video director for internationally famous stars such as Katy Perry, Taylor Swift or Lana Del Rey, among others. His musical style combines pop and neofolk but it also has a very recognizable unique tone. “Run Boy Run” and “Iron” are some of his most famous songs. 
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10. Jain
Finally, Jain is a young emerging singing artist from France. Born in 1992, she is a singer and songwriter. Her musical genre ranges in pop and folk with an influence of African sounds. “Come” and “Makeba” were successful hits.

​We hope that you enjoyed discovering these new and not-so-new French artists. Let us know what you thought about them. Who is your favorite?  Who else would you recommend? Leave us your comments and impressions!

PC for the picture of the menu: NME.com