Because Céline Dion, Garou and Lara Fabian aren’t the only French Canadian singers, we’ve compiled a list of must-haves in your music library: covering rock, folk, indie, and rap, these are the Quebecois singers you should be listening to.
1. Arcade Fire
Originally from Montreal, Arcade Fire needs no introduction. They remain one of the best known Canadian bands in the world. For the essential track that belongs in your music library, it’s difficult to choose only one song, but since we have to, go for “Reflektor.”
2. Jean Leloup
Eclectic, multi-talented singer, actor and writer Jean Leloup is an unclassifiable figure on the Quebec scene who has made a name for himself with his audacious music videos. Go listen to “Paradis City” and you won’t be able to last two minutes before needing to dance.
3. Hubert Lenoir
If you’ve been in Quebec for more than a few years, you certainly haven’t escaped Hubert Lenoir. A native of Quebec City, this French Canadian artist was made known to the general public when Radio Canada named him its revelation of 2018-2019 in the song category. Then his album Darlène was chosen as a finalist for the 2018 Polaris Award, before he received more promotion on the Quebec show Tout le monde en parle. Since then, Lenoir, who defines himself as a “free artist,” rejects all forms of labels and conventions. Listen to his hit, “Fille de personne II.”
4. Cowboys Fringuants
Because they are faithful to their DNA, because they know how to bring Quebec folk up to date with gently political songs, and above all because they work incredibly hard, we included les Cowboys Fringuants. For the past 20 years, the Cowboys Fringuants have been drawing a number of Quebecers and French people into their universe.
For this playlist, we recommend the timeless hits: “Les étoiles filantes,” but if you want to take a look at Quebec history, you’ll be more interested in “Lettre à Lévesque.” And if you love Montreal, listen to “La Queen“… and you’ll never say Boulevard Saint-Laurent again, but instead The Main!
5. Les Trois accords
Another French Canadian band who doesn’t take themselves too seriously but are nonetheless very popular and capable of bringing you to you feet, is Les Trois Accords, a humorous Canadian pop rock band from Drummondville. You can check them out in “Retour à l’institut,” “Ouvre les yeux Simon,” and of course “Bamboula.”
6. LOUD
The year 2019 was Simon Loud’s in Quebec, when he made his first appearance at the Bell Center. Just 30 years old, he quickly became a rising star in the world of French Canadian rap, especially among young Quebecers. During a tour for his first album, Une année record, in 2017, the French magazine Les Inrockuptibles noticed the buzz he was getting and gave him stellar reviews. It was that first album and the buzz he generated in France that put him on the road to fame.
On May 24, 2019, he released his second album, Tout ça pour ça. For this album, he collaborated with Quebec singer Charlotte Cardin on the title: “Sometimes All The Time.” Since then, he has won numerous awards. His song “Toutes les femmes savent danser” is our favorite.
7. Roxane Bruneau
It’s been a meteoric rise for this young artist, who first blew up on social media. For this child from the southern shore of Montreal, success came on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Then, when the young Montrealer joined forces with a producer in 2017, her album Dysphorie quickly became one of the most listened to in the country and her song “J’pas stressée” became the most popular French-language song of 2017 on CKOI radio.
Bruneau’s hard-hitting, non-conformist lyrics do not go unnoticed on the current scene. Her song “Des p’tits bout de toi” earned her a spot all over the airwaves in 2019.
8. Charlotte Cardin
Author, composer, and singer Charlotte Cardin began her career as a model before being spotted on the small screen on the TV show La Voix in 2013 by Garou, who invited her to appear on his album Au milieu de ma vie for a duet on “Du vent, des mots.” Little by little, the singer with her superb voice made her mark, quickly being noticed by Elton John, who loved her song “Main Girl.” Singing in both French and English, she built an international reputation before even releasing her first album! Listen to “Like it’s doesn’t Hurt.”
9. Pierre Lapointe
A darling of the French and Quebec media, Pierre Lapointe is a poet, a dreamer, and a true ambassador of Francophone music. In summer 2014, he appeared daily on France Inter for light-hearted and amusing segments, and he soon after began making a name for himself in France. Lapointe was born on the shores of Saguenay Lac Saint-Jean and makes music in the same vein as Robert Charlebois and Alain Souchon. To get an idea of his repertoire, here’s “Sais tu vraiment qui tu es” or “La science du coeur.”
10. Robert Charlebois
“Je reviendrai à Montréal, dans un Boeing bleu de mer, j’ai besoin de revoir l’hiver.” (“I’ll be back in Montreal, in a sea-blue Boeing, I need to see winter again.”) …And you know the rest! It’s impossible to ignore this great star of the Quebec music scene, Robert Charlebois, a singer with an absolutely brilliant repertoire. At nearly 80 years old, he remains present on the Montreal cultural scene and far beyond.
Obviously, we chose Lapointe’s rendition of “Je reviendrai à Montréal.” But there is also the fantastic “Lindberg” on the album Quebec Love, “Je rêve à Rio,” and “C’est pas physique, c’est électrique.”
11. Leonard Cohen
Because he watches over the city, a special dedication must be given to Leonard Cohen, whose deep voice continues to move generations. The favorite is obviously “Hallelujah,” but his posthumous album, Thanks for the Dance, released in 2019 thanks to his son, is also beautiful.
Cohen died in 2016 in Montreal, buried in the city’s Jewish cemetery, he left an immense musical legacy and continues to inspire artists. He is also one of the most-covered singers of all time.
FAQ:
What music is Quebec known for?
Quebecois artists produce music across genres like pop, rap, rock, and folk.
What famous Canadian singer sings in French and English?
French Canadian singers like Céline Dion and Charlotte Cardin sing in both French and English.
Who is a famous French Canadian singer?
There are dozens of fantastic French Canadian singers, like Leonard Cohen, Pierre Lapointe, and Hubert Lenoir.
Who is the most famous Quebecois singer?
Céline Dion is one of the most famous Quebecois singers of all time.
This article was first published by our sister website, Maudits Français.
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