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ZAZ: an energetic singer
Diego is a dear Parisian friend. He received his name from his Spanish mother, and his passion for French music was built over a lifetime between Paris and Provence. We invited Diego to introduce us to his favorite artists. The text was originally written in French. Below is our free translation.
By Diego Milatz
Of course you all know her; it's almost unnecessary for me to introduce her.
Although she is one of the rare French singers 'exported' abroad (and particularly to Brazil), did you know that, in France, Zaz is quite a controversial singer?
With a unique voice, some believe she is the rightful heir to the great Edith Piaf, while others are shocked by the comparison. The truth is that Zaz challenges, irritates, or seduces. In short, she does not go unnoticed, and perhaps that is the hallmark of great artists.
Isabelle Geffroy, her real name, was born in Tours in 1980. At the age of 5, she entered the conservatory in Tours with her sister and brother, where she studied solfege, violin, guitar, and singing until she was 11. As a teenager, she continued her studies at a contemporary music school in Bordeaux. Musically, she draws inspiration from jazz singers like Ella Fitzgerald.
After singing in several local groups for a few years, she 'moved up' to Paris in 2006 and got a job at a cabaret (where she stayed for a year and a half), singing almost 5 hours a day without a microphone.
In 2008, she responded to an ad from a producer looking for a new singer with a 'hoarse and slightly broken' voice. Zaz won the audition, and her new producer not only wrote her the song 'Je Veux' but also provided her with a production team and a publisher. She waited two years for a major label to decide to distribute her first album. During those two years, she performed many small shows, primarily in Russia, and participated in several singing competitions, winning the finals of the famous competition: Le Tremplin de génération.
Finally, in 2010, her first album was released, featuring the song 'Je veux'. The success was immediate, with the album selling over 1 million copies in France and more than 800,000 worldwide. Not a day goes by without the song 'Je veux' being played multiple times on the radio. Due to this success, in October 2012, she climbed Mont Blanc with her musicians to sing 'Je veux' at an altitude of 4,810m.
Unfortunately, this success is not universally acknowledged in the professional music press. While some journalists believe she has a voice that 'emotions and seduces', most mock her 'falsely careless punk side'. Some argue that there is a lack of sincerity in the song 'Je veux', whose lyrics naively criticize consumerism and the obsession with money. It was primarily her energetic rhythm and catchy melody that won over most listeners.
After that, all of Zaz's other albums became massive hits among the public, but they have always divided music professionals. Her bohemian and rebellious image does not convince and suffers from a lack of authenticity.
Should we conclude that there is a cause-and-effect relationship regarding the fact that Zaz lost the award for Best Female Performer three times in 2012, 2014, and 2016?
But, in the end, doesn't it matter what professional critics think? Isn't the public's opinion the most important?
Zaz has talent, as evidenced by her thousands of fans. With all the success she has around the world, why would a professional music critic's opinion be so much more important?
Listen to the playlist created by Diego with songs by ZAZ:
NOTE: To listen to the full songs, you must first register on the Deezer website (click here). This can be done using your Facebook account. Then refresh this page.
Also read other articles written by Diego:
- EDITH PIAF: the eternal singer
- A Frenchman in the Carnival arena
- Cœur de Pirate: a singer from across the Atlantic
- Jean-Jacques Goldman, the chief of French song
- Etienne Daho, Godfather of French Pop
- French songs of the 80s
- Véronique Rivière
- Véronique Sandson, one of the leading names in French music
- Mylène Farmer, the silent singer
- Three new French singers
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