On May 22nd, he would have turned 100! A true icon of French music, Charles Aznavour passed away at the age of 94 (22/5/1924 – 1/10/2018). With over 70 years in the industry and more than 1300 songs released, his music was known worldwide and inspired numerous artists. Besides the countless covers and adaptations his catalog has seen, he was also one of the most frequently sampled French singers, both domestically and internationally. In 1999, American producer and rapper Dr. Dre isolated and slowed down a portion of the rhythm from the 1966 single "Parce que tu crois" to craft his hit "What ..read more

At the heart of the Chantier des Francofolies de La Rochelle, What the France caught up with Aupinard! A rising voice in the French music scene, Aupinard is carving out a unique style inspired by Bossa-Nova. At just 22 years old, this Bordeaux native delves into the complexities of love in his lyrics, showcasing a blend of maturity and gentle humor. Ready for a live session with Aupinard? https://youtu.be/2z2tfpvnkOI He shares how the energy of the stage translates into his studio work, his partnership with fellow performer Ismatricule, his enthusiasm for collaborations, and his promising out ..read more

French roots reggae singer Mo’Kalamity is back with her latest album, "Shine," which has been available since March 1st on her own label, Sofia Thea Records. Originally from Santiago, Cape Verde, Monica Tavares moved to France at the age of five when her parents decided to leave the island in search of better living conditions. The future singer grew up in the Paris region and discovered various music genres during her teenage years, including soul, gospel, blues, and jazz. She ultimately chose reggae and began her career as a backing vocalist for reggae artist King Malik before venturing out ..read more

Au cœur du Chantier des Francofolies de La Rochelle, What the France rencontre Nochka, dont la voix distinctive et les textes introspectifs incarnent à eux seuls la dualité entre force et vulnérabilité en musique. Prêts pour un Live Shot avec Nochka ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QPeFlDexnU Nochka nous ouvre les portes de son univers musical, partageant ses réflexions sur la scène, l'expression artistique ou l'authenticité. Elle nous confie ses inspirations, ses doutes et ses espoirs … Et évoque avec passion le processus créatif derrière chacun de ses textes très intimes. Une artiste à (r ..read more

From April 11 to 13, from Brighton to London via Bristol, discover a set at the forefront of the Electro / Afro Funk scene, bringing together the French from Voilaaa Soundsystem (Favorite Records) & the Brazilian Diogo Strausz (Goutte d'Or) Known for its afrodiscobangers, Voilaaa built around Bruno “Patchworks” Hovart from Lyon can’t stop make the people dance. Under the imprint of the label Favorite Records and after their long years of collaboration in the achievement of projects such as The Dynamics, Mr President, Mr Day, Patchworks Galactic Project, or Taggy Matche ..read more

At this year’s edition of BISE Festival in Nantes, we had the privilege of meeting Ago Gazo, a group with multiple influences and a captivating style. https://youtu.be/Xjdh8DNwrpY Ago Gazo came to life when Togolese hip-hop pioneer Ametek met producer Vidock in the latter’s hometown of Nantes, with the former aiming to blend the folk music of his native Togo with more contemporary influences such as bass and rave. The pair would later become acquainted with another Nantes-based producer, Zeppo, and together, the trio released their self-titled debut album via Abstrack Records in March 2023, b ..read more

What the France presents Once Upon a Masterpiece, a new video series shining a light on the stories behind the biggest hits of the French classical repertoire! In this opening episode, check out the story behind the most played French opera in the world: Georges Bizet’s Carmen. In doing so, you’ll embark on a journey through time that will immerse you in a 19th-century culture tinged not only with exoticism but also with a puritan mindset that would turn Carmen into a true scandal before this sensual, colourful opera eventually achieved international success – although only after its com ..read more

Thanks to the organic buzz created on TikTok around their 2011 track ‘Swimming Pool’ – which has racked up over 64,000,000 plays on Spotify – Double Platinum–selling band Marie Madeleine have spent the last two years touring the roads of France, Europe and America to serve and commune with their fans. Over the top of a deep, funereal bass groove carried by synths as acidic as they are melancholic, the voices of the disco-wave duo rise more ardent and scandalous than ever. Formed by Diana Kill (vocals, keyboard) and Alfred Moon (vocals, keyboard, drum machine and sequences), the band tell stor ..read more

To coincide with the fourth edition of Nantes’s BISE Festival, What the France had the pleasure of meeting emerging artist Surprise. The multi-influenced singer-songwriter has distinguished herself thanks to her artistic boldness as well as her ability to captivate audiences with a varied emotional palette. https://youtu.be/6OE5JnkS8dM Since starting out on SoundCloud back in 2020, Surprise has gained herself an audience through her now trademark nonchalant voice and her unique style of music, which swings between hard-hitting rap and captivating ballads. In June 2023, the artist broke new gr ..read more

The story of Astral Bakers is a tale of the obvious: four established musicians meet in the same room and make music as if for the first time. The result? A kind of soft grunge that sits somewhere between Big Thief, Supertramp and an intimate Nirvana performance. Having featured on Spotify’s RADAR programme as well as receiving critical acclaim from the likes of Libération, France Inter and Les Inrockuptibles, the band released their debut album, The Whole Story, just last month via French label Sage Music. On the LP, we find ten live-recorded tracks that have very quickly established the qua ..read more