Patricia Kaas to sing for France
I haven’t seen the Eurovision Song Contest for quite a long time (28 years to be precise, when Bucks Fizz were making their minds up – I watched because I fancied Cheryl Baker) but was pleased to hear it is still going strong, and to be held in Moscow this year.
There is exciting news for France this year, because Patricia Kaas, one of the more popular French ‘pop stars’, is to represent them in the prestigious contest.
I’ll draw a completely unfair stereotype picture of the glamorous but tough-looking Patricia Kaas for you before you rush off to see if she will get your vote…
She is attractive in a slightly unusual sort of way, and she often sings songs that sound like 1930’s cabaret songs rather than modern pop songs, with the occasional chorus of swirling violin or ‘Dire Straits guitar’ thrown in to keep things moving. Music that is pleasant if a little unexciting. She is certainly one of the better of the French artistes.
I think she’s scary, but that is probably my fault rather than hers. I scare easily.
A kind of ‘distant shadow of Marlene Dietrich’ if you like.
Like many French songs of this type, these of course go down quite well among the record buying public who had the good fortune to be born before 1930, and with the advantage that people over 70 usually pay for music rather than download it illegally. So I imagine she is a very wealthy lady.
The organisers reported that ‘those who love traditional French music will be very happy’. No surprise there then, although I’m not sure that the Eurovision Song Contest would necessarily be improved if every country sang their favourite ‘traditional songs’.
None the less we are all keeping our fingers crossed that she can win this prestigious prize for France and help bring some much deserved glory to the French music world. France last won the contest in 1977, so it must be their turn now. Ms Kaas is already very popular in Moscow, where the contest is being held, so she should at least have the backing of the crowd.
And if she fails, perhaps next year Johnny Hallyday could be persuaded to enter.
She won’t win, simply because she isn’t rubbish enough. Also, France (like the UK) falls victim to political voting year after year.
Well, I suppose they can’t complain about unfair voting. I seem to remember that in the Miss France contest this year the public voted for their preferred candidate (most likely on a premium rate phoneline) only to have their votes completely ignored by the jury, led as always by the very scary Genevieve de Fontenay, who chose someone completely different.
Oh my! Her voice is no longer as it used to. Dear me, couldn’t they get someone else to represent France? Anyway, Eurovision has become some kind of a joke. So, no big deal.
The only song of hers that I ever liked was “Mon mec à moi!”
A more recent clip is HERE that was filmed as part of Star Academy a couple of years ago – I suspect that the contestant-singer with her (Elodie Frege) rather out-sings her…