It is no secret that music is one of the best resources we have to learn a new language. There are wonderful artists from different parts of the world from whom we get not only to hear a different language, but new accents and stories. Music is also a beautiful tool to improve your listening comprehension which is why we try to incorporate it in our classes whenever possible. Want to explore some French music but not sure where to start? We made a list!:
Pour les petits débutants (for the little beginners)
Many of you might have heard about Annie Brocoli, one of Quebec’s most beloved children’s artists. She has inspiring
children’s albums and was even part of a TV series “The Broco Show”. One of her most beloved albums, which is also a movie, is Annie Brocoli dans l’espace which is a movie packed with fun adventures in space! You can watch it on Youtube.
Abeille Beausoleil is a singer and songwriter from Quebec who loves nature, playing and learning about the world through fun activities and music, just like us! She has a beautiful youtube channel with fun songs about nature, the five senses, and even Canada Day!
Niveau intermédiaire : music for intermediate learners
If you have mastered the children’s songs or you simply want to listen to other kinds of genres, here a few suggestions for our intermediate french learners:
Zaz: she is one of the best-known artists in France and europe. With a voice that enchanted many different audiences, she brought pop music in French through the decades to a whole new level. Some of her essential songs are: Je veux and Si jamais j’oublie.
From Montreal, we find the band Bleu Jeans Bleu, who are a rock and folk band with lots of funny lyrics and videos. They have a unique style while also rocking the classic Canadian Tuxedo attire. From funny and light hearted songs like J’ai mangé trop de patates frites to slightly more serious tunes, this band has a song for everyone!
Pour les experts: music for expert learners
One place where we can find inspiration for new music is checking out festival guests. Just this past week, Quebec was having its famous summer festival with some wonderful artists to challenge our music taste… and our ears! One of this year’s guests was, for example, the Montrealian rapper LOUD who with songs like: Toutes les femmes savent danser. This is a perfect artist if you’re into hip-hop and want to challenge your French.
Finally, we could not close this newsletter about music in french without mentioning one of the most beloved and famous artists in the world: Stromae. This singer-songwriter from Belgium has captured the world with songs like Papaoutai and, more recently, Santé.