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FRANCO-CHARTS TOPPERS - November 2003
Céline Dion, Cap Verdean World and Brel Nostalgia.
Paris
06/11/2003 -
The big news on the Francophone music scene is that Céline Dion's back – although many of the Quebecoise superstar's fans would say she never really went away! Whatever the case, La Dion has caused a stir by recording an album in French, something she has not done since S’il suffisait d’aimer (released in September 1998). Produced by Céline's loyal collaborator Jean-Jacques Goldman and his team, Une fille et quatre types (released on Columbia/Sony Music) hit record stores last month and much to no-one's surprise rocketed straight to the top of the charts in France, Wallonia and Céline's native Canada. The album also hit the big time further afield, making it to no.2 in Switzerland and Estonia (in the chart compiled by Pedro Beat record stores), no.5 in Greece, no.9 in Finland and Flanders, no.26 in Germany, no.30 in the Netherlands, no.34 in Poland, no.36 in Austria and no.52 in Italy. Meanwhile, Céline's latest single Tout l’or du monde has been enjoying chart success in Canada (no.2), Switzerland (no.10), Finland (no.16) and Belgium (reaching no.5 in Wallonia and no.29 in Flanders). Over in South Korea, where fans are more used to hearing La Dion sing in English, The French Love Album (a compilation of Céline's French love songs released on Columbia), has caused a surprise hit reaching no.16 in the chart compiled by the record store Tube Music.
In terms of record releases, Cap Verdean diva Cesaria Evora has made herself somewhat rarer than Ms. Dion. But the barefoot legend is currently back in the charts with Voce d’amor (RCA/BMG), a sultry new album guaranteed to warm those chill winter evenings. Voce d’amor has swept to no.3 in the Polish charts and reached no.7 in Greece, no.22 in Portugal, no.30 in Wallonia, no.32 in Estonia, no.57 in Switzerland, no.58 in Italy, no.61 in Flanders and last, but by no means least, no.4 in Billboard's World Music chart in the U.S. Another "world" venture enjoying great success right now is Madan, a collaboration between Salif Keita & Martin Solveig, which recently made it to no.17 in the Greek charts and no.36 in Italy. 
Twenty-five years after his death, Jacques Brel's record sales are very much alive and well. In Brel's native Belgium the compilation Infiniment (Barclay/Universal) recently claimed the no.1 spot in Wallonia and reached no.6 in Flanders while Brel, L'Intégrale (Brel, The Complete Works) reached no.3 in Wallonia. The surprising thing is that Brel nostalgia has not been limited to French-speaking Europe, either. The complete works have also scored a hit in Portugal (no.7), Switzerland (no.16), the Netherlands (no.19) and Canada (no.40). Meanwhile, back in Belgium music fans also honoured another of the country's most famous sons last month, rushing out to buy the greatest hits of Salvatore Adamo. His 3-CD compilation, entitled C’est ma vie (EMI), reached no.15 in the charts in Flanders and no.39 in Wallonia. What's more, Zanzibar, the new album recorded by Adamo, the famous creator of Tombe la neige, has just made it to no.13 in the charts in Wallonia.
Music News In BriefAfter conquering French-speaking Europe Marseilles rappers IAM have set their sights further afield, taking Canada by storm with their new album. The Marseilles posse had previously earned themselves a gold disc for the sales of their 1999 album L’école du micro d’argent and now Revoir un printemps (Hostile/EMI) has rocketed to no.20 in the Canadian album charts.
The award for best live album of the month has to go to Lara Fabian for En toute intimité (Polydor/Universal). As the title suggests, this album reveals a quieter, more intimate side to the blonde hit-belter. Fans certainly seem to have appreciated Lara's change of style. En toute intimité has already reached no.4 in the charts in Wallonia and no.31 in Switzerland.
Meanwhile, the award for most interesting newcomer of the season should go to Thierry Amiel, runner-up in M6's TV talent show A la recherche de la nouvelle star. The young unknown from Marseilles scored a big hit with his cover of Christophe's Les mots bleus, reaching no.3 in Wallonia and no.18 in Switzerland. Boosted by this success Thierry's recently-released debut album, Paradoxes (RCA/BMG), has soared to no.16 in the charts in Switzerland and no.18 in Wallonia.
As for Emma Shapplin, the goddess of classical/pop crossover, she is currently enjoying success with her livealbum, Consert de Caesara (EMI), which recently reached no.12 in the Greek charts and no.16 in Estonia. Meanwhile, Russian music fans have been rushing out to buy Ms. Shapplin's studio albums, Carmine Meo (which currently stands at no.73 in the chart compiled by the Bolero record store) and Etterna (no.25).
Crossing New Borders
Francophone artists have been conquering new territory in terms of record sales. Last month Hélène Segara made it big in Finland for the first time in her career, her album Humaine (East West/Warner) reaching no.16 in the Finnish charts. Meanwhile, South Korea has witnessed a mini Francophone explosion with two French albums making it into the Top 20 compiled by Sanga Records. Françoise Hardy, who has earned a reputation in South Korea but up until now never charted there, reached no.7 in the Sanga album charts with her compilation Des stars, des hits. Her compatriot Patrick Bruel conquered new English-speaking territory in South Korea with Entre deux (RCA/BMG), his album of covers of French classics from the inter-war years reaching no.9 in Sanga Records' Top 20. Yet more sales for the album which has already shifted a massive 2 million copies!
Over in Greece music fans have discovered France's teenage pop idol Lorie. Her single Sur un air latino (Epic/Sony Music) reached no.49 in the Greek charts last month. Meanwhile, Quebecoise singer Natasha St-Pier has been doing well in Spain, reaching no.2 in the national charts with Encontraras (Columbia/Sony Music), a single recorded in Spanish. As for Corsican group I Muvrini, they recently found favour in Canada with their single Umani (Capitol/EMI) climbing to no.67 in the Top 100. So it's been a bumper autumn harvest all round!
Gilles Rio
16/10/2003 -
