Why talk about it?
The contrast between the graffiti guitar riffs and the soft and rich voice of Marie Claudel, the melancholic rock atmosphere, the texts that evoke the journey and the disappointed loves, the strong melodies, the light realization, the depth of the whole .
The path
Marie-Claudel Chénier started playing guitar at the age of 9, and hasn’t stopped since. “I taught guitar when I was in CEGEP and, before my solo albums, I had a folk group that dabbled in trad with my sister, who is a really good guitarist too. At 28, she has been making music professionally for over 10 years now, but it was while studying at the National School of Song of Granby in 2013 that she really decided to make a career out of it. “It convinced me that I wanted to do this with my life. My teachers came from the old school, Marie-Claire Séguin, Robert Léger, and I really liked that. They took me out of my comfort zone. It also annoyed me a lot, because I was very shy before! ”
Rock
After two more folk albums, the mini Charming gall in 2016 and the album Don’t talk to strange people in 2018, Marie Claudel puts forward in Long version a much more rock side. “I listened to Quebec rock a lot, Galaxie, Fred Fortin… It always made me trippy, the big guitar sounds, the big riffs. It’s been a long time since I wanted to let myself go in this, and there, I had a great team for that. Marie Claudel has indeed surrounded herself for this album, which she co-produced with François Lafontaine and Nicolas Basque, with seasoned musicians such as drummer Andrew Barr and multi-instrumentalist Jesse McCormack, who played on his previous album. She could have been intimidated; rather, their presence inspired her. “It gave me adrenaline to work with them. I’m happy, it shows in the sound. We had a great creative bubble. ”
Natashquan
There is a certain melancholy in Long version, which Marie Claudel assumes. “I am in there a lot. Many of the lyrics on the album were written in Natashquan, on the North Shore, a city she fell in love with four years ago and where she has returned every summer since. “It’s like my own lost paradise. In Natashquan, everything is sweet. I feel so good there that sometimes I walk around and forget to eat. It takes me to a space-time that I have never known. The landscapes are inspiring, and the people are nice. It’s so healthy. There is a lot of that in my songs. ”
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
Marie Claudel performing with Gab Bouchard at the Festival de la chanson de Tadoussac, last June
The accompanist
Marie Claudel has accompanied many artists on stage, such as Thierry Larose, David Giguère and Gab Bouchard, and she intends to continue to pursue both careers at the same time. “It creates a nice balance, and both make me really happy. The musician says she has gained a lot of confidence on stage over the past few years, especially with Gab Bouchard. “I let myself go, I move more. I really learned and I bring it back in my songs. In fact, her stage presence is remarkable and will certainly inspire young musicians. “Ah, that bothers me a bit… But it’s true that a lot of young people come to tell me that after the shows. I’m touched. She could have the same effect that musicians like Mara Tremblay and Catherine Durand had on her – she also thanks them at the end of the album. “Mara called me the other day to perform on her shows, I’m such a fan… These women are role models for me. So, I hope I can be for others, yes! ”
The following
Marie Claudel recently founded her own record label, Maison Métropole. “There are a lot of record companies these days, it’s still saturated. But I wanted to leave something that looked like me. She did it on her own, asking a lot of questions, but would like her project to develop. “My goal would be to unite with other artists, like a coop. I have a lot of friends who have signed deals that are really unfair for them. I created this to help people who want to be independent and have a team with them. »She hopes to be able to travel with her album, in Europe and in festivals, would like to accompany more people and play in house bands on TV. “I’m not asking for much! »And always, always with his guitar as his preferred means of expression. “Ah, the sounds you can make with a guitar… I’m a girl who doesn’t play standard, in normal tuning, and every time I find another note, a new riff, it makes me trippy.” There is a lot to explore; it looks like it’s infinite. ”
Marie Claudel will be performing at the Verre Bouteille this Friday as part of Coup de cœur francophone.
Visit the Coup de cœur francophone website
Rock
Long version
Marie claudel
Metropolis House