“Soleil ’96”: the first jets of vanilla

If you can’t open the windows to change the scene, suggest listening to it Soleil 96, Rachel Le Blanc’s debut album, aka Vanell. A flashy rock song, despite a touch of melancholy, the gentle performer protects against the cold, with bursts of pop Sixties, His guitars Ancient And its melodies that fascinate us. “That’s why I didn’t want to delay its launch any longer: People need a little happiness and something new” these days.

Rachel LeBlanc loves, among others, Francoise Hardy, Sonic Youth and cinema, having studied the latter at university. “It might sound strange, but I really like Realm versatile And the old Radio Canada logo. I really like this period … but there I feel like I’m slipping away from your question! “The musician apologizes,” said the musician.

Nothing – the question was about the lyrics of her songs: “I often say nonsense, alas,” she said again with a laugh. I mean: there are not necessarily stories in my texts, but rather a lexical domain [que j’explore]. I always compose the tunes first, they are the ones that inspire me the lyrics. Then I do a lot of first drafts; Usually I keep it for the album. I talk a lot about the seasons, about nature, the flowers, the sun, and yes, that might sound good, but at the same time, that’s what I wanted. “That’s fine, we also want to change our minds with this kind of colorful love songs.

Rachel has the same soft, cheerful voice and intelligence over the phone as her favorite songs Soleil 96, His first solo album: “When I started making music, I said Vanille was Squad Because I was so in love attach At that time, like Sonic Youth. It’s like, in my head, I see myself more as a member of Squad As a singer and songwriter. It looked like I hadn’t done my part, and it was better to be. ”One of the boys. It was a way to legitimize myself [en tant que musicienne autodidacte]But in the end, I realized that on my own, it’s just as good. “

in French

Anyway, Rachel says, the group played their own compositions. Those were vanilla before, those from their first EP, My grandfather thinks I’m going to hell, Released in 2017, it is an impressive compilation of indie rock songs mixed with guitar-pop and shygas that really revealed the musician’s talent as a performer. It was more fragile and heavier than we discover Soleil 96, It is also sung in English; Sure enough, today vanilla tastes better, more famous, more intimate, and speaks French.

“I understood it would have been better for me to sing in French, because we are in Quebec, but I also think that she represents me better – that is, by singing in French, she plays less than” the girl in Squad Who makes the music, “the character who acted as the idea of ​​being in Squad. Texts in French make me more honest. This is what I want to say, Rachel. “

Texts in French make me more honest. This is what I want to say, Rachel.

However, the transition to French-speaking Vanille is also accompanied by a noticeable aesthetic transformation that further emphasizes the silky bell of Rachel’s voice. Still in the energy of the oldest compositions (New waveAnd the Summer blueAnd the Voice) Recycled into an album of rock effects in its early days, but “has really undergone various influences in recent years,” the musician emphasizes. “I discovered the music of the 1960s,” she says, calling Françoise Hardy and France Gal. “I love the sadness of these women, but I also love the singers of Quebec. I love Louise Forrester, I love Diane Dufresne, and I love Caro too”, who in the 1960s achieved many successes with his own books, A boy in a short skirt And the On my motorcycle, Among others. “Karu, I love him, he’s an inspiration,” clear on StormsOne of the most successful Soleil 96. His vocal melodies drown me in all the time … ”

This yé-yé immersion was colored with achievement Soleil 96, A job entrusted to expert Emmanuel Ether, who has produced the albums Corridor, Jonathan Person, P’tit Belliveau, and Pierre Lapointe in recent months, to name a few. For example, guitar and drum tones reflect Rachel’s new vibes. “Emmanuel knows which guitar should have such a sound. He’s also the one who plays the violin on the album, it’s so beautiful, I’m really happy. It adds a touch of refinement to the record. In terms of production, it’s changed a lot, and we haven’t gone to sound ’90s totally.’ ‘

Soleil 96 It will benefit from a hypothetical February 5 release, registered with the ministry, “with a real show of a music scene,” says Rachel enthusiastically, who is already working on her next album. She warns that it will be very different: “I don’t know if I should talk about it right away, but I’m going to go to the folk. Sixties Citing the works of Donovan, Fashti Bunyan, and English Folk Priestess Shirley Collins.

Sully 96, de Vanille, featured on the Bonbonbon label.

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