Anne Etchegoyen, from the Basque Country to the Olympia, the journey of a committed artist

Anne Etchegoyen, a Basque singer with a strong voice and a unique background, passionately combines traditional songs and feminist commitment. From her beginnings in the Saint-Palais choir to international stages, she has proudly carried the values ​​and culture of her country. An independent artist, she surrounds herself with musician friends to offer a vibrant musical mix that we invite you to discover.

She has always sung : very young, in the choir of the country of Mixe, in Saint Palais in Lower Navarre. Then at the Bayonne Music School and at the Bordeaux Conservatory, where she worked on her voice. Since her professional debut, she has taken her art and her pleasure in singing to the top. This young woman with a strong character carries Basque song beyond the limits of her country.

Sharing singing with his friends is in his DNA: as in his latest album, Festa (Party). And there are many of them: the flamenco guitarists of the group Alma Loca, Patxi Garat, Cali, Camile Lopez, Paxkal Ondarts, Lacho, the Oldarra choirs, Aizkoa, etc.

In her album “Emazte” (Women), like the Navarrese writer Beñat Etxepare in her poems published in 1515, she is involved in the defense of women. And she pays tribute to Dolores Ibarruri, the Pasionaria, leader of the PCE, by dedicating a song to her that resonates particularly in these turbulent times: “Out with the dictatorship”, taking up the slogan of the Spanish Republicans, “No pasaran”.

Always in favor of women’s rights, she recorded with Itziar Ituño, the actress of the series La Casa del papel “Ez da EZ” (No means No). A strong denunciation of sexual harassment and violence against women.

Anne Etchegoyen sings about her country and it is obvious and more surely obvious to the ears that she likes to perform traditional songs. Songs heard as often in the Basque Country, when she was very young, in the family.

She particularly appreciates Basque poets and singers like Xabier Lete or Imanol Larzabal. And revisits the repertoire of artists from all over the world, like Mercedes Sosa or Barbara*. A wide-open musical universe!

Church songs also marked Anne from her childhood, the beauty of the hymns powerfully sung with fervor in the church of Saint Palais, with its beautiful acoustics as is often the case in the Basque Country. Agur Maria, the Basque Ave Maria as well as that of Schubert. A sort of spiritual quest for the young woman who also made the way to Santiago de Compostela. An important step in her life.

Patxi Garata long-time friend, with whom Anne sang in Paris, in Basque, during a concert illustrating the liveliness of minority languages. Both of them and their artist friends would like to destroy all these vain borders between languages ​​and cultures. Let us live and sing the rainbow of all languages! This was their message during concerts at the Olympia (with Breton, Corsican, Occitan singers) but also at the Casino de Paris, at the Francofolies 2024 and during tours in Argentina among others.

Txirrita records a song performed at Royalty in Biarritz, which welcomes and shelters the entire team during a heavy downpour. Milesker at Paxkal Ondarts and his daughter Help me.

Lacho and the duo Alma Loca. Lacho, Antonio Jimenez, is a long-time accomplice, who accompanies Anne on the flamenco guitar. Just like Alma Loca, of which Lacho is a part. Andalusian music then marries with Basque melodies and songs composed by Anne and Patxi. Beautiful and rich musical mix. Diverse cultures and influences mix for the best. We find Alma Loca at Center spanish cultural from Bayonne, whom I also thank for his welcome.

Finally, friends of the Aizkoa male choir with which Anne often performs in concert. A successful marriage of tenor and bass voices with her own. It is thus a bit of Anne Etchegoyen’s vocal palette that this Txirrita offers. A sensitive portrait of the young artist with sincere commitments.

• Party (La fête), also the title of Anne’s latest album released by Otentik in 2024, a label created by herself. A way of guaranteeing her artistic independence by self-producing. Festa therefore, a composition by Anne and Nils Frechilla, accompanied for Txirrita by Lacho, at the Port des pêcheurs in Biarritz.
• Ixilik (Silent), another song to denounce aggression, violence against women. A composition by Patxi Garat, performed with him and accompanied by Lacho.
• Maria figure Ama (Marie notre mère) by Anne Etchegoyen and Christophe Casanave, performed with Alma Loca.
• Txoria txori by Joxean Artze and Mikel Laboa, performed with three members of the choir Aizkoa and Lacho on guitar.

• Anne sings “Say, when will you come back?” by Barbara with Gerard Daguerre on the piano in 2022. None other than Barbara’s pianist!
• Anne rehearses “Ave Maria” with a young chamber orchestra in the studios of France 3 Aquitaine for the show “12 – 14 Midi Atlantique” in 2005.
• Filming of the video clip “Ez da Ez / No es No” (Anne Etchegoyen And Jerome Levatois) in 2019 in Petit Bayonne.
• On the roads to Compostela in 2017.
• Anne Etchegoyen at the Olympia in 2009.

► Find the show Txirrita on France 3 and in replay on the france.tv platform