From The other side of the worldin 2006, Emily Loizeau traces her path in French song, like a feminine Leonard Cohen. An artist at the heart of musical reading that she performs alongside the author Fabrice Melquiot.
How was born The song of the sirens, that you are presenting with Fabrice Melquiot?
EL Listen to the sirens is the title of Fabrice Melquiot’s latest book. He wanted to share it with the public in a different way. As a director, he wanted a more scenographic and lively moment. He asked me to accompany him on a musical reading, especially since the book is inspired by the famous Suzanne, sung by Leonard Cohen.
What does Leonard Cohen mean to you?
EL Leonard Cohen is one of my guiding lights, people who have guided and inspired me, both in writing, in the soul and in poetry, just as much as Lou Reed, to whom I dedicated an album, or Bob Dylan. This generation of artists is part of my DNA.
How did you meet Fabrice Melquiot?
EL We met in 2022, because he asked me to compose the soundtrack for Lazzithe play he wrote. This music is at the heart of my latest album, The underground, with many titles found there. In addition, Fabrice wrote the lyrics for the first song of the album, Enlighten me. So it really made sense for us to find ourselves around Leonard Cohen, at the moment when he released his book, and me my record. There is like a thread that we unwind together.
Does literature inspire you?
EL She has always held a huge place in my life. My father wrote and passed on this love to me. It is a mine of inspiration and central breathing. In addition, Fabrice’s text is magnificent, in a spoken, very interior language, which has the breath of the great American novels, as well as great musicality. I’m lucky that he asked me to share the reading with him, I don’t just sing, I really do the second voice of the text. It’s something that I love and which makes me particularly happy.
How do you view your latest album?
EL I have the impression that I am approaching a record that would completely resemble me. I wrote it in the wake of my previous album, Rentwhich shares the same breath. I kept the same musicians and recorded with John Parish (one of the pillars of PJ Harvey, editor’s note). The album sounds very liveand at the same time very produced, with a rock, resistant energy.
What does this title mean? The underground ?
EL The eponymous song is a metaphor for two beings who would rather dance in an underground club than watch the world burn above their heads. I’m talking about living in the shadow world and deciding to take it as real, for ease. This is Plato’s famous cave. But this title also reminds me of the place where revolutions are fomented, where we resist and where we can create a real world of light. This title that I love so much has a subversive element.
Le chant des sirènes, mardi 26 novembre, à 20 h, au Dôme Théâtre, à Albertville. 04 79 10 44 80. De 8 à 27 €.
