Country: France
French artist Yohna Saïdé, also known by her stage name L’Heure Bleue, draws inspiration from some of the most beloved folk and alt pop artists out there, including the likes of Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell and Jeff Buckley. This mixture blends into a mature, adult pop sound that is enchanting throughout.
Tracks like first single “Emerald Bay”, sung in English, tell a story of “a woman who left everything to reinvent herself in the heart of the Canadian wilderness. She built her own cabin there in the woods near a nature reserve. She spends her days reading in her hammock, listening to the birds singing and humming their melodies”. Lyrics capture the free-spirited woman’s life, “she’s living free, petals on her naked body”, while the ebullient, jazzy vocal melodies that flutter and dance, and quirky percussion.
Saide takes a mellower approach on tracks like “Come One Large dans la Pluie”, sung in French over strummed acoustic chords and subdued bass lines. Not to be pigeon-holed, Saide shows off a darker side on “Petite Fille”, a tribal folk rock number filled with menacing drums and thrilling harmonies.
L’Heure Bleue is creating some fascinating music that is sure to intrigue Francophiles and non-Francophiles alike. Listen to a couple of her tracks in our World Watch Playlist!
The Indy Review 