Vendredi sur Mer, also known as Charline Simone Rosemond Mignot, is a francophone Swiss singer-songwriter whose moniker translates to “Friday on the Sea.” Her music is a blend of French indie, pop, and electronica. On Wednesday, she performed at the Roxy in West Hollywood, California.
Mignot carries the stage with a magnetism and a sexuality that only the French can bring. She makes a concerted effort to take time to connect with individuals in her audience. There are moments of lengthy, heightened eye contact and cheeky smirks. She takes time in between songs to share little stories with the crowd, bringing us along with her into the folds of her music and art.
The crowd for a French indie artist at a storied Hollywood venue was nothing short of fab. When you’re catching an artist before they’ve been exposed to the mainstream, you’re going to get people who are there for the music, people who are there because they love the artist, people who know what’s up. In other words, the vibes were high.
Vendredi sur Mer played about a dozen songs in her dazzling hour at the Roxy. She was supported by a keyboardist/guitarist and a drummer. The music is very vibey and dancey, with a wash of gorgeous French poetry dripping from the pulse of sound. One such song is a word that everyone can understand, “Bleu.”
When she played this track, the room turned into a blue velvet color and was magnified by the disco ball above. The stage is positioned smartly in a corner, with an elevated bar across the room, and an elevated VIP section on the opposite wall. The pit is ample, yet cozy for the venue size, fitting the mess of dancers in the pit, just an arm’s reach from Mignot.
There is a bit of a building popularity of French Pop artists in the United States. Of course, Daft Punk came first. But more recently, musical duo Polo and Pan have really led the charge in bringing French music into the cultural zeitgeist. With piqued interest in foreign artists, this makes room for newcomers like Mignot, who is performing now in Los Angeles for the second time.
After a roar for encore with three more songs given, we said “Bon Nuit” to Vendredi sur Mer, and spilled out onto Sunset Blvd to find another iconic bar to cool off at, from all of the dancing.
Catch the artist on tour, and listen to some of her music below.
The Indy Review 