Les Lys Brises

"Once heard, one cannot forget Barbara Carlotti. One of the most promising voices of the moment."
- Le Figaro [France]

"Delicate and sober, the songs of Barbara Carlotti release an elegance, a refinement of tone which go against the current of these singers who use their voices for howling to convince."
- VSD [France]

"Magic and sensuality operate here."
- Biba [France]

"Carlotti's soft melancholy and elegant humour decorates her pop with a sober coat of perfect proportions."
- 20Min [France]

"…Carlotti's voice exudes a tired sensuality on the edge of the Mediterranean…."
- Release

Often compared by French press to Nico, Barbara, Françoise Hardy and even Leonard Cohen [we assume only for the lyrics], Barbara Carlotti is an incredibly mature artist for one whose career is so young. In a way, she's the renewal of the French pop tradition started in the sixties by people like Jacques Dutronc, Gainsbourg or Barbara, when music and word were equally important, but with a lot of Anglo-Saxon influences - including a French adaptation of a Zombies classical tune.

'Les Lys Brises' is her debut album, released on hip French label Microbe and licensed by the equally hip UK label 4AD.

Born in '74, Carlotti had a musical upbringing, her father a fan of both Simon and Garfunkel and traditional Corsican music, her mother a serious classical fan ; she studied piano at her early age; discovered Bob Dylan as a pre-teen, inspiring her to learn guitar; and was fascinated by classic singers such as Nina Simone, Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday.

She went on to study musicology, before becoming a dancer and starring a the cult movie 'Mods', before meeting Jean-Pierre Petit and embarking on her musical career, the pair playing as a duo in bars around Paris from '02 onwards.

After the successful EP 'Chansons' drew the attention of Microbe, Carlotti entered the studio and recorded the gorgeous gem that is 'Les Lys Brises'. So, after Edith Piaf, Juliette Greco and Barbara, who knows if Barbara Carlotti won't be the new "Grande dame" of the French chanson? Or for that matter, an equal of Eva Cassidy or Bic Runga…? Highly recommended.