Francesca Blanchard Press Kit 2016

PRESS KIT
“Deux visions shines on the strength of Blanchard’s accomplished compositions, tasteful guitar work and
gorgeous vocals. A seamless mix of folk, jazz and roots-rock with some French chanson thrown in for good
measure. The most ambitious and impressive debut album to come out of Vermont since Grace Potter.”
- The Times Argus
“Best Vocalist of 2015. A profound, mature talent. She may be young, but she has an old soul.”
- Seven Days
WWW.FRANCESCABLANCHARD.COM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRANCESCA BLANCHARD
NEW ALBUM DEUX VISIONS, OUT IN EUROPE MAY 27TH ON VIS-À-VIS
FRENCH-AMERICAN SINGER-SONGWRITER FLOWS BETWEEN AMERICANA,
SUBDUED INDIE ROCK & FRENCH CHANSON ON HER CAPTIVATING DEBUT
VIDEO FOR "RAME": http://bit.ly/1Rz21g1
VIDEO FOR "WANDERER": http://bit.ly/1TjvRHS
VIDEO FOR "NOW THAT YOU ARE GONE": http://bit.ly/1TjyZUi
“Singer-songwriter Francesca Blanchard sounds like a throwback to the old days of folk singers
that came from Laurel Canyon in the 70s. This album has her singing in English and French, with
acoustic and electric guitar, with a voice that has a hint of early Joni Mitchell and a feel of Neil
Young.” - Jazz Weekly
"Francesca so easily writes songs that tug at your heartstrings that you'd swear she was in love with
you. Deux visions succeeds because even at its most quiet, minimalistic point it still has your
emotions in a bear hug and won't let them go. This is an album that’s drenched in tears, an album
that finds love in a thunderstorm, and leaves its lover at the airport gate.”
- The POP Stereo Review
“Deux visions shines on the strength of Blanchard’s accomplished compositions, tasteful guitar
work and gorgeous vocals. A seamless mix of folk, jazz and roots-rock with some French chanson
thrown in for good measure. The most ambitious and impressive debut album to come out of
Vermont since Grace Potter.” - The Times Argus
The title of Francesca Blanchard’s first full-length record, deux visions, encapsulates the singersongwriter’s dual identity on several levels: one word in French and the other in English, together
meaning “two visions” and the word “divisions.” Blanchard’s childhood in southern France and
young adulthood in Vermont, interspersed with travels to over thirty different countries thanks to
her parents’ humanitarian work, form the foundations for her poignant, bilingual meditations. Her
original, intimate songs touch upon spaces “betwixt and between” and the search for love, home
and sanctuary.
A singer from infancy and a songwriter since childhood, Blanchard’s musical influences are as
eclectic as her upbringing. Her family's soundtrack included folk, rock, jazz, French chanson and
pop, classical, soul, world music and musical theater -- a diverse playlist that reflected the openminded aesthetic of her multicultural household. Captivated at age 10 by her mother’s
performance of “Blackbird,” she taught herself acoustic guitar by imitating Paul McCartney's
finger-picking technique.
But it was the voices that made the biggest impression, with singers ranging from Tracy Chapman,
Eva Cassidy, Diana Krall and Norah Jones along with French icons such as Carla Bruni, Francoise
Hardy, Edith Piaf, Francis Cabrel, and Alain Souchon leaving their mark on her musical
development. Still in her early twenties, Francesca Blanchard has been called a “a profound,
mature talent” who “displays guile and artistic sensitivity that would be the envy of many
tunesmiths twice her age. She may be young, but she has an old soul.” (Seven Days).
Blanchard proved herself as a composer and song stylist with her six-song EP from 2011, Songs
On An Ovation, which Vermont weekly Seven Days called “Quietly and profoundly stunning. It is a
humble ode to love, heartbreak and home that says more about all three topics in the span of 17
minutes than some songwriters do over entire careers.” Even more remarkable given that
Francesca was just 19 at the time of the EP's release.
While performing regularly and working as a coffee shop barista, Blanchard booked studio time in
August and September of 2014 at Lane Gibson Recording & Mastering in her current home of
Charlotte, VT and worked with a creative double-threat from nearby Montreal: producer Chris Velan
(Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, Lakou Mizik) to oversee the project and Jean Massicotte (Lhasa,
Patrick Watson, Arthur H, Jorane) to mix the album.
Blanchard explains that the twelve songs of deux visions—six in French and six in English—convey
the distinct worldviews carried by each language. “All these ‘selves’ I carry, that make me the
whole being that I am, the artist I’ve become…they are what I wanted to devote this album to. It is
an ode to where I’ve been and where I’ll go; who I was and who I’ve become. The album is both a
bittersweet eulogy and a heartfelt welcome.” Blanchard actualizes this idea by striking a balance
between Americana, subdued indie rock and French chanson that will surely find a diverse
audience.
Despite the duality at its core, Blanchard’s quiet resolve echoes throughout deux visions. Each
song thinks, moves, soothes, and even chuckles through unsettling circumstances, activities that
she asserts are discernable in the melody and mood as much as in the words. With its slow, steady
beat and pedal steel reminiscent of Neil Young’s oeuvre, the album's lead single, “Rame” (Row),
imparts a steadfast resolve to weather rough waters en route to shore. The Americana flavored
“Wanderer,” buoyed by banjo and a propulsive sing-along chorus, distills her years of geographic
adjustment and upheaval into an assertive calling card of self.
Questions of home and family, and their effectiveness as anchors prevail on the propulsive “Le
Blues,” the muscular “Empty House,” the lilting piano-and-strings showcase “Home Is A Cage,”
and the contemplative “Papa…Père.” The softly whimsical “Tu N’existes Pas” (You Don’t Exist)
and the rollicking “Pas D’sa Faute” (It’s Not Her Fault) use humorous storytelling (the former
about an imaginary boyfriend and the latter relating a tale of a working-class Parisian prostitute) as
a coping mechanism. “Now That You Are Gone” and “The Sea (Zach’s Song)”—both
instrumentally sparse and hauntingly beautiful—confront the reality of pining for what has been
lost. Blanchard also re-works songs from her EP to display her evolution as an artist in the last four
years: the new versions of “Save A Different Way” and “Mon Ange” (My Angel) contain fuller, more
complex arrangements that reveal the songs' possibilities and Blanchard's stylistic range.
A natural performer with a Theatre Arts degree from Boston University, Blanchard has already
opened for legends such as Joan Armatrading, Suzanne Vega and trend-setting rising stars such as
Lissie, Yuna, and Rodrigo Amarante. With extensive North American touring under her belt,
Blanchard is prepared to take Europe by storm with the official launch there of her debut album.
With the release of deux visions, Blanchard embarks on a new journey, one that marks the
introduction of a unique talent.
Find song lyrics, in-depth interviews, a detailed biography,
press photos and more at the online press kit.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: francescablanchard.com
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/francescablanchardmusic
VIMEO: vimeo.com/channels/francescablanchard
For Press Inquiries:
Jackie Harrison / +44 (0)1424 200 415 / [email protected]
Francesca Blanchard
BIOGRAPHY
Francesca Blanchard is a young French-American singer-songwriter whose lyrics and melodies reflect her bilingual and multicultural
upbringing. Born in the south of France where her family resided until she was ten, Francesca recalls her Mediterranean childhood as one of
bare feet on terra cotta tiles, fuchsia sunsets, and mistral breezes. La vie douce (the sweet life) aptly describes the rhythm and rhyme of those
early years, where hours spent daydreaming and gazing off at the white-capped waves further nourished a love of wild, open spaces and the
solitary peace of simple living in the heart of a family that was anything but conventional.
With parents who’ve worked for international humanitarian agencies worldwide, Francesca lived and went to school in Ethiopia and Burundi.
Family journeys have taken her to over 30 off-the-beaten-path countries such as South Korea, Mauritania, Rwanda, Kenya, Egypt, Thailand,
Australia, Honduras, Tanzania, Guatemala and India. She's learned to travel light and invite surprises, but also to rely upon an open mind and
a listening heart as she's encountered such a varied sampling of humankind. Growing up in a household consisting of a French father, an
American mother, and adopted siblings from Ethiopia and Guatemala, Francesca’s own family reflects a spirit where the sense of “belonging”
comes not from a particular place or heritage but from the bonds of being passengers on the same metaphorical ship. This, she says, is why
she sings: to nourish these bonds.
Francesca was, by circumstance, born into a world of music; perhaps it was the Chopin played to her through headphones on her mother’s
pregnant belly, or Vivaldi’s “Concerto for Guitar and Mandolin” playing in the delivery room where she was born, or maybe even that every
time she’d walk outside as a child, she was serenaded by cricket choirs and the cooing of provincial lovebirds. Records were constantly
played in the Blanchard household; Francesca was raised to a wide array of voices. Her musical backdrop consisted of Tracy Chapman, Eva
Cassidy, Diana Krall, Norah Jones, Carla Bruni, Francoise Hardy, Edith Piaf, Francis Cabrel, Alain Souchon, Aaron Neville, Stevie Wonder, I
Muvrini, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Simon & Garfunkel, Virginia Rodriguez, Andrea Bocelli, Khaled… an eclectic assortment of styles, sounds
and languages, all extremely vocally expressive and rich in musicality.
Francesca took piano lessons and sang in choirs growing up, but it wasn’t until she moved to the States in 2002 that she started taking guitar
lessons. She writes in both French and English, choosing whichever language best fits the mood and poetry of the song. Aided by Vermont
singer-songwriter and producer Gregory Douglass, Francesca recorded her first 6-track EP, Songs on an Ovation, in 2011 and began selling
the collection of original compositions and well-chosen covers in French and English to friends, family and neighbors. Soon, the EP began
earning Francesca local acclaim, leading Burlington, Vermont weekly Seven Days to rave “Barely out of high school, the local singersongwriter already displays guile and artistic sensitivity that would be the envy of many tunesmiths twice her age — and, for that matter,
music critics of a similarly mature vintage. Her debut EP is quietly and profoundly stunning. It is a humble ode to love, heartbreak and home
that says more about all three topics in the span of 17 minutes than some songwriters do over entire careers.”
A graduate from Boston University with a BFA in Theatre Arts, Francesca has been gaining musical experience over the last few years,
opening for Joan Armatrading, Suzanne Vega, The Parkington Sisters, Caravan Palace, the Von Trapps, Yuna, Lissie and others. She performed
at the prestigious FrancoFolies Festival of Montreal in 2013 and 2015. Francesca's rendition of the classic French ballad "Sous Le Ciel de
Paris" was featured on the Putumayo collection Vintage France, along with a gentle cover of the children’s song “Petit Papa Noel” on
Putumayo's French Christmas collection.
In the summer of 2014, Francesca began work on her debut full-length album, deux visions. After a successful Indiegogo campaign that
raised nearly $30,000, Montreal producer Chris Velan (Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars) assembled a lineup of top local musicians at Lane
Gibson studios in Charlotte, Vermont to record 12 original songs – six in French, six in English. Acclaimed producer Jean
Massicotte (Lhasa, Patrick Watson, Arthur H, Jorane) mixed the album in Montreal at Masterkut Studios, and the album was mastered at
world-renowned Metropolis Studios in London. The all-star contributions to the album continued with the graphic design, which was overseen
by the trend-setting Burlington, VT design studio Solidarity of Unbridled Labour. The result is a true labor of love, supported by a community
of friends, fans and family who are united in the belief that Francesca's talent deserves to be discovered by the world.
Deux visions has already been met with tremendous acclaim. The Vermont daily The Times Argus raved "Deux visions shines on the strength
of Blanchard’s accomplished compositions, tasteful guitar work and gorgeous vocals. A seamless mix of folk, jazz and roots-rock with some
French chanson thrown in for good measure. The most ambitious and impressive debut album to come out of Vermont since Grace Potter.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON FRANCESCA BLANCHARD VISIT WWW.FRANCESCABLANCHARD.COM OR CONTACT:
Jacob Edgar / [email protected] / +1-802-425-2118
For an online press kit, visit http://pressjunkiepr.com/clients/francesca-blanchard/
Francesca Blanchard
BIOGRAPHIE
Francesca est une jeune auteur compositrice Franco Américaine dont les paroles et les mélodies reflètent son éducation multiculturelle. Née
dans le Sud de la France ou sa famille a habité jusqu’à ce qu’elle ait 10 ans, Francesca se remémore son enfance au bord de la
Méditerranée comme celle d’une enfant aux pieds nus sur les carrelages de terra cotta, les couchers de soleil couleur fuchsia sous le souffle
du mistral. La vie douce décrit parfaitement la nonchalance de ces premières années, et des heures passées à rêver éveillée et à contempler
la mer. Des année qui ont nourri un amour des espaces sauvages et une appréciation de la quiétude d’une vie simple au cœur d’une famille
hors norme.
Les parents de Francesca ont en effet travaillé dans le monde entier pour des organisations humanitaires, et Francesca a habité et est allée à
l’école en Ethiopie et au Burundi. Les voyages en famille l’ont emmené dans plus de 30 pays hors des sentiers battus tels que la Corée du
Sud, la Mauritanie, le Rwanda, le Kenya, l’Egypte, la Thaïlande, l’Australie, le Honduras, la Tanzanie, le Guatemala et l’Inde. Elle a appris à
voyager « léger » et à se laisser émerveiller par la diversité de l’humanité lui ouvrant l’esprit et le cœur.
Avec un père Français, une mère Américaine, une sœur et un frère adoptifs d’Ethiopie et du Guatemala, la famille de Francesca reflète cet
esprit ou le sens de l’appartenance ne vient pas d’un héritage ou d’un lieu particulier mais de liens qui se lieraient entre des passagers d’un
navire imaginaire, Ceci, dit-elle, est la raison pour laquelle elle chante, de façon à nourrir ces liens.
Francesca est née dans un univers musical; peut-être était-ce la musique de Chopin que sa mère passait quand elle était enceinte, ou le
Concerto pour guitare et mandoline de Vivaldi diffusée quand elle est née, ou peut-être était-ce les chœurs de crickets et les piaillements des
oiseaux de Provence quand elle allait se promener enfant. Son enfance a toujours été bercée par la musique et par des voix exceptionnelles :
Tracy Chapman, Eva Cassidy, Diana Krall, Norah Jones, Carla Bruni, Françoise Hardy, Edith Piaf, Francis Cabrel, Alain Souchon, Aaron
Neville, Stevie Wonder, I Muvrini, Crosby Stills & Nash & Young, Simon & Garfunkel, Virginia Rodriguez, Andrea Bocelli, Khaled….. Un
assortiment éclectique de styles, de sons et de langages, tous tellement expressifs et riches en musicalité.
En grandissant Francesca a pris des leçons de piano et a chanté dans des chorales, mais elle ne s’est mise à prendre des leçons de guitare
qu’après avoir déménagé aux Etats Unis dans le Vermont en 2002. Elle écrit à la fois en Français et en Anglais, choisissant la langue qui
exprimera le mieux son humeur et la poésie qu’elle veut exprimer, Avec l’assistance de l’auteur compositeur et producteur Gregory Douglas
installé dans le Vermont, Francesca a enregistré son premier disque avec 6 chansons, Songs on an Ovation, en 2011, et a commencé à le
vendre à ses amis, a la famille et son l’entourage. Ces chansons en Français et en Anglais ont rapidement crée un buzz au niveau local,
amenant l’hebdomadaire de Burlington Seven Days à déclarer « a peine sortie du lycée, la singer-songwriter locale démontre déjà une
sensibilité et une verve artistique que lui envieraient des artistes bien plus âgés et expérimentés qu’elle. Son premier CD est tout simplement
magnifique. C’est une ode à l’amour, au chagrin et au terroir très simple mais qui en dit plus en l’espace de 17 minutes que bon nombre de
chanteurs compositeurs ne l’accomplissent durant toute une carrière. »
Récemment diplômée de la Boston University avec une licence de Théâtre, Francesca a enrichie son expérience musicale ces quelques
dernières années, en assurant la première partie d’artistes tels que Joan Armatrading, Suzanne Vega, de Caravan Palace et bien d’autres. Elle a
joué au prestigieux Festival des FrancoFolies de Montréal en 2013 et 2015. L’interprétation par Francesca du classique « Sous le ciel de
Paris » a été reprise dans la collection Vintage France de Putumayo, de même que sa réinterprétation du chant pour enfants « Petit Papa
Noel » dans la collection French Christmas de Putumayo.
Durant l’été 2014, Francesca a commencé à travailler sur son premier album, deux visions. Apres avoir levé environ 30,000 $ via une
opération de crowdfunding sur Indiegogo le producteur de Montréal Chris Velan ( Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars) a réuni pour elle les
meilleurs musiciens locaux aux studios Lane Gibson de Charlotte dans le Vermont pour enregistrer 12 chansons originales, 6 en Français et 6
en Anglais, Le célèbre producteur Jean Massicotte ( qui produit Lhasa, Patrick Watson, Arthur H, Jorane ) a assuré le mixage de l’album à
Montréal aux studios Masterkut, et l’album a été finalisé aux célèbres Studios Metropolis de Londres, Les contributions de haut niveau se sont
poursuivies avec le graphisme, effectué par le studio de design Solidarity of Unbridled Labour. Le résultat est à la hauteur des espérances de
la communauté d’amis, de fans de la première heure, tous unis autour de la conviction que le talent de Francesca va bientôt s’étendre très
rapidement. Deux visions sortira aux Etats Unis et au Canada le 2 Octobre 2015 sur le label Vis-à-Vis, suivi d’un lancement international en
2016.
POUR PLUS INFORMATION SUR FRANCESCA BLANCHARD VISITER WWW.FRANCESCABLANCHARD.COM
OU CONTACTER:
[email protected] / +1-802-425-2118
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9/16/2015
Video Premiere: Francesca Blanchard - "Rame" | News | CMJ
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Francesca Blanchard – Photo by Sarah Kjelleren
CMJ Charts: September 8,
2015: Radkey Is Top Mover
Should your midweek have you in a blue mood, this new video won’t exactly offer you a hardy
lift, but can let you wallow in something just as sullen but much prettier than your usual blahs.
Born in southern France and raised in Vermont, Francesca Blanchard‘s music has a similarly
News
Track Premiere: Nervous
Curtains – “White Flashes”
mixed feeling. Here on “Rame” she strums with efficient delicacy over a tempered drum, with
harmonies that come and go like the streams she’s walking through in the video. The
juxtaposition of bits of rural slide guitar twang and the romantic cadences of Blanchard’s
French lyricism make for a steadying folk tune for a chilly, early fall morning.
News
Track Premiere: Useless
Eaters – “Hidden Fees”
Check out the video, below. “Rame” is from the 23-year old’s debut LP, Deux Visions , out
October 2 on Vis-A-Vis Records.
http://www.cmj.com/news/video-premiere-2/
1/3
Francesca
Blanchard,
deux visions
cultural background. But it also suggests
something deeper. Though melancholy,
Blanchard’s first EP was girlishly
innocent. She’s now more mature both in
age and artistic experience, yet elements
of that wide-eyed perspective remain
on deux visions. A moody undercurrent
imbues the album with darker, more
contemplative hues.
The record opens on “Rame,” a Frenchlanguage tune that swirls with ethereal,
Mazzy Star-esque brooding. Thankfully,
the album’s insert includes lyrics for every
song in both French and English. But nonfrancophones hardly need the English
translation to feel the uncertainty and
helplessness embedded in Blanchard’s
imagery of a rowboat on a stormy ocean.
The metaphor speaks of struggle.
As was the case on Ovation,Blanchard’s
theatrical background serves her well on
visions. Her sense of dramatic contrast
and narrative structure lends her
material depth and nuance, and translates
regardless of language. “Le blues” is just
as sweetly wistful as the English “Home
album’s penultimate — and best — track,
“Tomorrow I’m Gonna Die,” tackles
the weighty subject of passing on with
shrugging irreverence. It winks knowingly
at Guthrie.
George doesn’t reinvent the
wheel on his self-titled debut, but the
carefree earnestness with which he
plays is genuine and endearing. More
importantly, it’s compelling. The album
has an intentionally lo-fi ambience that
somewhat obscures just how good a
player and singer he is. George effortlessly
unfurls bluesy licks that strike a balance
between precision and jaggedness. The
same is true of his versatile voice, which
is effective in a throaty howl and a softer,
raspy croon.
George does indeed work within his
own sense of time. But he does so in a way
that sounds as vital now as it might have
100 years ago.
Eric George celebrates the release of
his debut solo record with a show this
Friday, October 2, at Studio A, North
End Studios, in Burlington. The album is
available at ericgeorge.bandcamp.com.
The evolution of Francesca Blanchard
has been swift and mesmerizing. In
2011, the young songwriter released her
debut recording, a humble, handmade
gem called Songs on an Ovation. The EP
was as sweet as it was short. In a scant
17-minute span, it became clear that a
new, crystalline voice was emerging.
Back then, Blanchard was a theater
student at Boston University. She has
since moved back home to Charlotte and
devoted her creative energies solely to
music. In doing so, she caught the ears
of a neighbor, ethnomusicologist Jacob
Edgar, who captains the cutting-edge
world-music label Cumbancha. Under his
guidance and encouragement, Blanchard
has blossomed. The fruit of her recent
efforts is her full-length debut for Edgar’s
imprint, deux visions.
Born in France and raised in Vermont,
Blanchard is bilingual — an asset that
sets her apart in the crowded folkrock field. On the surface, the mixedlanguage title of the record is a nod to her
Eric George,
Eric George
DAN BOLLES
album’s penultimate — and best — track,
“Tomorrow I’m Gonna Die,” tackles
the weighty subject of passing on with
shrugging irreverence. It winks knowingly
at Guthrie.
George doesn’t reinvent the
wheel on his self-titled debut, but the
carefree earnestness with which he
plays is genuine and endearing. More
importantly, it’s compelling. The album
has an intentionally lo-fi ambience that
lington expat,
Records founder
a guy who knows a
bby authenticity
with tinny warmth.
corded by singing
ippi Delta studio in
cially true when the
urntable.
orge is rooted
elta blues, and
cruffy whimsy of
icked guitar part
melody, opener
zy, swampy feel.
dishes winking
py acoustic blues
des Away” is a
hat almost sounds
n’s deconstructed
s. Propelled
ussion and a
’” could pass for a
pkins tune. The
ance, and translates
. “Le blues” is just
he English “Home
bandcamp.com.
DAN BOLLES
(CUMBANCHA, CD, DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, VINYL)
(SELF-RELEASED, CD, DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, VINYL)
Eric George has a timeless quality.
Perhaps that’s why it took him so long to
release his self-titled debut record. George
has been quietly plying his trade at coffee
shops and other small venues around the
state for some years. The album, out this
Recorded with Burlington expat,
songwriter and Jenke Records founder
Tommy Alexander — a guy who knows a
thing or two about shabby authenticity
— the album crackles with tinny warmth.
9/28/15 11:27 AM
Is a Cage” is coolly longing. “Mon ange”
is gently angelic; “Wanderer” is searching
and circumspect. She coaxes texture and
tone from her smooth, expressive voice
as an actor would from his or her face or
body language.
The dramatic ebb and flow of
Blanchard’s songs is heightened by
tasteful, subtly dynamic arrangements and
pitch-perfect instrumental performances.
Her EP was strictly a solo effort, but here
she’s backed by local luminaries including
bassist Rob Morse, drummer Caleb
Bronz, pedal steel player Brett Lanier
and accordianist Tom Cleary, to name a
few. There’s a horn section led by Bryan
McNamara and featuring Andrew Moroz
and Luke Laplant. There are strings and
percussion. And it’s all expertly, warmly
woven together by Montréal songwriter
and producer Chris Velan.
But the heart and soul of deux visions
remains Blanchard, an ascendant talent
who is equal parts French chanteuse and
American folk singer.
Francesca Blanchard celebrates the
release of deux visions with a performance
this Saturday, October 3, at the Spruce
Peak Performing Arts Center in Stowe.
The album is available starting Friday,
October 2, at francescablanchard.
bandcamp.com.
AN INDEPENDENT ARTIST OR BAND MAKING MUSIC IN VT, SEND YOUR CD TO US!
LES C/O SEVEN DAYS, 255 SO. CHAMPLAIN ST. STE 5, BURLINGTON, VT 05401
REVIEW this
Untitled-28 1
09.30.15-10.07.15
SEVEN
DAYS
MUSIC 73
GOT MUSIC
NEWS?
[email protected]
DAN BOLLES
SEVENDAYSVT.COM
COURTESY OF FRANCESCA BLANCHARD
music
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74 MUSIC
SEVEN DAYS
12.10.14-12.17.14
SEVENDAYSVT.COM
F
rancesca Blanchard is staring
down at her acoustic guitar
with a look of concentration.
To her right, a fire crackles in a
large hearth, issuing warmth to a throng
of diners at the South End Kitchen in
Burlington. Blanchard, clad in a cozy
sweater of muted tones, carefully counts
the frets on the guitar’s neck until she
finds the right one on which to affix her
capo. Still, she seems a little uncertain,
exuding the anxiety of a novice singersongwriter, which, in some ways, she is.
With hesitant fingers, Blanchard begins
to pick out a line on the guitar. Then she
leans into the mic.
If this were a Hollywood tale, the
moment Blanchard begins to sing,
the chattering crowd of diners would
suddenly be compelled to silence,
mouths agape as they’re pulled from
their fish-and-chips and hypnotized
by the sonorous strains of Blanchard’s
voice. Afterward, a slick industry bigwig
type would rush to the makeshift stage
— really just a nook by the fireplace —
recording contract in hand and promises
of fame and fortune on his lips. But that’s
not quite what happens.
As Blanchard begins to croon the
the French Christmas carol “Petit Papa
Noël” (“Little Father Christmas”), a
few folks refrain, at least momentarily,
from noshing fried haddock to listen.
The song’s melody gently swirls like
the snow flurries visible through the
picture windows behind her. There is, in
fact, an “industry bigwig” in the crowd:
Jacob Edgar, founder of Charlotte-based
world-music label Cumbancha. But
Edgar exudes quiet, fatherly pride as he
divides his attention between Blanchard
— his latest protégé — and his own two
daughters, who excitedly recount a
recent geography bee at school.
At the end of the song comes a
smattering of appreciative, if polite,
applause. At a nearby table, a family goes
back to finishing off a shared brownie
sundae. Near them, a couple on a date
gaze at each other. A tipsy gathering
on the far side of the room takes the
music121014.indd 74
YOUR
TEXT
HERE
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The World
Can’t Wait
Vermont singer Francesca Blanchard
is poised to break out
B Y DAN B OLLES
opportunity to sing a giddy version of
“Happy Birthday.”
It’s hard not to wonder if anyone
in the crowd realizes what they are
witness to in Blanchard. Edgar turns to a
chagrined music reporter and nods, as if
to say, “I know, right?”
Blanchard is in the early stage of
what, by most indications, looks to be
a promising music career — albeit one
that’s been slow to start. It’s a safe bet
that, before too long, audiences well
beyond the cozy confines of this Pine
Street eatery will know her music. And
they might start with her version of
“Petit Papa Noël,” which appears on
the recently released Putumayo World
Music comp French Christmas. Those
who happen to be in the crowd during
her December residency at South End
Kitchen just might one day tell their
friends about the time they saw her
when. Even if they were more interested
in hot chocolate and doughnuts
at the time.
Blanchard, 22, first garnered
local attention in 2011 with a stirring
acoustic EP, Songs on an Ovation.
Though released when she was barely
graduated from Champlain Valley
Union High School, the humble, 17minute gem offered a winsome mix of
original material and choice covers, and
suggested a profound, mature talent.
Blanchard’s solo performance this night
is reminiscent of that record — just a
THE WORLD CAN’T WAIT
» P.76
12/14/14 7:25 PM
12/21/2015
Francesca Blanchard Unites English & French On Deux Visions (INTERVIEW) - Glide Magazine
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FRANCESCA BLANCHARD UNITES ENGLISH & FRENCH ON DEUX VISIONS
(INTERVIEW)
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Finding unique, diverse inspiration was something Francesca Blanchard never had to seek out. She was
born into a multi­cultural family who traversed the world doing humanitarian work. Her home base, for her
first 10 years, was southern France, and the pointed influence of those delicate years can be heard very
directly in her musical style. Her intimate lyrics express a surreal wanderlust, as her need to discover new
worlds feels innate and unwavering. Music does not seem like a choice for Blanchard, nor a mere passion, it
is her fire, her connection to the great unknown. With her debut full length album Deux Visions having just
been released on boutique label vis­à­vis, which is distributed by acclaimed world music label Cumbancha,
B­sides, Rarities, Live Takes Spark Flaming
Lips’ Heady Nuggs 20 Years After Clouds
Taste Metallic 1994­1997′ (ALBUM
REVIEW)
‘Star Wars’ And the Culture of Fandom: A
Needlessly Complicated Analysis
Protomartyr – ‘The Agent Intellect’ (ALBUM
REVIEW)
Blanchard is poised to break through to bigger audiences. With a west coast tour later this month opening for
Malaysian pop star Yuna, things are certainly on the upswing for Francesca Blanchard.
Strange Faces – ‘Stonerism’ (ALBUM
REVIEW)
Before we get to the music, I wanted to ask about the photography on your album – particularly the
cover and the inside “eye” shots – what was the official vision for this?
I am so proud of the artwork for this album. I went in not really knowing what I wanted, I just had a vision of
duality in mind…something that would inspire and evoke the feeling of being split between two worlds. I
collaborated with a great team: Sarah Kjelleren (a VT native, now Brooklyn resident) took the photos, and
Solidarity Of Unbridled Labor (Burlington­based graphic design company) came up with the design of placing
my eyes into the tiny polaroid frames (among other great things). I was so ecstatic when I first saw it, it was
so exciting to see an idea that I had only vaguely sketched out for myself in my mind come to life in such a
beautiful and subtle way. I really lucked out with this team.
http://www.glidemagazine.com/151836/francesca-blanchard-unites-english-french-deux-visions-interview/
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12/21/2015
Francesca Blanchard Unites English & French On Deux Visions (INTERVIEW) - Glide Magazine
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I think the first thing people will be struck by is that seamless transition between French and English
on Deux Visions – do you foresee your music always being communicated this way or was this
Glide Magazine
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something that kind of came about with these songs?
I’m so glad you feel the transitions are seamless – that’s what I want to hear. This album is not about being
French or English, it’s not about language (which is difficult to convey to an American audience, because so
much of what music is for people, especially for my generation, is words, lyrics, meaning, understanding…
and don’t get me wrong, I get it! I love understanding the words to songs too, lyrics are of utmost
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importance!) Language is not all there is…the music part, the melody, the sweaping chord progressions in
songs…those can be just as moving and understandable as language, and in some ways enlighten a listener
to notice more because the words are not in the way. Music is its own language, if you allow it to be. If you
listen beyond what you think you “comprehend”.
What type of record would you describe Deux Visons as? What records from your listening past
would you also categorize in a similar way and what do you hope the listener to get out of this
record?
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This album happens to be in French and English, because I have the amazing privilege of being able to
speak and write in both. Who knows what my future albums will entail. I certainly hope to keep writing in
French and including French songs in my repertoire. I don’t know if I’ll do another 50/50 split album again. All
I know is every song is written the way it is for a reason.
Deux Visions is a little journey. I describe its sounds as folky soundtrack, a landscape of sorts. It holds
different moods, different characteristics, a variety of directions…its hard to pin these songs down as a
collective, which is why I’m so proud of it. You shouldn’t have to categorize everything into understandable,
cohesive “blocks”. It’s ever­changing, like people. Influences for this record range from all over the place. I
grew up listening to every style of music, just by nature of my parents’ eclectic tastes. I most fondly connect
to intimate female voices, to the likes of Eva Cassidy, Nora Jones, Tracy Chapman, Diana Krall, Francoise
Hardy, Carla Bruni…women baring their souls into a microphone and letting their voices carry the story of
their songs. My album and these songs aren’t particularly influenced by any specific records or artists, but
my aesthetic as a musician was most definitely assisted and shaped by these women.
Francesca Blanchard - Now That You Are Gone
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12/21/2015
Francesca Blanchard Unites English & French On Deux Visions (INTERVIEW) - Glide Magazine
As a songwriter – what makes an ideal song for you and does it come more easily in times of
distress or anxiety? What a great question. God…moments of distress and anxiety for creative minds are double­edged swords,
aren’t they? They can be pure gold if you let yourself be patient and sit with the feeling. It’s also very difficult
to be creatively productive in moments of heavy self­doubt. It all depends on so many different things.
Personally, the real crux of my songwriting comes from moments of loneliness and fear, but only once I’ve
overcome those humps do the songs become whole and functional. I have to go back and give it the boost it
needs. And then other songs about prostitutes in Paris (“Pas D’sa Faute”) will come out randomly at 3 AM
while waiting for a plane to land at Heathrow…the process changes with each song!
What songs on the new album came together the quickest (how long?) and which ones did you labor
over the most?
The quickest were the ones with the simplest instrumentation, obviously. The simpler ones, slower and to the
point (The Sea, Papa..Pere). We struggled the most getting “Wanderer” and “Empty House” to a happy
place; both are quite complex in their own ways, Wanderer can be repetitive if not treated with the right
textures, and “Empty House” is unlike the rest on the album in that it sounds the most “poppy”. It took a little
longer to get them to “that place”, but we finally did, with the help of a great producer and mixer. And I’m just
as proud of them.
Francesca Blanchard - Rame
Can you talk about your connection with Vermont and how the area influenced you as an artist? What venues and cafes did you find most comfortable in getting you your start?
Vermont can be a beautiful place for an artist. There are such beautiful landscapes to be inspired from, the
earth is literally yours to interpret. The sunsets here are awe­inspiring, the change in season, the vast and
ominous Lake Champlain…it’s a poet’s feast. In this sense, melancholy and nostalgia can be easily
unearthed from these surroundings, which is always wonderful material for musicians and artists alike.
Burlington is such a kind and enriching musical community. Venues that have marked me musically have
been most notably the Radio Bean and Light Club Lamp Shop; the smaller, more intimate spaces that call for
immediate performer­to­audience connections.
You recently played some shows during August in the New York area and in between – how do you
feel those shows went and what were some of the highlights?
I love playing in NYC, and look forward to going more. It’s always a kind of culture shock, coming from the
country to the busy, ever­so­hectic city. Performing in that city toughens my performer skin, it’s a needed trip.
It’s a whole different challenge capturing an audience’s attention there. I always love performing at the
Rockwood Music Hall. I’ve only performed there twice, but every experience I have there is wonderful. There
is a built­in audience of active­listening New Yorkers that is so refreshing and forgiving. Its like “Wow, this
city isn’t as scary after all!” Of course, not all venues are like Rockwood. I look forward to performing more in
NY.
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Francesca Blanchard Unites English & French On Deux Visions (INTERVIEW) - Glide Magazine
How have you grown as a performer from your earliest days and what still is most challenging for
you in terms of presenting your songs to a live audience?
I have grown over the years as a performer by being more myself on stage, not letting the nerves become
such an obstacle. Owning the fact that I deserve to be on stage at this very moment and the people in this
room would be missing out if they didn’t listen to me right now. Still to this day, however, nerves remain my
biggest challenge. Finding ways to channel them in a useful way. Those lovely butterflies that creep in when
they’re most unwanted. It is so important, especially with intimate music like mine, to find ways to connect to
my audiences. It’s difficult to do when I’m nervous. The dream would be that the second I start playing and
singing, everyone in the audience stops what they’re doing and is immediately entranced. But it doesn’t
always happen like that of course…what to do when that’s not the case? The challenge is finding new and
different ways of getting the audience “on my side”. And that can’t only come from the music.
What other bands are you enjoying right now or have seen this year that have really caught your
ear?
I’m a huge fan of Lake Street Dive, and actually just saw them live for the first time last month when they
came to Higher Ground. I got to talk to Rachel Price for a quick second and have my picture taken with her. I
geeked out a bit, of course as she is such an inspirational vocalist. Other recent bands I’ve been listening to
include Rubblebucket, Lucius, Tuneyards, Alabama Shakes, First Aid Kit…also a shamelessly big fan of
Sam Smith and Lana Del Rey. And of course the list could go on and on.
TOUR DATES
NOV 13 FRI The Skinny Pancake Burlington, VT
NOV 14 SAT Nectar’s
Burlington, VT
NOV 16 MON Higher Ground (opening for The von Trapps) South Burlington, VT
NOV 18 WED Tractor Tavern (opening for Yuna) Seattle, WA
NOV 19 THU Doug Fir Lounge (opening for Yuna) Portland, OR
NOV 21 SAT Slim’s (opening for Yuna) San Francisco, CA
NOV 22 SUN http://www.glidemagazine.com/151836/francesca-blanchard-unites-english-french-deux-visions-interview/
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UN MONDE DE MUSIQUE
MIC H EL DUP UIS
DEUX SIX-CORDES EN VOYAGE
Rien n’a jamais tant représenté l’évasion qu’un artiste avec sa guitare sur le dos ou en bandoulière, sur la route ou en
studio, barbe hirsute et cheveux décoiffés au look sexy. Troubadours modernes, hobos, cowboys, bums de grand’route,
ils ont, elles ont, le voyage en tête et un monde à réinventer. Rien de nouveau sous le soleil, mais tout se recrée à nouveau. À preuve, les deux albums suivants sont des exemples récents de musiciens ciblant une carrière au long parcours.
DEUX VISIONS
FRANCESCA BLANCHARD
E
lle se présente vêtue d’un blouson
jeans entr’ouvert, sa guitare pendant
à son côté telle une arme pacifique.
Elle va faire feu de ses premières compositions tirées de cet album Deux
Visions enregistré à Charlotte, au cœur
du Vermont USA, mixé à Montréal par
Jean Massicotte. Une production de son
ami montréalais Chris Velan avec qui
elle fait une tournée. Et sous ses airs
félins, blonde séductrice, elle entame
les premiers accords de sa chanson
« Rame » dont elle a fait une vidéo dans
une barque sur un cours d’eau calme
et où elle évoque une traversée imaginaire mouvementée de l’âme, l’espoir
en vue. C’est un portrait de cette jeune
interprète que j’ai reçue à mon émission
Escales lors de la sortie de ce disque CD.
un public à l’écoute de cette chanson
contemporaine, image d’une identité
franco-américaine issue de nos cousins
immigrants il y a plus d’un siècle. Ils
y ont semé des graines et planté des
racines toujours aussi vivaces de nos
jours. Francesca en est un joyau.
Élevée dans le sud de la France,
puis au Vermont, voyageant aux quatre
coins du monde avec des parents
œuvrant pour les organismes humanitaires. Elle écrit donc, assise entre ces
deux réalités linguistiques, avec aussi
en tête, cette recherche de l’Amour
dans ses pérégrinations et son besoin
de trouver un chez-soi d’intimité.
Deux visions d’un monde qui se joue
sur les divisions : le contraste entre
errer sans feu ni lieu, « Wanderer » et
la maison déserte, « Empty House »,
le blues et la balade, l’amour-passion,
mais irréel de « Tu n’existes pas » et
l’humour de « Pas d’sa faute ». Dualités,
mais aussi réunifications pour rester
vivante.
Cette magnifique constance dans les
thèmes et les mots pour le dire donne
une saveur toute poétique à ces textes
d’une femme ingénue déjà très mature.
Un superbe album à découvrir hors des
sentiers battus.
BLUE SKIES JORDAN OFFICER
S
Un héritage francophone
En effet, Francesca rame fort depuis
qu’elle a décidé de s’imposer dans le
monde très peuplé des folk singers
américains du style Americana. Or, elle
a une corde à son arc que plusieurs lui
envient déjà : elle mise sur ses compositions bilingues qui donnent une
saveur unique à ses chansons. Ce premier album aux textes bien ciselés vise
’est le troisième à ce jour de ce jeune
guitariste qui a longtemps travaillé
aux côtés de la jazzwoman Susie Arioli.
À titre de guitariste soliste de tout poil,
il a su se gagner un public connaisseur
à la grandeur du Québec. Sa notoriété
s’est largement répandue chez nos voisins du Sud où le personnage sympathique qu’il est s’est rapidement fait de
bons amis. Son avant-dernier opus, I’m
Free, résultant d’un séjour de six mois à
New York marqué par le blues, tout en y
trimbalant famille et musiciens.
56 MAGAZINE SON & IMAGE 173
Son esprit nomade a voulu renouveler
l’expérience, et dans un second périple,
Los Angeles l’a accueilli, toujours avec
la petite famille, en plus des fidèles
comparses, le bassiste Sage Reynolds et
les batteurs Alain Bergé et Tony Albinos.
Il en a profité pour étudier les divers
pickings de l’Ouest et du Sud américains :
jazz, blues, country, tex-mex, ranchero,
rock’n’roll, tout ce que la guitare a
apporté à la culture musicale américaine.
Avec cette panoplie de styles, Jordan
a su émailler son disque de chansons
aussi diverses que « Blue Skies » de Tom
Waits, « And Then He Kissed Me » de
Phil Spector interprété par The Crystals,
groupe vocal féminin doo-wop. Il risque
Bob Dylan, redécouvre Fats Domino,
Louis Armstrong, Big Joe Turner et des
instrumentaux twangy dont il raffole.
Ajoutez-y son extraordinaire doigté, où
virtuosité se mêle à sensualité, Jordan
a belle allure avec ses interprétations de
ces succès indémodables. Pour Jordan
Officer, la carrière solo se dessine sous
des cieux de plus en plus bleus.
Erratum. Dans le numéro précédent du
Magazine, nous citions le travail de l’organiste Jean-Willy Kunz sur l’enregistrement André Gagnon Baroque de la maison
Atma. Cependant, dans ce cas-ci, c’est le
jeu du musicien comme claveciniste qu’il
fallait souligner bien sûr.
FRANCESCA BLANCHARD TOUR HISTORY
Date
Venue
City
ST. Notes
Date
Venue
City
ST. Notes
07/29/2012
06/15/2013
06/23/2013
04/12/2014
07/29/2014
10/16/2014
10/17/2014
11/28/2014
12/05/2014
12/12/2014
12/12/2014
12/31/2014
01/10/2015
01/30/2015
01/31/2015
02/06/2015
02/13/2015
02/14/2015
03/06/2015
03/07/2015
03/13/2015
03/14/2015
03/20/2015
03/21/2015
03/27/2015
03/28/2015
04/03/2015
04/09/2015
04/10/2015
04/16/2015
04/18/2015
04/25/2015
04/30/2015
05/01/2015
05/02/2015
05/03/2015
05/09/2015
05/14/2015
05/16/2015
05/23/2015
05/30/2015
06/03/2015
06/11/2015
06/12/2015
06/13/2015
06/21/2015
06/27/2015
06/27/2015
07/03/2015
07/16/2015
07/18/2015
08/01/2015
08/07/2015
Goddard College
FrancoFolies de Montreal
Brighton Music Hall
Vermont Arts Exchange
Stowe Gazebo Concerts
Radio Bean
Hotel Vermont
South End Kitchen
South End Kitchen
Live from the Fort
South End Kitchen
First Night
Skinny Pancake
South End Kitchen
Hotel Vermont
South End Kitchen
Mt. Philo Inn
South End Kitchen
Light Club Lamp Shop
South End Kitchen
Light Club Lamp Shop
South End Kitchen
Light Club Lamp Shop
South End Kitchen
Tourterelle
South End Kitchen
Skinny Pancake
Johnny D's
Berklee
River Arts
South End Kitchen
South End Kitchen
Rockwood Music Hall
Nublu
South End Kitchen
Waking Windows
South End Kitchen
Barrio Bakery
Williston Central School
South End Kitchen
South End Kitchen
Monkey House
The Lamp Shop
South End Kitchen
FrancoFolies
FOODAROO
Fletcher Allen
Tourterelle
Hotel Vermont
The Music Hall
Middlebury College
Festival of Fools
Newport VT Jazz Festival
Plainfield
Montreal
Allston
Bennington
Stowe
Burlington
Burlington
Burlington
Burlington
Colchester
Burlington
Burlington
Burlington
Burlington
Burlington
Burlington
Charlotte
Burlington
Bulington
Burlington
Bulington
Burlington
Bulington
Burlington
New Haven
Burlington
Burlington
Somerville
Boston
Morrisville
Burlington
Burlington
New York
New York
Burlington
Williston
Burlington
Burlington
Williston
Burlington
Burlington
Winooski
Burlington
Burlington
Montreal
Middlebury
Burlington
New Haven
Burlington
Portsmouth
Middlebury
Burlington
Newport
VT
QC
MA
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
MA
MA
VT
VT
VT
NY
NY
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
QC
VT
VT
VT
VT
NH
VT
VT
VT
08/17/2015
08/18/2015
08/21/2015
09/03/2015
09/04/2015
09/18/2015
10/03/2015
10/10/2015
11/06/2015
11/14/2015
11/16/2015
11/18/2015
11/19/2015
11/21/2015
11/22/2015
11/24/2015
12/02/2015
12/04/2015
12/06/2015
12/11/2015
12/18/2015
12/31/2015
01/06/2016
01/12/2016
01/14/2016
01/15/2016
01/25/2016
01/29/2016
01/31/2016
02/03/2016
02/04/2016
02/05/2016
02/07/2016
02/09/2016
02/11/2016
02/12/2016
02/13/2016
02/20/2016
02/25/2016
02/26/2016
02/28/2016
03/07/2016
03/11/2016
03/19/2016
04/01/2016
04/02/2016
04/09/2016
04/10/2016
04/12/2016
04/24/2016
06/19/2016
07/24/2016
08/11/2016
Rockwood Music Hall
Barbes
Bread and Butter Farm
Summervale
Acoustic Artisans
Tourterelle
Spruce Peak
Hotel VT
Zen Lounge
Nectar's
Higher Ground
The Tractor
Doug Fir Lounge
Slim's
The Troubadour
The Casbah
Balattou
Hotel VT
New City Gallerie
Hotel VT
Hotel VT
First Night
Nectar's
Light Club Lamp Shop
Divan Orange
Drom
Rockwood Music Hall
B Side Ballroom
Schubas Tavern
University of Ohio
Sears Recital Hall
Hambone's
Cat in the Cream
Barking Legs Theater
The Altamont Theatre
An die Muzik LIVE!
Mt. Philo Inn
Oak45
Port City Blue
Birdseye Lounge
Signal Kitchen
Pete's Candy Store
Old Brick Church
Walkover Gallery
Bar Le Ritz
Good Times Cafe
Mainstay Rock Hall
Bossa
WFUV "On Your Radar"
Union Coffee Company
Wanderlust
Calgary Folk Festival
Wanderlust
New York
Brooklyn
Shelburne
Burlington
Portland
New Haven
Stowe
Burlington
Burlington
Burlington
Burlington
Seattle
Portland
San Francisco
Los Angeles
San Diego
Montreal
Burlington
Burlington
Burlington
Burlington
Burlington
Burlington
Burlington
Montreal
New York
New York
Oneonta
Chicago
Dayton
Dayton
Pittsburgh
Oberlin
Chatanooga
Asheville
Baltimore
Charlotte
Williston
Portland
Portsmouth
Burlington
Brooklyn
Williston
Bristol
Montreal
Hinesburg
Rock Hall
Washington
New York City
Milford
Stratton
Calgary
Tremblant
NY
NY
VT
VT
ME
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
WA
OR
CA
CA
CA
QC
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
VT
QC
NY
NY
NY
IL
OH
OH
PA
OH
TN
NC
MD
VT
VT
ME
NH
VT
NY
VT
VT
QC
VT
MD
DC
NY
NH
QC
AB
QC
W/ Suzanne Vega
W/ Caravan Palace
W/ Joseph
W/ Le Vent du Nord
W/ Joan Armatrading
W/ The Von Trapps
W/ Yuna
W/ Yuna
W/ Yuna
W/ Yuna
W/ Yuna
W/ Eric George
W/ Chris Velan
W/ Rodrigo Amarante
W/ Lucy Dacus
PRESS PHOTOS
HI-REZ VERSIONS AT http://pressjunkiepr.com/clients/francesca-blanchard/
PRESS QUOTES
“An ascendant talent who is equal parts French
chanteuse and American folk singer.” Seven Days
most quiet, minimalistic point it still has your emotions in a bear hug and won’t let them go. This is an
album that’s drenched in tears, an album that finds
“Best Vocalist of 2015. A profound, mature talent. She love in a thunderstorm, and leaves its lover at the
may be young, but she has an old soul.” Seven Days airport gate” The POP Stereo Review
“Deux visions shines on the strength of Blanchard’s
accomplished compositions, tasteful guitar work and
gorgeous vocals. A seamless mix of folk, jazz and
roots-rock with some French chanson thrown in for
good measure. The most ambitious and impressive
debut album to come out of Vermont since Grace
Potter.” The Times Argus
“Colored by her love of folk, rock, jazz, French chanson, soul, world music and pop, Ms. Blanchard takes
deux visions beyond the standard spare singer-songwriter route by encompassing one genre into another
and folding one influence into another.”World Music
Central
“On one hand you have the traditional singer songwriter with strummy guitars, lilting vocals, and a bit
of heartbreak. On the other hand you have a French
chanson artist who is intimate, beautiful, and lovelorn. When you take these two elements and mix
them into one record you have an album that’s filled
with fragile beauty with a striking accent.” The POP
Stereo Review
“With a coffee shop-like intimacy Blanchard pours
a linguistically alternating twelve song cup of poetry
that ripples with subtle dynamic on a glass sea of
acoustic emotion. Where captivating meets a soundtrack for life’s reflective moments is where you’ll
find deux visions. This is one record that absolutely
soars.” Nanobot Rock Review
“One of the year’s best new world music albums. An
impressive first effort from the talented, young artist.” Phil’s Picks
“Blanchard’s debut EP, Songs on an Ovation, is quietly and profoundly stunning. It is a humble ode to
“Francoise Hardy meets Nico and does in a few in love, heartbreak and home that says more about all
English anyway? This gal might seem moody, but three topics in the span of 17 minutes than some
there’s nothing about her that screams art chick. songwriters do over entire careers. A remarkable deBlanchard has the chops to be a wily entertainer to but.” Seven Days
take you places you haven’t imagined and you’ll get
there on her own particular magic carpet ride. Cer- “Francesca’s is a very special talent. and I firmly betainly a left leaning, modern pop date, this is no yeah lieve she is in the early stages of a career that will
yeah girl looking for a fling. Deep music fans will ap- earn her international celebrity - she’s just that good.
preciate someone is still out there that wants to fan Her original songs in both French and English are
their flames with high octane, high quality stuff that’s artfully crafted, often-times deeply personal, and her
delightfully out of the ordinary. Well done through- singing voice is beautiful” Vermont Public Radio
out.” Midwest Record Review
“One can hear a 60’s singer/songwriter and a contem“The juxtaposition of bits of rural slide guitar twang porary sound at the same time. The arrangements
and the romantic cadences of Blanchard’s French are very good, production is fabulous.” 98.5FM #1
lyricism make for a steadying folk tune for a chilly, morning show in Canada
early fall morning.” CMJ
“Fabulous horns…beautiful. A voice to be dis“Francesca so easily writes songs that tug at your covered. Hooky, the melodies are extremely nice.
heartstrings that you’d swear she was in love with In English, she reminds me a lot of Joni Mitchell”
you. Deux visions succeeds because even at it’s 98.5FM Montreal