(Moncton NB, January 5, 2012) – Monique Poirier, singer songwriter from Notre-Dame, in South Eastern NB, will be launching her first solo album Parler de paradis, produced by François Émond. Many launch celebrations will take place around the province: Wednesday January 11, at 5 pm, at the Empress Theatre in Moncton (Robinson Court); Thursday January 12, at 5 pm, at the student pub La Cheminée on the Université de Moncton, Edmundston campus (Simon-Larouche pavilion); Friday January 13, at 5 pm, at the Centre culturel de Caraquet (220, St-Pierre O. blvd); Saturday January 14, at 8 pm, at the Café Artisan Brewpub in Dalhousie (127, Inch Arran Street), and on Sunday January 15, at 7 pm, at the Café Artishow in Petit-Rocher (445, Principale Street).
The idea of recording an album was in the back of Monique’s mind since her last years with the collective Ode à l’Acadie. “For a long time, I was thinking as a group, a collective, and I liked it that way, she said. However, little by little, I’ve had this urge to tell my own stories. I wanted to create something that would remain, that came from me.” She started working on the album after her first solo show, presented on May 15, 2010, at the Capitol Theatre in Moncton. Of the 18 songs presented at this show, 11 found their way on the album.
Monique is relieved that her first opus is finally out, but at the same time, she finds it somewhat stressful: “It’s like letting go of your child for the first time. There was the gestation process during which it was only me, François, and the people with whom we worked on the album. But now, the fate of this project is no longer in our hands. We can move on!”
Maternity has played big part in the making of Parler de paradis: “We started recording the album when I was in the first stages of my pregnancy. When you become a mother for the first time, there’s definitely a transformation there, the lyrics make even more sense. What I hope that will come out of this album is that it’s unpretentious and sincere whether it’s in the lyrics, the musical arrangements. It’s me without bells and whistles. I want people to be able to recognize themselves in my music.”
Various collaborations
Monique approached various authors with whom she already had affinities to collaborate with the song writing. Christian Kit Goguen, in addition on working on the first radio singles (Des anges dans la neige and Parler de paradis), helped compose the music for the song Viens-t’en chez moi, an ode to friendship between women. Nova Scotia singer songwriter Ronald Bourgeois cowrote the nostalgic Le temps qui s’arrête and Un beau jour, the latter reflects on what awaits us after death. Louis-Marie Mathieu, a frequent collaborator of Acadian singer songwriter Danny Boudreau, was inspired by Monique’s blog posts and offered her the songs J’écoute encore (music by Michel Rivard and Danny Boudreau), Loin de la ville (music by Jean-François Breau) and the lovely duet Combien je t’aime (music by Danny Boudreau). Pierre Grosz and Zachary Richard respectively cowrote the lyrics and music of Danser ma peine. Monique wrote the lyrics of Le Silence (music by Danny Boudreau) and Demain (music by Patricia Richard and Isabelle Thériault).
The album contains two covers, songs by artists whose work has had a profound influence on Monique. “Angèle Arsenault’s La grande vie was transformed into a duet with Christian Kit Goguen, recorded while he was in Spain and me, in Notre-Dame! And from the start, I knew that Gilles Vigneault would have a place on my album, says Monique. His songs are such a part of me; I can’t even begin to explain why. La Manikoutai, featured on the album, is the story of a river and also makes a parallel between a woman and a river.”
The album ends with Tourner le monde, a lullaby for her son Olivier. “I am particularly proud of this song and grateful to Michel Thériault for letting me participate in the writing with him. We have recorded it like a lullaby, soft and simple.”
Many talented musicians have contributed to the album: “I have worked with musicians for whom I have great respect and who bring their own colours to the album.” Fifteen musicians accompany Monique on Parler de paradis: François Émond (vocals, piano, guitar, bass, shakers, and Fender Rhodes), Benoit Picard (vocal, piano, and bass), Marc-André Léger (tricone resonator), Glen Deveau (drums, guiro, claves, timpani, and drums), René Rossignol (electric guitar), Denis Surette (electric guitar), Tim Isaac (cello), Louise Vautour (violin), Geneviève D’Ortun (saxophone and clarinet), Sébastien Michaud (trumpet), Christian Boulay (bass), Isabelle Bujold (vocals), Chris Mersereau (congas), and Théo Brideau (violin alto)
Monique’s partner in the making of this album as well as in life, François Émond, has produced the album and signs the musical direction and arrangements. The sound engineering is by Jean-Pascal Comeau and François Émond. Mixing and mastering are by Jean-Pascal Comeau. The album cover was designed by Branch Graphic Design with pictures by Nathalie Doucet Photography.
Parler de paradis is distributed by Distributions Plage (www.plages.net). For more information on Monique, it is possible to check out her blog www.moniquepoirier.blogspot.com, the website www.caroldoucet.com or Facebook and Twitter @moniquepoirier.
