PROFILES

“I’ve always loved words that strike a chord.”

Hers is the warm, sweet voice of the duo Madame Monsieur that she forms with her husband, Jean-Karl Lucas. They represented France in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest with Mercy. “The birth of that little girl on board the Aquarius touched our hearts,” says Emilie, who through the song gave a face to those  we call migrants, but without any intention of sending a political message. Born in the Jura, Emilie came with her family to live in the South when still of primary-school age. Since then life has brought her many an intense encounter, initially with the public when Teo Saavedra (founder of the Nuits du Sud  music festival) invited her to sing Besame mucho with him on stage at  the Fête de la Musique in Vence; then with her musicians and finally with  Jean-Karl in Paris in 2008. How do they work together? “Generally speaking he starts by suggesting a visual idea to me, like a film set. He knows what inspires me and then I write the lyrics. When I was a child my father would  play the piano in the evenings while my mother sang and told me stories.  I’ve always loved words that strike a chord.” Madame Monsieur has worked with a number of stand-out performers including rapper Youssoupha, for whom they wrote the hit Smile, and Ibrahim Maalouf whose French Zénith concerts they opened. The recipe for their success? “Songs in French, pop with a touch of electronic and urban music.“ Their album Vu d’ici, released last March and which they are presently touring, gives an insight into how they see the world: Comme une reine inspired by a youtuber proud of her generous curves, 22.11.2013, the date on which an octogenarian couple decided to die together. Little stories that make an impact, speaking humbly of serious things. “Because nothing is harder than making things simple.”

Par Tanja Stojanov / © Dorothée Murai