Alizée Trivia

[Aragorn97]

Originally Posted by CleverCowboy

I have some music background. I can read music and play several instruments and have performed in an orchestra, but that was when I was much younger. I also sang in a choir once upon a time long ago

Oh I see. Cool thing. I suppose that when you speak the language of music, you are able to observe everything from a different perspective, which make you analyze every detail.

Originally Posted by CleverCowboy

I know I sang in baritone, which is one step above bass and just below tenor. I was stuck in this octave and had trouble with higher (or lower) octaves.

I had mentioned that Alizee seems most comfortable in the alto or low soprano octaves. I remembered there was a name for low soprano and I had to Google it, and it is called mezzo-soprano.

Now, I don't know what you are talking about. Lol
From what I know, you are referring to her timbre, but that's probably something too specific for me. Once I read that she is a mezzo soprano, but didn't know what that could mean. Thanks to your comparison to Madonna now I have understood. At least, a little bit of the thing.

Originally Posted by CleverCowboy

Guess who sings mezzo-soprano? Madonna. That's why Alizee sings La Isla Bonita so well. I would venture to say that Alizee could sing all of Madonna's songs and sound great. Being that Madonna was her favorite artist as a kid, I can imagine Alizee was singing and dancing along with Madonna videos.

Exactly, she is amazing in that performance (in English!). I think that the fact she has been fan of Madonna since she was a kid helped her to develop her attitude in that direction. I mean, I suppose she feel very comfortable singing Madonna's songs.
But for example, I find that "Hung up" isn't the best of her covers. I think because it is too fast. On the other hand she is great with slower songs like la Déclaration d'amour (and obviously La Isla Bonita)

Edit:

Originally Posted by Scruffydog777

I'm far from knowledgeable about music or voices, but what I can offer opinions on is what pleases me and what impresses me and what doesn't and I'm quick to offer both sides of those opinions, even with Alizée.

Unfortunately, time limits me in what I can say, especially on days when I work such as today but one example I want to point out was a performance of Tal's Le Sens de la Vie that she sang with Jenifer in Les Enfoires.

This was I think a fairly good fit for her voice. Still, I think Jenifer's performance might have been better, until a point at about the: 37 to the: 42-second mark where her voice shows a beauty, a specialness that she has, that we don't see often enough and that far surpasses Jenifer's.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find the video on Youtube, but I added a Google drive video link to the whole performance and an audio link to the specific moment I'm talking about.

Tomorrow, I hope to add another example.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19-j...ew?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-P-...ew?usp=sharing

Attachment 2784

Oh you answered while I was writing. I agree with you that here Alizée is better than the other singer, but I would put this performance on the same level of hung up (can't say which one is better, objectively speaking).
It seems to me that her voice is too delicate for this song. But I don't know if this is because I know the original version of the song, where Tal's voice is stronger and in my opinion more suitable.
Anyway, it is as if Alizée's voice isn't able to prevail in this kind of songs

[kulli]

[Scruffydog777]

Here is another moment where I think we only get a glimpse of what she is capable of. In this Les Enfoires performance of 'Double Je', she sounds okay during most of her lines, then she just blew me away at the 3:40 mark. Maybe she was inspired by the passionate performance Christophe Mae was delivering. But once again, it has this moment that shows the capability of her voice, yet after leaving MF, there's been so few times where she's been able to bring forth that capability for a whole song which I feel is due to lack of coaching.

I included a link to this video from my drive which has better resolution.

http://youtu.be/aIhBBlBEJqY?t=212

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NXH...ew?usp=sharing

[kulli]

Originally Posted by Scruffydog777

Here is another moment where I think we only get a glimpse of what she is capable of. In this Les Enfoires performance of 'Double Je', she sounds okay during most of her lines, then she just blew me away at the 3:40 mark.

She did it pretty well. How would you compare it to Nolwenn Leroy's part at 3:56 min ? What I miss is a bit more power in Alizee's voice.

http://youtu.be/aIhBBlBEJqY?t=237

[Scruffydog777]

Originally Posted by kulli

She did it pretty well. How would you compare it to Nolwenn Leroy's part at 3:56 min ? What I miss is a bit more power in Alizee's voice.

http://youtu.be/aIhBBlBEJqY?t=237

I like Nolwenn's voice. I thought her voice was good in Double Je, but I thought it was much better in L'Assasymphonie. I also thought Patrick Fiori's voice was outstanding and Pascal Obispo's very good too in L'Assaymphonie.





Nolwenn also did a great job with the song 'Hello' in LE 2017

[Shepherd]

I have debated with myself for a long time as to whether Alizee gave up singing because she was having problems with her voice.

In the 2000 contest where she was discovered her voice is terrific, and frankly I don't think it was ever as good again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeZMCCR_-Sw

In 2010 in Isreal, she appeared to be having problems, her voice seemed fragile. Even so it was a lovely performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=VuYkEPyDquw

Mexico was a disaster in 2011 There were, however, extenuating circumstances: Some people think she was suffering from a cold or even the flu. We know she was fighting with her husband and the band. The clown on the stage was intrusive and really annoying. Then I believe the recording itself is faulty. The audience was making a lot of noise. It wasn't a happy tour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdbmbrONJ4A

2014, The Blond album. Her voice seemed fine. It's possible that Blond was purposely composed within the range of her voice. I don't know. This is too technical for me. Perhaps Alizee just quit because another album had failed and Soni ended her contract. All that is pretty discouraging.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJpVlFMHz1E

[Aragorn97]

I think her voice is fine. In my opinion, she has rarely had this kind of problems. Probably it was just bad training or stuff like that in most cases. But I don't think she gave up singing for this reason. Last concert in Varsaw seems pretty good from this point of view.

Originally Posted by Shepherd

Mexico was a disaster in 2011 There were, however, extenuating circumstances: Some people think she was suffering from a cold or even the flu. We know she was fighting with her husband and the band. The clown on the stage was intrusive and really annoying. Then I believe the recording itself is faulty. The audience was making a lot of noise. It wasn't a happy tour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdbmbrONJ4A

I think this one is playback but during the exhibitions from I guess the same tour, her voice seems so weird. I've always thought the she decided to sing that way, that it was intended. If you notice, she tend to make her voice more acute for some words.

[Scruffydog777]

Originally Posted by Shepherd

I have debated with myself for a long time as to whether Alizee gave up singing because she was having problems with her voice.

In the 2000 contest where she was discovered her voice is terrific, and frankly, I don't think it was ever as good again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeZMCCR_-Sw

In 2010 in Isreal, she appeared to be having problems, her voice seemed fragile. Even so it was a lovely performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=VuYkEPyDquw

Mexico was a disaster in 2011 There were, however, extenuating circumstances: Some people think she was suffering from a cold or even the flu. We know she was fighting with her husband and the band. The clown on the stage was intrusive and really annoying. Then I believe the recording itself is faulty. The audience was making a lot of noise. It wasn't a happy tour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdbmbrONJ4A

2014, The Blond album. Her voice seemed fine. It's possible that Blond was purposely composed within the range of her voice. I don't know. This is too technical for me. Perhaps Alizee just quit because another album had failed and Soni ended her contract. All that is pretty discouraging.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJpVlFMHz1E

Well I feel there was a big problem back then. I felt a couple of her songs in Mexico sounded awful. It was her voice and it wasn't her voice. Let me explain, but first I have to say something. Back then, if you said something like this, members would ask "What are you doing here?". Too many people looked upon this as a fan site, not a forum. Criticism of Alizee would not be tolerated. Alizee could do no wrong.

So to explain, when Alizee left MF/LB, the incredible songs written by MF were a huge loss. The beautiful music of Laurant Boutannat was another huge loss. But the biggest loss was the management skills of those two. Plus you had the fact that you had two at that time, very successful singers, Alizee and Jeremy and I think they had very big heads. I honestly feel Alizee thought at the time "Give me a few songs, I'll walk out on stage.....no sexy outfit........no dancing.......and people will come." and I'm sure Jeremy thought that too and they both fell right on their young, uneducated faces. Something any young singer would do who went through what they went through.

She had no idea that without MF/LB, the world would have never heard the name Alizée.

With Psych her voice had changed. She was singing some songs that were wrong for her new range. She was singing songs that didn't sound good and there was no one there to tell her that.....no manager! She focused on a song that was mediocre at best 'MJ' and realized too late and did too little too late with what was the best song of the album, PLP.....poor management.

UEDS and 5 came along and much the same thing, albums that had more potential, being managed by people who didn't know what they were doing. With UEDS, when Alizee was ready to go on tour, the band she worked with went off on a tour of their own music. Who was the manager who set up that agreement?

With 5, we had A Cause de l'autome which was not a bad song, not a great song. They produced a video for it. Near the beginning of this video, they had Alizee in this beautiful dress, with a beautiful hair style in a beautiful setting with autumn leaves falling around her. Do I have to tell you what's wrong with this picture, what doesn't fit in with all this beauty? If I do, you can't face the reality of what appeals to potential fans. MCE and Gourmandises were all about incredible beauty and sexiness. ACDL video fell flat because of one thing.

Then Blonde came along. I really felt this album should have been a success. They made the huge mistake of rushing this album out to capitalize on her newfound Dals success. She couldn't get it right in her 3 previous albums. What made them think they could rush out one?

One mistake they made was too much emphasis on the Blonde video.....very lame imo. I thought Alcaline and K.O. were very and I do mean very good songs. Though they made the good decision to focus on the Alcaline song, they messed up by not making a video for it. This song told a simple story which could have made for a low cost video. Instead when she sang it during promotional efforts, look at the outfit she wore?

Attachment 2839

Compare that with a true Parisian fashion....

Alizee En Concert white dress 4.jpg


Here is the video I made with English subs. If you can't read them, I'll upload them to my drive.




One thing we've discussed in here before that may be new to new members. French singers seem to be at a disadvantage in France. Most French people seem to look to international stars as much if not even more so than French stars. So as far as Alizee competing against singers like Rhiana, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Madonna, she didn't stand a chance with the poorly managed albums she put out.


Even though I much prefer her with her natural hair color, I don't think the blond hair was a mistake, but so much in her past 4 albums were mistakes.
Who chose the outfit for Alcaline?
Who chose not to make a video for Alcaline?
Who chose that scenic shot for ACDLA?
Who chose not to make a video for PLP?
Who signed a contract for a band that let them go off on their own tour instead of going on tour with her?
Piss poor management......something that has haunted her from the day she walked out on Mylene Farmer and Laurant Boutannat.

Though things look bleak for her, I feel room for optimism. We see that she is on good terms again with Mylene Farmer, the most successful French singer in France's history. I think Mylene is the only person who can save Alizee, because she will 'manage' Alizee...no more bad outfits....no more focusing on poor songs. You do it Mylene's way or it's the highway. Will it happen? Not likely, but the potential will keep me from going away.

[Mr Coucou]

Originally Posted by Scruffydog777

One thing we've discussed in here before that may be new to new members. French singers seem to be at a disadvantage in France. Most French people seem to look to international stars as much if not even more so than French stars.

I'm tempted to think that Alizee would have been even more popular in France as an American singer than she was as a French singer.

Edit:

Originally Posted by Scruffydog777

I think Mylene is the only person who can save Alizee, because she will 'manage' Alizee...no more bad outfits....no more focusing on poor songs. You do it Mylene's way or it's the highway back to Corsica.

Don't expect Mylene to ever manage Alizee again; Alizee is no longer 19, it doesn't make sense from a business perspective.

Edit:

Originally Posted by Scruffydog777

Who chose the outfit for Alcaline?
Who chose not to make a video for Alcaline?
Who chose that scenic shot for ACDLA?
Who chose not to make a video for PLP?
Who signed a contract for a band that let them go off on their own tour instead of going on tour with her?

I assume all of those was Alizee herself.

[Scruffydog777]

Originally Posted by Mr Coucou

I'm tempted to think that Alizee would have been even more popular in France as an American singer than she was as a French singer.

Edit:



Don't expect Mylene to ever manage Alizee again; Alizee is no longer 19, it doesn't make sense from a business perspective.

Edit:



I assume all of those was Alizee herself.

Well with Psych, I believe Jeremy had a big part of managing what went on.

As far as Alizee having better success as an English singer in France than as a French singer, that's very possible, but I think it would have had to have been under someone else's management, other than MF because we saw with JPVA, J'en ai marre and Youpidou, she was very lacking in writing or should I say rewriting songs into the English language.

It's so ironic and so sad to think that when the one great English song came along that could have.........no that's would have put Alizee on the map in America, she made her decision to leave MF/LB and of course that song is Amelie which was rumoured to be her next single at the time.

As far as Alizee not being 19 any more, well look at what's going on with Julia. MF is trying to make her the next Lolita. She's a very beautiful young girl, with a great voice and with A&G's help, she'll probably be aa great dancer, but there's one thing that's missing.....one thing you can't train for, one thing you can't manufacture and that is the charm, the je ne sais quoi of Alizée and I think that is still there. But to bring that out, Alizée has to have good material to work with to have confidence in what she is doing as she had on that stage in Amsterdam.