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Originally Posted by CleverCowboy
So this brings me back to my original curiosity about the French music scene - what does it take to be a home-grown entertainer and make a lifetime income entertaining in France?
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I think one factor here might be the French language itself.
Compared to English, French is a monotone; for instance, I once heard a French woman describe English as sounding "flowy." My suspicion is that the "flowy" vocal inflection pattern of English is better for creating melodies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CleverCowboy
Why do the men seem to outlast the women? I'm not trying to be sexist in that question, but in the US there is a lot of parity between the sexes in music - if you put out good music, people will buy it no matter who you are.
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My guess: French isn't as good for writing catchy melodies--- French is better for writing ballads. And the ideal singer for a ballad is a male "crooner."
Quote:
Originally Posted by CleverCowboy
When international acts play Paris, there is always a fantastic turnout. The home grown artists have a lot to compete against.
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These "international acts" are English-language bands, aren't they? That's why there is a fantastic turnout: the tonal structure of the English language is better for writing songs.