At a performance early in December at Tokyo's L'Institut Francais, two French singers -- Francoiz Breut and Jeanne Cherhal -- demonstrated different approaches to French pop for the new millennium.
Cherhal, who accompanied herself on piano in a muscular, dramatic style, came across as a ballsy singer-songwriter who seems more tradition-bound. Even non-Francophones could tell by her emotional delivery and exaggerated music-hall chord changes that she was telling stories. Each song would end with an eruption of laughter from the audience, which seemed to indicate punch lines.
Breut's appeal was less clear-cut. Accompanied on electric guitar by Boris Gronemberg, she often sang with her eyes closed, falling into the melodies and letting them take her wherever it was they were going. She is clearly the servant of the song, and a very faithful one.