Today, singer-songwriter Jill Barber releases “Summer Nights in Montréal” featuring Québec’s Yann Perreau. The French version of the new single is from her forthcoming French album, Entre nous, due out on June 19th, 2020 with Outside Music. Watch and share the video for the English version here. “On Summer Nights in Montréal, I savour the memory of a past encounter: a sweet recollection of a steamy evening in Montréal;” shares Jill. “But more than that, it is a love letter to Montréal, to the intoxicating effect it has on me, and the “joie de vivre” that I feel each time I’m there. I loved the idea of this song being a duet, a back and forth “dance” between a woman and a man, so I approached Yann Perreau about singing it with me. He is a coup-de-coeur of mine and I am thrilled to have him as my duet partner on this song.“
LISTEN/BUY/SHARE “SUMMER NIGHTS IN MONTRÉAL” HERE
PRE-ORDER/PRE-SAVE ENTRE NOUS HERE
On her new record Entre nous, Jill Barber reaches a new level of intimacy with the French language. This is her first collection of original french songs, written with Francophone collaborator Maia Davies and produced by Montreal born- NYC based Gus Van Go.
Inspired by french pop music of the 1960’s, Entre nous invites the listener on a musical rendezvous through champagne-soaked love songs like the title- track, cheeky yéyé-inspired songs like “Chat Domestique”, the psychedelic “Commes Les Fleurs” reminiscent of the Velvet Underground, the hooky pop song “Le Monde Est Beau”, a haunting interpretation of Leonard Cohen’s “Suzanne”, and the steamy duet with Québec chanteur Yann Perreau on “Les Étés de Montréal”.
As a songwriter, Jill Barber is beloved in Canada and abroad for her talent and impressive body of work in English, in French she is irresistible and her star is only just beginning to rise.
What’s The Story About Jill Barber?
The story begins over a decade ago, at a steamy, sold-out show at the Montreal Jazz Festival. Jill Barber, an Anglophone singer-songwriter, surprised her audience with a French translation performance of one of her songs. When the song ended, there was a pause. Then the room erupted into a standing ovation. A relationship was born.
The overwhelming response inspired Jill to record her debut French album, Chansons (2011), which has proven to be a hit not only in Quebec but internationally as well, attracting millions of listeners to Jill’s interpretations of French classics from Piaf to Gainsbourg. To this day, Barber continues to earn top spots on French playlists across streaming platforms around the world, an amazing feat for an Anglo-Canadian artist who has called Kingston, Halifax, and Vancouver home.
The three-time Juno nominee, two-time mother, and one-time wife has enjoyed plenty of success with her English music as well, none bigger than landing her signature song “Chances” on the pilot episode of the massive television hit Orange Is The New Black, which eventually resulted in a certified Gold Record for her album Chances (2010).
In yet another bold move for Barber, whose career has seen award-winning turns in indie-folk, jazz, and pop, Barber returns with Entre Nous (2020), her first collection of original French songs, co-written with Francophone collaborator Maia Davies and produced by Montreal producer Gus Van Go.
Much like her musical predecessors Jane Birkin and Gillian Hills, the more Barber sings in French, the more she is embraced for her unique and charming accent. Singing in the language she loves lends a quality to her voice that is vulnerable, tender, playful and passionate.
As a songwriter and performer, Jill Barber has reached rare air: she is beloved in both English Canada and La Belle Province. With Entre Nous, the relationship is consummated.
