Where Has All the French Music Gone?

By Cristina Aguirre

One of the toughest obstacles I've faced while covering my feature story in Paris, France is finding the time to speak to people, finding the right people who spoke English and getting the right people who knew about my topic.

I've changed the topic of my feature story numerous times while speaking to freelance fashion journalist Madeleine Czigler during lunch at a French restaurant. At first, I wanted to cover fashion shows at malls like Galeries Lafayette, which has free fashion shows on Fridays at 3 PM on the 7th floor of the main Haussman store by the Opera Garnier. They have a team of six models who show off the hottest trends by renowned designers, according to the Galeries Lafayette web site.

Czigler had no idea about those fashion shows, so I really didn't get her opinion on it. Off to the next feature story topic. After the unsuccessful attempt of achieving interviews for my story I heard, “How can you see into my eyes like open doors. Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb.” It was the song ‘Bring me to Life’ by the American rock-band Evanescence.

After humming to the music in the classy French restaurant, I heard American rapper, Akon being played next. I wondered, ‘Why there was American music playing at such a traditional French restaurant?’ I would expect French music to be played—such as the popular folk-singer Marie Laforêt. But I heard nothing of such kind.

It hit me that my feature story should concentrate on how France is influenced by popular American music. I saw four-foot concert ads for the pop/rock band Snow Patrol in many of the Metro train stops. Even a boutique store on Grand Boulevard playing Michael Jackson's ‘Thriller’ could be seen on their flat-screen TV.

It was quite interesting to see all these popular American artists and no French artists emerge on the speakers or on flat screen monitors. In almost every store I entered I heard songs being played in English.

I wondered, ‘Where has all the French music gone?’ So I asked this question to Fannie Malaurie, head of communications and development for CulturesFrance in Paris. She told me that French music is still going strong and there is no transition of a change in Parisians taste in American music.

But how come I heard so many songs in English are being played across Paris? She told me to check the radio, which played tons of French music. I didn't have a radio to listen to so I couldn't check. But my feature story drafted again. How could I possibly report on after my second attempt to get sources to compliment on my question drastically failed? Well, I guess it's time to transcribe all my interviews for a common bond of interest. Maybe I should start listening to popular French music back home since I lacked it in Paris.