French singer, songwriter and composer
Orly Chap (born Aurélie Chapin)[1][2] is a French singer, songwriter and composer known for having a raspy and expressive voice.[3][4][5] Her lyrical approach has been likened to disjointed poetry, while her musical style has been described as a sophisticated mixture of "New Chanson", blues, and acoustic rock.[5][6]
Biography
Now living in Paris, Chap was born in rural Brittany, where she performed in street theater as a youth.[1][2][7] She has attributed her abrupt style of writing to her family members, farmers who spoke very little at home. Music and writing therefore became a way for Chap to express herself while growing up.[6] She later left Brittany and, in 1997, she began studying music at the Manufacture Chanson, a school located in Paris.[8]
Her career as a musician was launched in 2001, with a performance at the Printemps de Bourges music festival in France.[7][9] At that concert, Paris news magazine L'Express, described Chap as being a small shy woman who exploded on stage.[10] In 2002, she won the award for best singer-songwriter at the "Festival international de la chanson de Granby" in Quebec, Canada, beating out local contenders.[1][11]
According to TV5 Monde, Chap's emotional style of blues grabs at the listener's throat.[12] Comparing her deep voice to Edith Piaf, Le Devoir describes her poetic lyrics as rich and biting.[1] Her first album, "Bouille de lune" (Moon Face), came out in 2005 on the Polydor label.[5][12][13][14] Chap wrote the lyrics for all twelve songs, which were produced by Julien Ribot.[15]
Called "Ma lueur clown" (My Glow Clown), her second Polydor album came out three years later and included a duet with Belgian singer Arno, as well as a cover of Prince's song "Controversy".[2][6][13][16] In 2008, she also wrote the lyrics of "Je me souviens de tout" (I Remember Everything), a song specially created for iconic French singer and actress Juliette Gréco.[11][13][17][18][19][20][21] Chap's third album, with the English title "Valley of Joy", was released in 2013 and was self-produced.[22] It had a lighter and more serene tone, then her earlier compilations, and featured mostly indie pop melodies.[23][24]
Chap has given numerous concerts over the years, many in France. In 2005, during a performance in Paris, she threw herself backwards onto the drummer in a demonstrative gesture.[5] The following year, Chap played at the "Festival du Schmoul" in Bain-de-Bretagne, Brittany.[25] She was one of the performers at the 2009 music festival held in Rambouillet, France, which also featured Marianne Faithfull.[4] In 2010, Chap gave a concert at Paris's Manufacture Chanson, where she had earlier studied music.[26] She has also been the opening act for various musicians like Brigitte Fontaine, Têtes raides, and Arthur H.[2]
Discography
- Album "Bouille de lune" - 2005
- Album "Ma lueur clown" - 2008
- Song lyrics "Je me souviens de tout" - 2008 (Juliette Gréco album of the same name)[27]
- Album "Valley of Joy" - 2013
References
External links
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