Jul C’est la Cité

Hélène Segara - Mon Pays C'Est La Terre (2008)
Label: Mercury | Nov 2008 | MP3 @ 192 kbps | 81.7
Genre: Pop/Rock

Biography by Evan C. Gutierrez
Hélène Ségara hails from the Mediterranean coast in the south of France. She was born in the small town of Sex-Four-les-Plages on February 26, 1971. Her young life was complicated by a rocky family life, and at 14, she left her mother's home to live with her father, at which time she began performing in clubs and bars along the Riviera. She built up a strong repertoire and fan base, venturing out to record her 1993 debut record, Loin. At the age of 25 the young singer decided to move to Paris in search of more fertile artistic soil. After some months she met producer Fabrizio Salvadori, who was impressed with her talent and professionalism. Through Salvadori, Ségara met a number of songwriters and producers with whom she would collaborate on her debut single "Je Vous Aime Adieu." The song was an immediate hit, garnering Ségara the support she would need for the release of her first professional full-length record, Coeur de Verre.

In 2013, singer/songwriter Mathew Houck released Muchacho, his sixth album as Phosphorescent, which would become a career-defining moment for his music. The album immediately outsold everything he'd made in the decade-plus leading up to it, and reached more listeners as well. Though there were months of touring, major life changes occurred, and Phosphorescent dimmed to a flicker as Houck and his new partner left long-time home in Brooklyn to start a family in Nashville.

Bécaud was born François Gilbert Léopold Silly on October 24, 1927, in the Mediterranean port city of Toulon, France. He developed quickly as a pianist, and by age nine, he was already studying at the Conservatoire de Nice. Bécaud is best known for his 1961 smash "Et Maintenant," which became a pop standard in the English-speaking world after it was translated as "What Now My Love. (Source: All Music Guide)