French piano songs : beautiful masterpieces to discover in 2023

I started playing music with my father’s guitar and then discovered the piano. In fact, it was a first-rate synthesizer I’d got for Christmas in my teens. Despite a touch that wasn’t really faithful to a real instrument, it was love at first sight ! It was much easier for me to compose with a keyboard then with guitar strings. By the age of 14, I was creating my French piano songs.

I find that this instrument conveys a lot of emotion, whether it’s sad or happy french songs. Images come easily : a memory, a dream… It’s a musical journey ! Here are 10 French piano songs that inspire me and will take you to the moon. These artists are at one with the instrument ! Brought to you by French female singers and French male singers, this is a wonderful way to appreciate the French language.

 

1. Histoire vraie by Chien noir – 2021

The song “Histoire vraie” – “True story” sounds like a classic French song. When you listen to it, you think this is the song you’ve been missing from your French playlist. I feel nostalgic, I see moments of my life and I almost have a tear on my cheek. It’s not sad but it’s inky moments that I loved. I feel luck to have lived them ; yes, I simply feel happy to be alive.

With this French song, Chien Noir reminds us that every person is a book and has his or her own story with its ups and downs. Isn’t that what life’s all about ? Personally, this melody takes me up into the clouds, observing humans like ants. Each person has his or her secrets, joys, doubts and sorrows. What guides us is the freedom to make our own choices and write our own story.

Another dimension stands out : not judging people on first impressions. Experiences can lead people to act in a certain way. It’s important not to criticize but to understand why.

 

2. Avalanche by Mathilda – 2022

France has its French Lana del Rey ! The young singer’s outfit and video clip capture the spirit of the 60s. It’s a French love song on the piano about the end of a beautiful story, a story swept away by an avalanche. Mathilda’s voice blends perfectly with the piano ; I feel the cold wind and the chills. I’m transported !

I love this French singer’s cinematic universe. She’s not the first to do it but it’s very well done. The artist is trying to develop her uniqueness in the French musical landscape. For me, it’s a success : the French female singer is on the right track !

 

3. Il neige by Voyou – 2019

You don’t have to look far to know why I love this French song ! The first notes remind me of Erik Satie. Inevitably, memories come flooding back : my mother used to play a vinyl of the pianist when I was young. I’d look at the cover, intrigued… It was raining men in suits and bowler hats, another surrealist artist !

The French artist talks about a city that people only like when it snows. I salute this original subject which speaks of a special kind of love. It’s about a place that evokes childhood memories, has brought us joy and will continue to bring us joy. The piano is really the instrument of nostalgia.

This is the French song you’ll be listening to next winter when you’ll see the snow falling outside your window from the warmth of home.

 

4. Mistral gagnant by Renaud – 1985

I prefer to remember Renaud’s old songs and forget the “Corona Song” ! The French artist has a fine career and many classic French songs. “Mistral gagnant” is one of them.

This song is such an intimate text for the singer that he didn’t want to have it on an album. His wife insisted on it and she was right ! Dedicated to his daughter, the song speaks of the carefree spirit of childhood and the passage of time.

It’s easy to get carried away by the piano and listen to Renaud, as if he were reading his diary. There’s such sincerity in this French song that it has touched so many French people ! Numerous cover versions have emerged and the song continues to inspire artists.

 

5. Message personnel by Michel Berger – 1980

When it comes to French piano songs, it’s impossible not to mention Michel Berger! “Message personnel” is my favorite French love song. It’s the accessory song of a lifetime : what does it mean ? When you don’t know how to declare your love, all you have to do is sit down at the piano, play and sing it to the lucky one. Let’s hope it’s the beginning of a beautiful story.

Françoise Hardy also did a cover version, adding her own text. She seems to be addressing a stranger she has fallen in love with. The song is about the difficulty of expressing one’s feelings and keeping one’s secret. This song resonates with me because I went through it as a teenager.

Both versions are beautiful but they don’t mean the same thing to me. It’s the power of words ! By adding a verse, it takes on a different meaning.

 

6. Indélébile by Yseult – 2020

I’m still in the clouds with this song. It’s so sweet ! Yseult speaks of an indelible love, whatever the circumstances. She talks about “diving back” into love like a drug. All you need is a scent to remember the one you love. Yseult has the words.

The French singer also has great mastery of her voice ! For me, her “organic” songs (with just the piano) are masterpieces. She’ll impress you on Trap or pop music… And of course Acapella ! This woman has it all.

7. Jusqu’à mon dernier souffle by Terrenoire – 2020

“Jusqu’à mon dernier souffle” – “Until my last breath” by Terrenoire is a sincere French piano song. The lyrics come from the heart. It’s an autobiographical story but one with which everyone can identify. Its purity also comes from the singer’s childlike intonation.

We all have places and memories. And we’ve all had that confrontation between our present and our past. In the end, what are we running after ? Happiness ? But what is it made of ?

For me, this French song explains that you can do anything with nothing. The purpose of life is to experiment and create the most beautiful moments. But how ? By letting your imagination run wild.