My French-Canadian grandparents marked their 65th wedding anniversary this summer. In celebration, today’s post will focus on French-Canadian folklore songs, that is a musical style commonly referred to as “chansons à répondre” (response songs) or “rigodons.” Grab a set of spoons. Continue reading
French-Canadian
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Growing up “hors du Québec” (outside of Québec), French music has always remained a cultural staple in both my Francophone schooling and home life. Raised under the shadow of two failed constitutional accords and Québec’s sovereignty crisis, I grew up with first-hand knowledge of the precarious nature of language, culture, and cultural distinction. Or rather, I understood how they mattered and continue to matter in an ever increasingly English world. As a Franco-Ontarienne raised in a minority linguistic community, Francophone artists encapsulated the voices of our history, our joy, our pain. The following artists are unique in their own artistic styles and aesthetics and have all contributed, quite simply, to the creation of good music.