Marianne Dissard Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Feb 15th 2010 2:00PM by Travis Boyer
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In 2008, French singer Marianne Dissard released her debut album, 'L'Entredeux,' which garnered many awards and has been noted as one of the Top 10 French albums of the decade. Dissard is scheduled to perform at SXSW this year and to that end, Spinner recently spoke with her about her career and the upcoming festival.

Describe your sound in your own words.

Chanson sweet-talking Americana.

What made you pursue a music career?

Men. A friend named Joey Burns kicked my ass into singing gear, but I was already headed the music way as I'd been working with Howe Gelb, Naom Amor, Calexico as a documentary filmmaker, lyricist and guest singer. I took the long road.

What are your musical influences?

Howe Gelb, Jacques Brel, my musicians.

What's your biggest vice?

Yerba mate.

What's in your festival survival kit?

Disappearing. A lot.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

Bruce Springsteen

The Beatles or the Stones?

Beatles -- my first album. I didn't hear the Stones until much, much later.

What's the craziest thing you've experienced while on tour?

A drummer who wanted to kill himself. Don't date at the office.

You moved to America at age 16 from France. How was the cultural adjustment?

Hard. I'm still adjusting. Except now, it's when I go back to France that I have to adjust. You can never go home again.

What went into your decision to release a French language album in the US?

It wasn't a decision at first. I just started writing the lyrics in French because ... well, I wasn't thinking. They came out in French because I had ultra-sensitive secrets I needed to work through and French is my language of the heart. For my upcoming album, I also wrote in French but this time I am a bit more aware of that being a choice. It's a bit more difficult and more rewarding, ultimately.

If you could work with one artist in the music business today, who would it be and why?

Vicente Fernandez's producer and writer, Luis Miguel. The work they do together is just as dramatic as the best of Jacques Brel's. I'd write the lyrics though.

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