Inspiration, Life Lessons, and French Influences at the Left Bank Cabaret

Kait Smith: You spent the first ten years of your life in the South of France, how has that influenced your music?

Francesca Blanchard: I was raised in paradise. Where I grew up in the South of France, we had a large property right on the Mediterranean. I spent every free minute staring out onto the sun-kissed water, humming to myself…my love of music was born from this place of freedom, hours and hours of daydreaming in heaven. I think Le Pradet (the town I grew up in) hugely influenced me emotionally, in the sense that I was so heavily exposed to such dramatic beauty from a very young age, which made me a very sensitive person. This aspect of myself is what most defines my music.

KS: You’ve opened for artists such as Joan Armatrading (who is going to be here this fall) what have you learned from opening for iconic artists like her?

FB: That it’s not that scary! That they themselves were where I was now, and that it’s all a constant learning curve. Opening for Joan was so pleasant. I could’ve been very distracted and let the nerves get in the way of my performance…the space was the biggest I’d ever sung on, I was alone with no backing band of any kind…but I forgave myself. I let go of all “shoulds” or “have to’s” and invited myself to have a good time. I reminded myself that Joan herself was once where I was, nervous as all hell, 2 min away from performing for a huge audience of strangers, and that it’s all part of this beautiful process. What I really have taken away from opening for these names is to let go of all pre-prescribed ideas of what or how I should BE and to just enjoy every breathing minute of the experience, because they don’t come around often. I am so grateful to have had the opportunities that I’ve had so far, and I will welcome each new one with wide open arms!

KS: Your music has been compared to Carla Bruni, who are some of your biggest influencers?

FB: Carla Bruni is one, we played her music a lot growing up in France. My Go-To musical heroes are Nora Jones, Eva Cassidy, Tracy Chapman, Diana Krall, Nina Simone, Françoise Hardy…they’re intimate, sensitive female vocals that transport you to another place. And then I have so many more musical influences, all those my parents would play in the living room (Francis Cabrel, Simon&Garfunkel, iMuvrini, Khaled, Virginie Rodriguez, Lokua Kanza, Paolo Conte)…a patchwork of cultures and languages that make up my childhood living overseas and in a bicultural family. The music that has followed me growing up has inevitably slipped its touch into my song-writing habits and styles.

KS: What has been your favorite memory from touring?

FB: The band and I opened for Caravan Palace two summers ago at the Brighton Music Hall in Boston. While I love that band, we don’t have similar musical aesthetics (they are bumpin and groovin retro rave music, and I’m gentle and intimate). My band and I were a little out of place, but we made it work. Opening slots can be very difficult to fill, especially when you’re unknown. We had so much fun playing for this audience, and made impromptu musical adjustments to fit the mood and atmosphere. It was a wonderful learning experience that I’ll forever carry with me on tour; no matter the audience, no matter the environment, location, circumstances…put on a great show. Adjust and GO. Keep a positive attitude, be open to the new experience, and have a blast.

KS: What can our audience expect at your show?

FB: I am on the brink of releasing. My new full length album. While my earlier work was soft and slow with a little rhythm, my new material has a slight edge to it. These songs have a rhythmic drive that came with age and the way I’ve evolved as a person and musician. I have so much fun performing them on stage. The audience can expect beautiful serenades in both French and English, with a twist of hip-moving grooves and jazzy licks