Never before had Charlotte Cardin sung in front of such a large crowd gathered just for her. Yet, she moved, made them sing and dance at the Accor Arena in Paris with its 15,000 spectators as if it were nothing, on Thursday. With even more charisma than two nights earlier in Brussels. And a sly smile.
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From the very beginning, one thing is clear: if stepping on the stage of one of the largest venues in the French capital was a test for Charlotte Cardin, she passed it with flying colors. Her concert on Thursday at the Accor Arena, a venue the size of the Centre Bell, would even earn her an almost perfect score.
The Quebec singer was flawless from start to finish, both vulnerable and energetic, smiling and at times defiant. Clearly, this delighted her Parisian audience, who showed loud enthusiasm.
Performing at Bercy, the former name of the Accor Arena, was a childhood dream for Charlotte Cardin. During the concert, she mentioned several times how moved she was to perform there. However, she did not let this emotion overwhelm her.
She turned it into a fuel that nourished her throughout a performance of just over an hour and a half, culminating in a dancing apotheosis with “Feel Good,” the song that changed everything for her across the Atlantic.
The singer first appeared elegantly poised on her grand piano in the center of a two-level tilted stage to perform an unreleased song titled “The Beach.” A bold choice that did not faze her admirers.
A Very Classy Aesthetic
It’s a detail that is not insignificant: for her short arena tour in France which ended on Thursday in Paris, she emphasized elegance. Her inclined white stage was stripped down. Even the giant screen placed behind the singer was used with finesse.
Instead of displaying complex, abstract, and atmospheric compositions as is often seen, she mostly opted for bold colors: blue, red, orange, and even white. Nothing to divert attention from the focal point, the singer.
Despite being accompanied by a bassist-keyboardist, a drummer, a saxophonist, and a string quartet, the most important instrument in Charlotte Cardin’s songs—and especially in her concerts—is her voice. On Thursday, it was smooth, strong, flexible, in both its soulful gravity (“Meaningless,” “Confetti”) and its light pop character (“Puppy”).
She also exuded a raw and more assertive energy than during her performance in Brussels on Tuesday. She seemed more biting, with a sly smile, in her most provocative songs, like “Daddy’s a Psycho.” This energy suits her wonderfully and also helps her avoid a trap, that of being too perfect and too polished.
Mastering her large stage perfectly, Charlotte Cardin also captivated by taking center stage on a smaller platform in the middle of the amphitheater during an intimate segment where she received guests. Who? Her lover Aliocha Schneider, to start with.
Together, they performed “Ensemble,” a bittersweet song about long-distance love written by the latter, which the entire Accor Arena sang along with them. She also welcomed her friends November Ultra and Maro for a beautiful acoustic cover of “As It Was,” borrowed from Harry Styles, and her song “Faufile.”
Questions for the Future
After attending Charlotte Cardin’s concerts in Brussels and Paris in recent days, a noticeable observation emerges: in both cities, her audience reacted viscerally to her French songs. It was evident in Brussels, a bit less pronounced in Paris, but “Tant pis pour elle” and “Feel Good” clearly stand out from the rest of her repertoire.
This feeling was also evident when Charlotte and Aliocha sang “Ensemble.” However, most of the artist’s songs, born in Montreal, are in English. The fans’ reaction will undoubtedly trigger reflections for the singer and her team.
After giving her all in Paris, Charlotte Cardin has a few weeks off. Well, not really: she soon heads back to Montreal to put the finishing touches on her next album, scheduled for the fall. She then hits the road again, performing at festivals in France and making short trips to sing in Spain, Morocco, the Netherlands, Romania, Hungary, and even Poland.
Charlotte Cardin has won over France, but her ambition remains unchanged: she’s aiming for the world.
