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Rosie Valland, a well-established figure on the Quebec music scene, will celebrate the tenth anniversary of her debut album Partir avant with a show presented by Coup de Cœur Francophone (CCF) on 15 November. PANM360 caught up with her to see how she’s doing.
PAN M 360: Hello Rose, how’s your autumn going? Everything okay?
Rosie Valland: Yes! Except that I’ve lost my voice… It’s pretty much the worst nightmare for a singer with a slight tendency towards hypochondria. Luckily, my boyfriend reassures me every day that my voice will come back. It’s just a cold, after all! Otherwise, I have a busy autumn ahead of me with lots of exciting projects. I’ve been assisting set designer Geneviève Lizotte for almost a year now, which keeps me pretty busy and creative… In addition to putting together a beautiful show that’s fast approaching.
PAN M 360: On November 15, you will be performing at CCF to celebrate the 10th anniversary of your first album, Partir Avant. An anniversary like this inevitably prompts reflection. When you think back to the time of Partir Avant, what memories do you have? What did you want to say at that time?
Rosie Valland: It’s really nice to take a moment to reflect on what we’ve been through over the past 10 years. Ten years ago, I was literally just starting out in the music world, but more importantly, I was building a whole social circle that still follows me today. The connection I have with Jesse Mac Cormack and Jean-Philippe Levac, the memories, the artistic complicity… it’s precious. For the past two weeks, we’ve been saying to each other how lucky we are to have experienced all this. And honestly, it’s fun to dive back into that album, because it’s from another era. It’s a way of making music that contrasts sharply with the current era. It’s an album recorded without a click track, where nothing is tuned, and where, in fact, nothing is perfect. And that’s what feels good. It will certainly inspire me to make a sequel.
PAN M 360: When you look back on the journey you’ve been on over the past 10 years, how do you feel?
Rosie Valland: Hmm… that’s a big question. It’s a constant effort, given my personality, to cultivate pride. I think that over the past 10 years, I’ve often been hurt by a difficult, mercenary and somewhat misogynistic industry (oops, I said it!). But it’s my love for creation and art that has always driven me, and honestly, that’s perhaps what I’m most proud of: always having brought an approach, a point of view, and sincerity to what I did – whether it was rock or more pop.
PAN M 360: What do you have in store for us on November 15 ? What will the format be?
I’ll be with the original band! Jesse and Jean-Philippe. We’re going to play the album Partir avant in its entirety and in order, with guest artists Safia Nolin and Antoine Corriveau, who will both come and sing a song. I can also tell you that we’ll be in the centre of the room – so we can all experience it together. Ah! And… I can’t wait!
Rosie Valland will be performing on 15 November at Le Ministère as part of Coup de cœur francophone.
Photo : Lawrence Fafard | Graphisme : Antoine Corriveau
