After medium plaisir, released in 2022, Ariane Roy is back with Dogue, a more electronic, even danceable turn. Gone are the days of compromise and fear of displeasing: at 28, the artist has fully embraced this new direction, buoyed by the confidence she has gained from her successes. Winner of the Félix de la Révélation de l’année and the Prix Félix-Leclerc in 2022, she made her mark on the Quebec music scene with the hugely successful Le Roy, la Rose et le Lou[p] tour, alongside her long-time accomplices Thierry Larose and Lou-Adriane Cassidy.
Right from the title track, the first on the menu, we discover a rawer side of the artist we’ve come to know mainly for his softer, more introspective songs, notably “Ce n’est pas de la chance.” In fact, the title of the album, Dogue, comes from his desire to deconstruct our vision of the word bitch, often used pejoratively in French. Perfectly timed for this unstable political climate, this new album highlights the persistent difficulties of being a young woman in 2025. “Je suis la sorcière que tu brûles et toi le bon garçon” (I’m the witch you burn and you’re the good boy) in the song “Tous mes hommages,” “Je suis chiante ou drôle, quel est mon sort” (I’m boring or funny, what’s my fate?) in “Dogue.”
Whereas medium plaisir was based on an organic approach with piano and guitar as starting points, this time Dogue imposes a composition based on digital production. This electronic turn is reinforced by the collaboration with co-producer Félix Petit (aka FELP), known for his work with Hawa B, Les Louanges, Hubert Lenoir, Safia Nolin and Laurence-Anne. FELP’s musical universe can be recognized in certain pieces, such as “Mordre,” which can be likened to songs from PICTURA DE IPSE: musique directed by Hubert Lenoir.
To attend the launch of this admirably successful second album, come to Club Soda in Montreal on June 18 and the Impérial Bell in Quebec City on October 17. Her website has more dates across Quebec.
