Country : Canada (Quebec) Label : Secret City Genres and styles : Pop Year : 2020

Blue

· by Luc Marchessault

Valland, a patronymic derived from the Latin “valens”, means resistant, robust and strong – in short, valiant. Valland is here an aptonym since our Rosie is very brave: this Granbyenne by origin, after having attended the l’École nationale de la chanson in her hometown in 2011-2012, created an EP of the same name in 2014, a full-length album in 2015 (Partir avant), two other EPs in 2016 and 2017 (Nord-Est and Synchro), and most recently Blue, her second full-length.

When, like Rosie Valland, you’re born in the early ’90s and the Universe predestines you to melodic, sometimes energetic pop, you risk being influenced by Oasis and Jean-Jacques Goldman. And you find yourself in a cohort of gifted singer-songwriter-composers who, in addition to Rosie, include Lou-Adriane Cassidy, Mélanie Venditti, Ariane Zita, Julie Blanche, Lydia Képinski and Sarah Toussaint-Léveillé, among others. 

Rosie produced Blue with Jesse Mac Cormack, who has supported her since her debut. He has also worked as a producer, accompanist and arranger for Emilie Kahn, Helena Deland, Mélanie Boulay, Patrick Watson and Philippe Brach, all of whom are in great demand.

Listening to the nine pieces featured here, one can hear that the lyrics are concise, direct and serene, that the music is delicate and that Blaise Borboën-Léon’s string arrangements are impeccable. The rhythm is slow, except on “Forçons les tiges”, with its threatening riffs, and on the electro-percussive “Loin”.

Rosie Valland’s songs are here freed from the moral suffering in folk mode that often tinged them before. Instead, a delicate and peaceful, cutting-edge pop creation, beneficial to the ear as well as to the mood, has taken shape.

Latest 360 Content

Wu-Tang Clan & Mathematics – Black Samson, the Bastard Swordsman.

Wu-Tang Clan & Mathematics – Black Samson, the Bastard Swordsman.

Dalit Hadass Warshaw, Boston Modern Orchestra Project / Gil Rose – Sirens

Dalit Hadass Warshaw, Boston Modern Orchestra Project / Gil Rose – Sirens

Howard Shore/Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France – Shore : Anthology

Howard Shore/Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France – Shore : Anthology

Quatuor Diotima – Boulez : Livre pour quatuor

Quatuor Diotima – Boulez : Livre pour quatuor

LMNL – Rainbow

LMNL – Rainbow

Strat Andriotis – Exits

Strat Andriotis – Exits

Richard Reed Parry – The Actor

Richard Reed Parry – The Actor

Tamara Stefanovich – Organised Delirium

Tamara Stefanovich – Organised Delirium

Galan Trio – Embrace

Galan Trio – Embrace

Jack Van Zandt – A Chaos of Light and Motion

Jack Van Zandt – A Chaos of Light and Motion

Tommy Crane – Reality Curated: Live at Ursa

Tommy Crane – Reality Curated: Live at Ursa

Thomas DeLio – Anti-paysage

Thomas DeLio – Anti-paysage

No Hay Banda – Steven Kazuo Takasugi : Il Teatro Rosso

No Hay Banda – Steven Kazuo Takasugi : Il Teatro Rosso

Vancouver Contemporary Orchestra; Vancouver Chamber Choir – Christopher Tyler Nickel : Mass; Te Deum

Vancouver Contemporary Orchestra; Vancouver Chamber Choir – Christopher Tyler Nickel : Mass; Te Deum

Hypercube – The Force for Good

Hypercube – The Force for Good

PUP – Who Will Look After the Dogs?

PUP – Who Will Look After the Dogs?

Duo AYA – Cycles

Duo AYA – Cycles

Papillon Social Club – Dur de la feuille

Papillon Social Club – Dur de la feuille

Coalescent Quartet – The Wall Between Us

Coalescent Quartet – The Wall Between Us

Samuel Bonnet Trio – Live in Harmony

Samuel Bonnet Trio – Live in Harmony

Marc-André Hamelin; Quatuor Takacs – Dvořák & Price : Piano Quintets

Marc-André Hamelin; Quatuor Takacs – Dvořák & Price : Piano Quintets

Oktopus – Brahms, Balkans & Bagels

Oktopus – Brahms, Balkans & Bagels

OCM: Bernstein and his “Side stories” in the spotlight

OCM: Bernstein and his “Side stories” in the spotlight

Subscribe to our newsletter