Winner of the Victoire de l’album révélation de l’année 2020 for Les Failles, Lyon native Pomme (Claire Pommet) was already a known quantity in France, in Quebec as well. She’d made her name in 2018 with her Sessions montréalaises (YouTube), thanks in part to the complicity of Safia Nolin, with whom she had a love affair that resulted in a few songs and duets. That same year, she also touched our hearts in a beautiful duet with Pierre Lapointe at the Francos (“Tel un seul homme”).
Her new studio album, which is very intimate in style, proves that this 23-year-old artist, who situates herself solidly amid the new wave of French chanson, is here to stay. With a beautiful voice, a bit reminiscent of Claire Denamur on “Je sais pas danser”, Pomme asks herself existential questions about life, love, motherhood and death. And it’s a damn fine piece of work from a lyrical point of view, but also when it comes to the arrangements, both delicate and sophisticated, by Albin de la Simone. He also wears the producer’s hat.
It’s said that Pomme’s mother is very religious. Perhaps it is because of this influence that she often gives the impression of walking with an old soul through life’s pitfalls. The instrumental “Chapel” is moreover composed of religious songs.
Even if some songs might have perhaps benefited from being composed by someone like Lapointe, on the melodic side, the album sounds like a sunny Sunday morning when the wind blows delicately through white curtains. A salve for our shortcomings, in any case…
