France D'Amour: Looking Forward

France D’Amour has been part of Québec’s cultural landscape for 28 years now. And she’s as prolific as ever; she released a greatest hits album in 2018, followed by a rock album in 2019. She certainly has no shortage of plans! Interview with an eternal optimist, who believes that the best is yet to come.

You released Best Of in 2018. Does that mean you’re starting to look back on your life? No, not at all. I wanted to make a greatest hits album so people could find their favourite songs. People have been requesting it for a long time, and after 11 albums, I felt it was the right time.

You’ve had a number of big hits. How did you choose which ones to put on the album? I chose the songs that were played the most on the radio. I couldn’t necessarily pick my favourites, because they usually weren’t as popular. An album can only be 70 minutes long, too, so I only had room for 18 songs.

Mon frère is one of those songs, and you’ve said that people have been finding more meaning in the lyrics in the past few years. How often do you hear that? This song has really seen a revival recently. I think a lot of people are seeing it from a totally different angle now. Of course, some people understood it all right off the bat. If I had written that song in 2017, it’s pretty clear to me that I would’ve called it #MeToo. I’ve never found a clearer way to frame that song.

You’ve always been very involved with the next generation of musicians. Is that still the case? I’m less involved, I’m not doing as much, but it’s still something that’s very important to me. A while ago, I was the spokesperson for a show that brought together a bunch of young girls and I was able to give them lessons and advice. I really like the next generation. They have a fire in their bellies. When you first get started in the music business, you really want to make it big. It’s that fire that drives you forward that much faster. It gives you a lot of experience quickly, and that type of energy really inspires me!

Do you lose that energy over time? I never did. Personally, I know that if I ever lose that fire, that energy, I’ll change careers and go back to school (laughs). The day I lose that fireis the day I leave the music industry.

Do you think it’s harder to break into music in Québec today than it was 25 years ago? I’m not sure. It’s true that before, there were fewer people so it was easier to get established. On the other hand, we have social media now, and that makes it a lot easier to get visibility. Every era has its upsides and downsides. But I think talented people always make it in the end.

What project have you enjoyed most during your career? Hopefully, one that hasn’t happened yet! I believe the best is yet to come. I’m not a nostalgic person. I live my life believing that my next album will be the best one, that I haven’t written my best songs yet, and that my biggest laughs are ahead. I’ve set the bar high, and I’m looking forward!

You’ve spent most of your life around music and noise. How do you take care of your hearing? Is that something you pay attention to? I have tinnitus. I work in the music industry, so there’s definitely more of a risk of developing tinnitus. The last time I saw a professional, he said my audiogram had a “rock n’ roll curve” (laughs). Even so, I try not to be dramatic about it. I try to see my tinnitus as a friend I have to live with. I try to find ways to stop it from getting in my way.

Do you have an auditory memory that you cherish? I’m not someone who cries easily, but a good song will often make me a bit teary. Every time I hear John Mayer’s song Gravity, I start crying. I tend to cry from beauty rather than sadness.

Thank you for talking to us, France. Your energy is contagious!

PICTURE: Melany Bernier