In one of my latest researches on ‘what’s hot’ (and ‘what’s
not’) I came across Camille in an article by The Guardian. By 2008 she had won the French version of the Mercury prize and her
last album at that time sold 500,000 copies.
But what screamed for my attention was a promised singing without instrumental accompaniment by the author of the
text (Marcus O’Dair).
A few cybernautic
clicks later I found her first performance on Later … With Jools Holland; a performance that changed my
perception of my own music (if not of music in general). I’m sharing
today Au
Port (Live Jools Holland 2006).
The performance engages you right at the start. The feisty
bare feet lady starts by layering the beat using a loop machine. Shaping the
song with a steady pulse, adding decisive strikes and exciting rhythms Camille
sets the groove on which she lays the most daring and sexy melody.
The performance not only portraits faithfully the aura of
the recording, it explores a whole new level of excitement and surprises which
I refuse to describe in order to offer you a full pack of joy. Yes, the performance
is from 2006 but is still fresh. I wonder if that’s because the main acts we’ve
been suffocated by during the last seven years haven’t been this creative…
The fall into Camille’s world is deep and full of stirring
stimulations for your mind, body and soul, and creativity, whether you’re a musician,
actor, painter or simply a lover. So I advise a few more cybernautic clicks on You Tube, because Au Port
might not be le-crème-de-la-crème of her magical collection according to your
taste. The journey is eccentrically eclectic.
