Friday's French music break - John Mamann featuring Kika, "Love Life"

Friday's French music break this week is one of those songs you're more than likely to have heard on the radio in France at some point over over the past few months

It's "Love life" by John Mamann, featuring Portuguese singer Kika, and is the first track to be released from his latest album of the same name.

John Mamann (screenshot from official video)

The song is  heavy on the feel-good factor; a catchy tune (of course) with simple lyrics (what else) sung alternately in French (Mamann) and English (Kika).

Kika (screenshot from official video)

All in all, it an instantly hummable, whistleable (there's plenty of that at both the beginning and end), singalongable (are any of those words?), la-la-la-able song with a pleasant enough mélodie...whoops, melody - and, let's face it, the simplest of refrains that even the most forgetful will not have trouble remembering.

Love life ( la la la la la... ),
Love life ( la la la la la... ),
It's you and I ( la la la la la... ),
Love life ( la la la la la... ).

Now some of you out there who've read previous Friday's French music break posts (here) might have noticed similarities between "Love life" and another duet from French television actress Élisa Tovati and a former Eurovision Song Contest entrant for Belgium (and runner-up in that country's X Factor), Tom Dice.

Back in 2011 the pair teamed up for the equally melodious and gentle-on-the ear summer hit "Il nous faut" sung in both French and English, and written by...Mamann.

In fact, although the 43-year-old is about to release his third album he's probably better known for his songwriting credentials, having composed and produced for the likes of Johnny Hallyday, Canadian singer Natasha St-Pier and Louisy Joseph after she left the all-girl band (French) Popstars winners L5 to pursue a solo career.

Plus...yes there's more...Mamann is one of the composers of the musical Robin des Bois which has recently opened in Paris and stars (yet) another former Popstars winner, Matt Pokora.

Anyway, that's probably more than enough background info.

If you would like more, you can take a look at a more comprehensive bio (in French) online at Universal Music, log on to his Facebook page or follow him on Twitter.

Mamann has just appeared as the warm-up act for Zaz in Amiens and has a few performance dates scheduled over the next couple of months, including one at Bus Palladium in Paris on December 3.

For now though, listen to the official video and be prepared perhaps get ready to break out into a few la, la, las.

Enjoy, and have a great weekend.

Friday's French music break - Elisa Tovati & Tom Dice, "Il nous faut"

What happens when a television actress and a former entrant for the Eurovision song contest get together?

The answer is they produce a sublime sound which is melodious, gentle on the ear and the choice for Friday's French music break this week.

Elisa Tovati and Tom Dice (screenshot from official video)

The actress is 35-year-old Elisa Tovati from France who has built up a solid if not remarkable career in television and cinema.

Elisa Tovati (screenshot from official video)

Along the way she has produced three albums.

Her latest is "Le Syndrome de Peter Pan" which is described on her official website as a "musical tale of a little girl who is all grown up."

And it's from that album that she has released the single "Il nous faut", a duet with the young Belgian singer Tom Dice.

Tom Dice (screenshot from France 5 performance)

Under his given name of Tom Eeckhout, he finished runner-up in the Flemish Belgian version of the TV talent show the X Factor in 2008.

But as Tom Dice, his name might be familiar to some Eurovision song contest fans as the 22-year-old sang his country's entry in 2010 in Oslo.

The song "Me and my guitar" finished a creditable sixth and didn't go unnoticed here in France picking up plenty of airplay.

Anyway back to the pairing of Tovati and Dice on "Il nous faut - and it's simply inspired.

Elisa Tovati and Tom Dice (screenshot from France 5 performance)

Neither of them has what you might call an outstanding voice; good certainly, pleasant to listen to and melodious. But not the sort that will make your jaw drop in admiration.

That doesn't matter though. The combination is a delight to listen to as their voices blend and they sing alternately in French and English.

From the opening bars of the guitar strings being plucked and strummed through to the violin and folksy feel of the melody, Tovati and Dice treat you to an almost perfect pairing.

If you liked, for example, the 2009 hit "Lucky" by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat, the chances are you'll feel the same about Tovati and Dice singing "Il nous faut". There are definite similarities in the effect both the song and the voices have.

"Il nous faut" is perhaps very easy-listening, but that doesn't make it any the less enjoyable.

Just as a treat, here are two versions; the first is the official video and the second is a live performance they gave on France 5 television - proof that they can after all sing and reproduce the studio sound in front of an audience.


Elisa Tovati & Tom Dice - Il Nous Faut (Clip... par wonderful-life1989