Album Review: "There Will Be Stars" (Elisapie)

Chances are, it's not everyday that you listen to a singer who combines three languages. Chances are it's very slim that those languages are English, French, and Inuit (unless you've spent some time in Canada and/or are just familiar with the Native American language). This is where that bit of fresh air comes with Elisapie. She is a singer that most people can honestly say that they have not heard her sound before. While this album has already been out in Canada since last year, There Will Be Stars is set to make the US debut next month, June 7th to be exact. It is an album that is a mix of pop and folk, delivered by an incredible voice.

Below is the tracklisting for "There Will Be Stars" and you know the deal by now, hit the jump to see which songs are my favorites.

"Navvaatara" / "Butterfly" / "Out Of Desperation" / "Turning My Back" / "Arnaapik" / "Inuk" / "Why Would I Cry" / "Wish Song" / "Nothing In This World Is Free" / "Moi, Elsie" / "Do You Hear Me"

"NAVVAATARA"
How does the Inuit language sound you ask? Well the first track on the album will give you an idea. I wish I could say I knew what the Inuit lyrics translate to, sadly the Inuit language is not one I'm fluent. And it's a bit tricky finding proper translation programs online. That said, Elisapie's voice is just that harmonious that you can only hope that she is singing about something beautiful and that the mystery of not knowing exactly what, adds to the appeal.

"OUT OF DESPERATION"
A fusion of Inuit and English results in one good pop number. It's impossible to not want to swing your head side to side when she says "Da da da da da da da da da da." Elisapie might be from the Great North, but the song has that timeless spring and summer fun in the sun vibe that you want to have playing when the weather is beautiful.

"MOI, ELSIE"
My first impression of this song was how very much Elisapie had a Carla Bruni, old school French chanteuse sound to it. And that is not a bad thing, far from it. A song about a love affair gone, but no way forgotten, the lyrics read like that "final letter." Haunting as it is beautiful. Also, check out this beautifully-shot music video for the song. I can't help but think it's also a bit of a documentary of daily life up in the Great North, better also known as Elisapie's home.

Whether it's French, English or her native Inuit language, Elisapie's There Will Be Stars has such a comforting vibe to it that you can easily just press play, kick back and listen. When it's in Inuit you feel like you're going on a journey to a world that very few have been to, but at the same time if you know or can find the translation, you'll find out that it's something we can relate to. There's no such thing as language barriers when the song is about a love lost (the aforementioned "Moi, Elsie"), an anthem meant to uplift people and instill pride ("Inuk"), or life lessons to a child ("Arnaapik"). From start to finish, the album is an incredible listen thanks to the incredible singer.

So that is the review of There Will Be Stars, however that is not the end of this article. As a bonus, below is a phone interview I had with Elisapie earlier this week about her music as she gets ready to make a splash here in the US. Here are some excerpts from the interview, which you can listen to in full below as well.

CRITIQULOUS: We're just less than a month away from your US debut. How do you feel about it?

Elisapie: Actually since this album has been released over a year and a half, I guess the nervousness is not the same as you when you reach out to people waiting for this album. It was a really big first for me, so I'm feeling this is like the cherry on the sundae. I'm curious to see how I'll get to know the States, it's fairly new to me. I'm just really positive and excited.

What is the one thing you that want people to take away from your music when they listen to your album or see you in concert?

I have to rethink of a new public (in mind), it's a very different culture. The American people, especially when I've been going to New York lately, it's really exciting because I feel it's a new way of seeing my music and who I am. Here I'm a little bit more known as it's my second album* and people got to know me well here and I feel like I'm in my comfy slippers. So it's exciting to see how people see it and get their reaction. I guess what I want, maybe because of the territory, the fact that I'm from so far away, I people to listen to the album and the music and to feel like they're on a trip somewhere where it's very different, yet very familiar.

When you got involved with the Young Artists For Haiti project, were there any musicians you were excited to meet? And is there any possible collaborations with the musicians you met down the road?

I've heard of amazing artists like Emily Haines (of Metric), Sam Roberts who I met actually was a really cool. Of course there was K'Naan who is a beautiful person. For now collaboration-wise, I'm not necessarily in it yet because I'm going to start writing my new songs. Once I get that going and things fall into place, I'll feel like maybe I can reach out to some artists. So for now it's more of preparing my shows, doing more shows, and taking time off to write new music. Once that is done, I definitely have dreams of collaboration. A bunch of American musicians like Fleet Foxes, The National, and Bon Iver. I have ideas and maybe someday I'll go to the States and call some collaborators and see where it'll go. You gotta wish for something, right?

Any last words?

I'm really excited, but I actually also don't have a lot of expectations, I've always worked like that. It's always been good and if people enjoy what I do and hopefully the word of mouth goes by and we have people coming to see us, that'd be amazing. I really feel there's such a nice openness and such a nice vibe to get. It's fun playing in the States and I'm looking forward to playing more shows.

*Elisapie's first foray into music was one-half of the duo Taima (with instrumentalist Alain Auger). Together they released an album under the same name. The word "taima" is Inuktitut for "that's all" or "it iss done." In 2005 the duo won the Juno Award for Aboriginal Recording of the Year.

A very special thanks goes out to Amanda Charney of The Musebox, Jean Lamothe, and Nathalie Gagne of Vega Musique for making the interview with Elisapie possible. Of course a great thank you goes to Elisapie for the opportunity to interview her.

Posted in: album reviews,critiqulous goes interviewing,elisapie,music,reviews