The 6th edition of the “Mars en Folie” Festival will take place in an atmosphere of festivity, discovery and diversity.
A new musical adventure is about to happen in the Francophone world: the network of Alliances françaises, the Embassies of Canada, Switzerland and Belgium / Wallonia-Brussels Delegation, as well as the Québec offices in China, are presenting the “Mars en Folie” 2013 musical tour as part of the 18th edition of Fête de la Francophonie en Chine.
This year, four groups with four different backgrounds will be representing the European and North American francophone music scene in 13 Chinese cities. Pop, rock and reggae musicians will be performing in universities and concert halls in Beijing and Macau, as well as Tianjin, Jinan, Qingdao, Wuhan, Xian, Guiyang, Chengdu, Chongqing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. From March 6 to 23, more than 40 concerts will be held, giving China’s youth a unique opportunity to get to know French music and its many different styles.
Travel with the dreamy melodies of Klô Pelgag (Québec/Canada, indie folk), be amazed by the poetic and socially-committed reggae of Junior Tshaka (Switzerland, groove, hip-hop, reggae), the powerful rock of Mauvaise langues (France, rock songs) or the pop sweetness of Benjamin Schoos & Sophie Galet (Belgium/Wallonia-Brussels Delegation, French pop): do not miss “Mars en Folie”!
The concerts are free and open to all! A unique opportunity to listen to brilliant young artists from the francophone music scene, presented for the first time in China.
More information: www.marsenfolie.afchine.org
www.faguowenhua.com/francophonie
Klô Pelgag [Québec / Canada, indie folk]
She feels as if she were in a meadow when she is on stage, but her meadow has no fence and is surrounded by two solid trees and three pretty flowers. With a voice somewhere between Feist and Camille, unmistakably recognizable after the first few bars, Klô Pelgag has created a poetic, lively, dreamy and dynamic style. The universe thus created earned her a host of awards and distinctions, including at the Festival International de la chanson de Granby, Festival de la Chanson Jeune Création Maison du Québec à Saint-Malo, Vue sur la relève, Tremplin de Dégelis, Festival en Chanson de Petite-Vallée, as well as Ma Première Place des Arts … If her bewitching voice makes you lose your bearings, let it be your compass!
More information: klopelgag.com/pro
This tour is organized with Air Canada support.
Benjamin Schoos & Sophie Galet en duo [Belgium/Wallonia-Brussels Delegation, French pop]
BENJAMIN SCHOOS AND SOPHIE GALET DUO
This is an intimate duo, obviously, since they live together! But it’s also an encounter between two famous musicians on the Belgian pop stage who have already worked together in recording studios.
Benjamin produced “Cyclus”, Sophie’s first album in 2006; Sophie sang and played guitar and drums on Benjamin’s songs in 2007. We like to compare him to a disciple of Serge Gainsbourg or Orson Welles. And she is the spiritual sister of Françoise Hardy or Joni Mitchell.
The musical fusion of the two artists gives rise to a magical world of pop and electronica, with that touch of melancholy that only French songs can evoke. For them, this makes it a new experience of shared pleasure with Asia for the first time: to stir the soul and open the doors to their respective songs.
There will be a surprise that they would cooperate with the Chinese erhu performer Li Han at the live show in Beijing. The combination between the Chinese traditional music and the Belgian rock music will bring us a wonderful collision of passion.
More information:
www.benjaminschoos.co.uk, www.sophiegalet.com
Les Mauvaises Langues [ie : The sharp tongues | France, rock songs]
Take 5 musicians, 5 artists, 5 ways to feel things… Mix it all… and taste it. You won’t be disappointed. The Sharp Tongues “A Ciel Ouvert” / “Open Air”, an album recorded outdoor, in studio conditions, in 2010, is a real adventure… An artistic, musical and human adventure… It is a punch bag, an outlet, a mine of feelings and emotions, you can interpret their melodies and texts in a thousand ways…
Their songs evoke memories, moments of our past or future lives, but also envies, regrets and fantasies. Their songs take us to many places, following the inspiration of this free-wheel band, always catching the spontaneity of the instant.
This tour is organized by Alliance Francaise network in China with the support of the Embassy of France in China and French Institute – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nord-Pas de Calais Region.
More information: www.lesmauvaiseslangues.fr
Junior Tshaka [Switzerland, groove / hip-hop / reggae]
JUNIOR TSHAKA is a charismatic artist who performs a militant kind of Reggae. He returns to the essentials and, with simple words, lets the audience know about his beliefs on the state of the planet. For the first time in China, JUNIOR TSHAKA presents his new album «Boosté par le son».
Following the success of the album «La Jungle», which was released in 2007, JUNIOR TSHAKA produced «Il est temps» in May 2009. Between Reggae and French chansons, as well as in a very subtle, mixed and engaged manner, he denounces a system which creates wars and a planet where crying can be heard. For JUNIOR TSHAKA, it is time that people`s conscience awakened and found its way to humanity. The artist`s most important values are love, respect and freedom. Angry with those who trigger hatred and those who derail his dreams, JUNIOR TSHAKA proposes his vision of the world: critical, harsh and realistic, but full of hope.
The Swiss artist is the winner of the 2009 «European Reggae Contest» at the Rototom Splash in Italy, the Mecca of European Reggae, being ahead of nearly 500 other groups from the whole continent. JUNIOR TSHAKA has been touring the big European Festivals since 2009. He seduces an audience which goes beyond Reggae lovers.
More information: http://www.junior-tshaka.com
Organizers：
The Alliance francaise network in China
The Embassy of Canada in China
The Embassy of Switzerland in China
The Embassy of Belgium in China/the Wallonia-Brussels Delegation in China
The Quebec Offices in China
The Embassy of France in China
Main institutional Partners:
Institut Français
Wallonia-Brussels International
Air Canada
Région Nord-Pas de Calais
Club France
Yugong Yishan
Pm 7 // Free entrance upon invitation (invitation available at Alliance française front desk – Guangcai, Xihai and BLCU centers – from March 10th) 65532678 ext.209 (fr)或转207（中文）
Press contacts:
Pauline Seguin
Cultural Affairs, Alliance francaise network in China
dgculture@afchine.org Tel.: (010) 6553 2678 ext. 209 (en/fr)
We always welcome your inquiries and answer your questions as comprehensively as possible, do not hesitate to contact us！
- Start:
- Tickets: Free entrance upon invitation (invitation available at Alliance française front desk – Guangcai, Xihai and BLCU centers – from March 10th) 65532678 ext.209 (fr)
