It is crazy to believe that it was just a little over twelve months ago that the name and music of Lou-Adriane Cassidy first dropped onto our listening radar – thanks in part to the arrival of “Chanson thème” into the GDW email inbox. Seeing the name Thierry Larose (an artist we discovered in early 2023) attached to this release would bring collaborators Cassidy and another previously unknown-to-us artist, Ariane Roy, to our attention – and oh, how quickly this random three-minute ‘chanson’ by Le Roy, la Rose et le Lou[p] guided us down a rabbit hole of outstanding ‘next generation of Québecois music talent.’ One that we were suddenly eager to witness for ourselves firsthand.
If you haven’t kept score, allow me to summarize a few events since we shared that debut single last October here on our pages. Impressed by the song, we sought to learn more about Le Roy, la Rose et le Lou[p] – and with vacation plans to be in Montréal over the US thanksgiving holiday already in place, presented an opportunity to catch their mini-tour finale in Joliette, QC. Elevating our heartrates to almost critical levels with their outstanding concert, once Thierry announced that the trio would reunite one final time to perform at Francos de Montréal in June 2024, purchasing tickets was simply a ‘no-brainer.’ And with a few bonus festival invitations sent their way to close out the 2024 summer season, we caught the trio’s penultimate performance in Drummondville, QC this past August for one last fix before the artists (sadly) went their separate professional ways.
Announcing news of her upcoming third studio album this past summer, “Journal d’un Loup-garou” (to be released in January 2025), Lou-Adriane Cassidy is naturally eager to refocus efforts on her solo career once more. Having added both her debut 2019 “C’est la fin du monde à tous les jours” and 2021 “Lou-Adriane Cassidy vous dit: Bonsoir” albums to our vinyl collection late last year, our expectations for this third release are buzzing right now – given the translation into English being “The wolf’s diary” – a spin-off from her ‘wolf persona’ during the time spent with the trio.
Per a recent press release, Lou-Adriane has chosen a new path and shed the influences of classic French pop and neo-grunge … revealing herself to be more shape-shifting than ever. With disarming vulnerability, she bemoans the state of show business, [and] sings from the point of view of a monster trapped in a downward spiral. Shape-shifting is an apt adjective too – with Lou-Adriane now sporting some fiery red hair to complement her wolf-like persona – taking command and forcing our attention toward this monster looking to escape from within.
Teasing us with her lead single from the album (translates to “Tell Me Tell Me Tell Me”), the opening heavy piano keystrokes and dominant vocals have all the hallmarks of Cassidy’s vintage sound. Progress through the first 85 seconds, however, and the gradual shift to power-pop evolves naturally – a sound and progression that shall not be lost on those familiar with the wolf’s contributions to the project with Larose and Roy (who both contribute musically on this single release). Cassidy acknowledges that this tune was the very first written for the new album, almost two years ago, and in collaboration with her partner (musician/producer) Alexandre Martel. “We worked on every detail, every sentence, every sound, and this is one of the songs I am most proud of,” Lou-Adriane shares. “I’m talking about my dad, the illusion of being free, nostalgia, my childhood movies and sweet revenge.”
Allow the single to continue, where progressing beyond the four-minute mark on the timeline places us at a crossroads of our own; a stopping point where we question whether Cassidy is gearing up for commercial mainstream success? For myself, as a ‘new’ fan who has very rapidly tuned into this artist and her early career, I offer only one retort should that question be posed: Lou-Adriane Cassidy not only belongs in the mainstream, Lou-Adriane Cassidy also has the tools to thrive in the spotlight (not dissimilar to Beatrice Martin (Cœur De Pirate), the last generational French-language artist who rode a meteoric rise to international fame). Never bet against an underdog, right?
While I may have seen Cassidy perform only a handful of times, her stage presence on every occasion has been nothing short of spellbinding, tenacious – one that leaves a constant yearning for much, much more once her final bow is made. Which in turn sends us full circle back to my opening statement – that along with her pals Ariane Roy and Thierry Larose, Lou-Adriane is one of the incredible new Québecois music ambassadors ready to find success in much larger markets outside of the Francophone communities. I, for one, am excited, and the arrival of all fourteen tracks that make up “Journal d’un Loup-garou” cannot come soon enough… Are you ready to join the wolfpack? Are you ready to howl?
Photo Credit: Noémie D. Leclerc
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
