Image

PORTRAITS

Ils sont artiste, cheffe étoilée, designer ou apiculteur, pilote automobile ou créatrice de mode. Leur point commun ? Ces personnalités glamour ou au cœur de la vie culturelle, économique et sociale régionale sont les moteurs de l’actualité azuréenne. Découvrez sans filtre le témoignage de leur parcours, leurs rêves, leurs ambitions et leurs projets à venir.

February 2020

Patricia Pélissié, Olivia Ruiz

  • For a song

_patricia-Criscuolo-001.jpg

Patricia Pélissié, tout pour la chanson française. © Christine Criscuolo.

Faithful friend of artists, Patricia Pélissié was a gallerist and lecturer in Art History before creating the Festival de la Chanson Française in 2003. Patricia is an unimposing woman who makes her dreams come true through sheer energy and innate kindness. At a time when English is everywhere and DJs rule the roots, what a challenge it is to give French chanson – the texts set to music that constitute our country’s poetry – the credit they deserve. The history of the festival is full of anecdotes that Patricia remembers with a smile, and always there is the love of words, the meaning of the lyrics. Of course, Patricia had help from many great people. Jean-Michel Boris, director of the Olympia for half a century, helped her every step of the way for two years, providing advice on good programming and other support. Serge Reggiani also supported the festival, sponsored its 10th edition, and opened the doors to major media sources. “No one does anything alone,” Patricia says modestly. Amongst the many new talents she has put on the stage year after year, she fondly remembers Olivia Ruiz in particular. In 2005, the great Juliette herself highly recommended the singer of J’aime pas l’amour, so Patricia set aside an 800-seat auditorium for Ruiz in Simiane. “It was almost a catastrophe,” reminisces Patricia. “The day before the show I had sold only ten tickets. But France 3 came to my rescue and promoted the event, so all was not lost.”

Olivia Ruiz : Femme chocolat
Shortly afterwards, Olivia came out with the album La femme chocolat, which was an immediate hit. She then went on to win the Victoires de la Musique and other distinctions such as Best Female Artist at the Globes de Cristal Awards. In 2007, with more than one million copies sold, La femme chocolat became her first diamond disc. Her fresh and imaginative style has kept Olivia centre stage, and in 2013 she was named Best Female Artist for the third time with her album Le Calme et la tempête. Ruiz is on a roll; who knows how far she might go?

Par Dominique Juan

Share

+ de portraits