Violette

Biography

Violette

French charm, soulful pop chanteuse

Hailing from Île de Ré, an island off the west coast of France, singing-pianist Violette moved to NYC in 2009 after studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Since then, the French native and mom of three has kept busy as an indie singer-songwriter releasing six albums while leading La Vie En Rose Band & Talent agency, providing entertainment for 150+ events yearly.

As a performer, she has graced stages worldwide from NYC (Highline Ballroom, BB Kings, Rockwood Music Hall, City Winery) to Paris, Tokyo, Montreal, and more.

Her album “Falling Strong”, produced by Brian Bacchus (Gregory Porter, Abbey Lincoln) and featuring Louis Cato (bandleader of the Late Show Band), showcases the artist’s eclectic range of musical influences from pop to rock and R&B. During the pandemic, her song “Christmas Harmony”, co-written with her husband, American film director Bradley Hasse, was featured by Playmobil and racked up millions of views on YouTube.

Violette is currently working on an all-French album. The first single and music video, Aujourd’hui, promises a sophisticated cocktail of varied pop/rock that celebrates both tradition and modernity.

From
Île de Ré, France
Based in
New York & France
Studied
Berklee College of Music
Albums
Six releases
Press kit (EPK)Contact
Portrait of Violette

The story

From Île de Ré to New York

Raised in Ars-en-Ré, a small village on an island off the French Atlantic Coast, singer-songwriter Violette began her musical journey at an early age, taking up the piano at five and later learning percussion at a Parisian conservatory.

Violette honed her musical skills at the Centre des Musiques Didier Lockwood, then moved to Boston to enroll at the Berklee College of Music. After a decade of performances in New York and worldwide, she now shares her time between the US and France.

Her musical endeavors are clearly colored by influences from such luminaries as Jacques Brel and Edith Piaf, but she quickly found her tastes and palette ranging much farther than her home: soon her speakers were filled with the sounds of Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, all artists whose sound would have a hand in the development of her sophisticated pop sound.

Her albums “Falling Strong” and “Only Love” (2021) gather a team of long-time friends and collaborators including producer Brian Bacchus (Gregory Porter, Lizz Wright), multi-instrumentalist Louis Cato (Beyoncé, Q-Tip, John Legend) and mixing engineer Jay Newland (Norah Jones, Thomas Dutronc).

Violette at the piano

Achievements

On stage, on screen

Clubs

Paris

  • Club Nubia
  • Le Sunside
  • Le Baiser Salé
  • La Scène Bastille

New York

  • The City Winery
  • Highline Ballroom
  • B.B. King Blues Club
  • Cafe Wha?
  • Club Bonafide
  • Lucille’s
  • The Iridium Jazz Club
  • Rockwood Music Hall
  • Drom
  • The Knitting Factory
  • The Beer Garden

Boston

  • Scullers
  • Les Zygomates
  • The Beehive
  • Berklee Performance Center
  • Cafe 939

Montreal

  • House of Jazz
  • Upstairs Jazz

Asia

  • The Boathouse, Phuket, Thailand
  • JZ Brat, Tokyo
  • Saitama Arts Center, Japan
  • Girls Talk, Mito, Japan

Festivals

France

  • Jazz au Phare
  • Crest Jazz Vocal
  • Jazz à Vannes
  • Violons Croisés
  • Jazz à Sète

USA

  • Blue Note Jazz Festival, New York
  • Make Music Cambridge
  • Boston Jazz Festival
  • Marblehead Jazz Festival

Awards

  • ISSA Song of the Year
  • Billboard World Song Contest
  • Les Vignes d’Or
  • Boston Music Awards

Licensing & film

  • “Vague à l’âme” featured by cosmetic brand Bébé Poshé
  • Songs placed in TV shows including The Real World and Mrs. Eastwood & Company (Bunim/Murray Productions)
  • Film: the band and “Fille à Papa” appear in Son of Monarchs, directed by Alexis Gambis (2020)

Press

What they say

“Violette brings together warm songs of incredible complexity and life with swirling piano melodies and somewhat bluesy, pop song creations… The album is so good it should be ‘falling’ up the charts!”

Matthew Forss, Inside World Music

“No last name, but a lot of heart here by singer/songstress Violette… She’s reminiscent of the stylists of the 70s with an upbeat and thoughtful approach to music.”

Jazz Weekly

“With pipes that could easily land her on the charts, the songstress builds breezy melodies and romantic yet playful landscapes in multiple languages with grace and beauty.”

Inforty