Lili Fatale
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Headquarters | Montreal , Canada |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
Lili Fatale is a pop ensemble originating from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Their musical approach blends elements of French and British pop with influences drawn from Cold wave (music) and Electro (music) genres.
Lili Fatale (1994–1999)
The group was established in 1994 by Nathalie Courchesne (vocals, keyboards, guitar), Richard Valmont Binette (guitar, drums, keyboards, vocals), Uranian Valcéanu (guitar, vocals), and bassist Martin Beaulieu. The name derives from a comic series created by Gérard Lauzier.
In 1996, the band secured a deal with Sony Music Canada, leading to the release of their debut album Lili Fatale in 1997. For French audiences, the album was issued under the title CK80296. Tracks such as "Feels" and "Mimi" garnered extensive radio exposure; notably, "Mimi" achieved sales of 20,000 units in Quebec and 10,000 in France. The music video for "Les Djinns" earned the 1999 MuchMusic Video Award for Best French Video. At the 1998 ADISQ Awards, producer Michel Pépin was recognized with nominations for Soundmaker, Arranger, and Record Director of the Year. The album itself received a nomination for Album of the Year - Alternative Rock, while "Feels" was up for Video of the Year. The band also earned nominations for Group of the Year and won the Félix award as Revelation of the Year. Additionally, they were honored with the Félix Leclerc Prize for Song.
Throughout 1998, Lili Fatale embarked on an extensive tour covering Quebec and other parts of Canada, followed by performances at European festivals including Printemps de Bourges and Les Francofolies de La Rochelle.
The group's sophomore album, Panavision, was launched in early 2001. It featured contributions from French singer-songwriter Jérôme Minière and was produced by Michel Pépin. By the end of that year, it had sold 20,000 copies within Quebec, with the single "Depuis que tu es parti" making an impact on music charts. At the 2001 ADISQ Awards, Pépin received nominations for Arranger of the Year and Record Director of the Year; concurrently, the album was nominated for Album of the Year - Alternative Rock.
Despite these accomplishments, Sony opted not to renew Lili Fatale’s contract in December 2001. Subsequently, Richard Binette departed to pursue academic studies; meanwhile, Valcéanu and Courchesne took a hiatus from the band to focus on family life.
Courchesne remained active musically, joining El Motor in 2006 and participating in Bryan Perro’s 2007 multimedia production Éclyps. She also collaborated on With All Due Respect’s 2010 EP Torrent. In 2015, Courchesne and Valcéanu teamed up with Francis Fillion, Nicolas Ouellette, and Yanik Daunais to independently release an EP titled Sous la Neige, la Plage, which included reimagined versions of previously unreleased material.
In 2019, at the 30th annual SOCAN Gala held in Montreal, Lili Fatale’s tracks "Feels" and "Mimi" were each honored with a SOCAN Classic Award.
Albums
- Lili Fatale (also known as CK80296), released in 1997 under Sony Music
- Panavision, launched in 2001 through Sony Music
EPs & singles
- Mimi, issued in 1997 by Columbia
- Ange De Ville, distributed in 2001 via Sony Music
- Sous la Neige, la Plage, independently released in 2015
External links
- Lili Fatale (1997-2000 Debut Album Promotional Site) official website
- Lili Fatale (2001-2002 "Panavision" Album Promotion) official website
- Lyrics available at leparolier.org