Julien Clerc

Julien Clerc, the French singer, pianist and composer who has been giving the chanson his own twist since the late 1960s, is coming to Groningen. On 30 January 2027 he will appear at SPOT/De Oosterpoort with a set that sums up his long career: melodies that register immediately, lyrics that linger, and that characteristic timbre, supple and precise. His songs — Ce n’est rien, Femmes, je vous aime, Ma préférence, Mélissa, Fais-moi une place — have accompanied generations and take on a different dynamic on stage.

Clerc moves between intimate ballads and richer arrangements. At the piano, in a small lineup or with broader accompaniment, he keeps the line taut: clear diction, room for silence, and a restraint that puts the story first. At SPOT/De Oosterpoort he delves into his classics and makes space for more recent work, with an attention that stays close to the text and the melody. An encounter with the French chanson in motion, shared with an audience that hears the nuances.