Yelle Will Make You Enjoy Life

When I first discovered Yelle, a French-speaking band, I finally got how non-English speaking fans must feel listening to Michael Jackson or Madonna. You have no freaking clue what they are singing about and it doesn’t matter. Their energy and mood are hard to mistake and are universally recognizable.

I fell in love with Yelle when I heard their first single “Je Veux Te Voir” (see video with English translation). This song was originally named “Short Dick Coizi”dissing Cuizinier of the French hip-hop band TTC and became a Top Five hit in France. Yelle’s fame continued to grow when they released their debut album Pop Up in 2007. They then followed up that album’s success with Safari Disco Club in 2011.

Now I could call Yelle an electro-pop band, but I don’t feel like they fit into this predefined box. Yelle is like a mix of Gwen Stefani from the No Doubt days, your favorite synthesizer using 80’s band, and an old school hip-hop girl group like J.J. Fad all blended with high-energy electronic beats.

I’ve attended two Yelle concerts and going to my third later this week. I totally get how Yelle’s lead singer, Julie Budet, describes touring and their concerts “like a drug, each night is different but it is always so intense.” If you are looking for a high-energy concert where the main goal is for You (to) Enjoy Life (the acronym behind Yelle’s name), then Yelle does not disappoint.

Can’t make one of their shows? Fortunately you don’t have to wait too long for new music. It’s rumored that Yelle’s third album will drop in Fall 2014. In the meantime, Yelle continues to seduce fans with DJ sets and singles like “L’amour Parfait” released in 2013. I’ve also created my Top 8 Yelle Songs, so get ready to ditch the French dictionary and have some fun dancing!