Jeanne Mas

Biography

Jeanne Mas (born 28 February 1958) is a French pop singer. She is well known in France, Switzerland, Canada and Belgium for a number of hit singles released in the 1980s. Her first success was "Toute première fois×Toute première fois1984 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAToute première fois (remix spécial club)5:20BToute première fois (version longue)6:59" in 1984. This song was simultaneously released in the United Kingdom in English. Two of her singles charted at number one in France: "Johnny, Johnny×Johnny, JohnnyJanuary 1985 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Johnny, Johnny4:052Lisa4:13" and "En rouge et noir×En rouge et noir1986 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAEn rouge et noir4:32BPlus forte que l’océan4:09" in 1985 and 1986, respectively. Her 1980's albums are good examples of the Euro disco electropop style popular in Continental Europe at the time, featuring synthesizers and very catchy melodies.

Biography

Jeanne Mas was born on 28 February 1958 in Alicante, Spain. She started studying languages at the University of Nanterre (near Paris). After one year studying Spanish and Italian, she took off for Italy giving up her studies at the university. She settled in Rome when she was only 18 years old. In Rome, she took dance and acting classes. She started landing small parts in commercials as well as in full-length films and she hosted her own show on a private channel: La Uomo TV. Music was her true passion.
In 1979, she signed her first contract with RCA Italia and recorded her first single "On the Moon×On the MoonMay 1978 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1On The Moon3:142It's All Up To You3:30", and toured with a rock group which was rather hardcore. She recorded several 45's, one in English and the others in Italian. In 1984, she signed a contract with EMI Music France. Roberto Zaneli and Romano Musumarra wrote the music for her first French hit "Toute première fois×Toute première fois1984 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAToute première fois (remix spécial club)5:20BToute première fois (version longue)6:59".

First time (1984–1985)

"Toute première fois×Toute première fois1984 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAToute première fois (remix spécial club)5:20BToute première fois (version longue)6:59" was an instant success: she sold more than 900,000 copies of the single which was played on the radio all the way until December.
French people discovered a young woman on their TV screen entirely dressed in black, with jet-black hair, an emaciated face, and very pronounced make-up: a bland version of the punk look. Stimulating choreography with jerky gestures reinforced the image of a woman "who wants some action", almost aggressive. This striking combination of dance and image seduced the young public. The press, the radio, the television and even the discos grabbed hold of this phenomenon.
At the start of the following year, she successively released a second single "Johnny, Johnny×Johnny, JohnnyJanuary 1985 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Johnny, Johnny4:052Lisa4:13" followed by an album simply called Jeanne Mas. To reach a wider audience, she asked Daniel Balavoine for help. He produced two of the songs for the album.
Another single "Coeur en stéréo" was a hit in its own right. In October, she played the Olympia club in Paris for the first time for four triumphant concerts. A few weeks later, she won the equivalent of a grammy for female performer of the year during the first Victoires de la musique.

Triumphant Olympia (1986)

Building upon this success, ravaging and full of energy, she locked herself in a studio in Denmark to record her next album. Heavily into her work, she'd already started writing her own lyrics. Jeanne Mas had a critical view on music and knew what she wanted. This is why she refused a song written by Musumarra which would become "Ouragan" interpreted by the gloss and glitter Princess Stephanie of Monaco. At the beginning of 1986, she released her second album Femmes d'aujourd'hui which went on to sell over 1 million copies. The single from the album "En Rouge et Noir×En rouge et noir1986 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAEn rouge et noir4:32BPlus forte que l’océan4:09" quickly became a hit. In June, the album and the single were number one on the French charts. In the autumn, she played for seven days at the Palais des Sports in Paris and continued with forty concert dates in the rest of France.

Bercy (1987–1989)

This tour commenced in March 1987 for twenty dates, one of which was a concert in Lyon where a live record and a ninety-minute film were made. She then decided to take a break and take advantage of this time to return to Italy to have a baby, a little girl named Victoria.
1988 allowed her to look closely at her career, her artistic doubts. In September she got involved publicly for a subject that she held close to her heart, crimes against children.
Jeanne nevertheless didn't stay inactive and got back to work quickly with Piero Calabrese. She went into a studio for three months and chose the best musicians for the recording: Manu Katché on drums, Steve Shehan on percussion, Tony Levin on bass and David Rhodes on guitar. In February 1989 a new album titled Les crises de l'âme×Les Crises de l'âme4 February 1989 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Les Crises de l'âme5:012Carolyne4:013Tango4:584Y'a des bons...4:555Bébé rock5:216Contre toi3:297Flip Trip4:288Bulles4:259J'accuse4:5710Comme un héros5:0411Dites-lui1:54 was released. The lyrics seemed more committed with songs like "J'accuse×J'accuseJune 1989 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1J'Accuse4:552Bulles4:23", "Tango" or still "Y'a des bons×Y'a des bonsFebruary 1989 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Y'a des bons...4:302Tango4:57..." which denounced violence in the world. In September, she played at Bercy. However, the subsequent tour was cancelled and this was the beginning of her decline.

Los Angeles trip and declining years (1990–1995)

Far from letting herself be beaten, the singer gathered her team to write a new album at the beginning of 1990. Recorded in Los Angeles, L'art des femmes came out in October. She recorded "Tous les cris les S.O.S." by Daniel Balavoine. EMI promoted the first single, "Shakespeare×Shakespeare1990 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Shakespeare4:242Cindy Girl4:053Shakespeare (remix)6:31", but both the album and singles were complete flops. A year later, EMI released a compilation Depuis la toute première fois×Depuis la toute première foisNovember 1991 · Album · CompilationSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Toute première fois4:162Johnny, Johnny4:223Cœur en stéréo4:304Viens3:225En rouge et noir4:316L'Enfant5:177Sauvez-moi3:538Les Crises de l'âme5:029Y'a des bons ...4:5610Bébé Rock5:2111Shakespeare4:3912L'Art des femmes (Angela)3:56.
In 1992, Jeanne Mas gave birth to a boy, Christopher. Au nom des rois was the new album which came out on AB Productions in September, her collaboration with EMI having ended. The first single from the album was "Au nom des rois×Au nom des rois1992 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Ces hommes5:062Au nom des rois5:233Au secours4:504Sûre de lui4:375Dors bien Margot4:126Les Yeux androgynes4:107Vivre libres3:178À cause de vous4:009La Terre4:06" and she directed the video. "Dors bien Margot" followed a few months later with a slightly different mix. 1993 saw the release of a new version of the album including three new songs, one of which was the third single "Aime-moi". In September 1993, she played three nights at Casino de Paris and followed with a fifty-five-date tour. With her career floundering she withdrew from public life for a while and settled in the South of France. In 1994 "C'est pas normal", a more dance floor-oriented song, was released but interest was minimal, received limited airplay and was another flop.

Rocker (1996–2002)

She came back in 1996 with a new album on Arcade records. Jeanne recorded Jeanne Mas & les Égoïstes in Toulouse which had 14 songs that she had written, more rock so as to a return to her initial roots. The record received little attention.
After this attempted comeback, Jeanne Mas, became interested in cinema and took screen a writing course in Paris. She also made a short film. By 2000 the record company XIII Bis enabled her to release a further album. Désir d'insolence her seventh album. Amongst the songs, three have texts by the poets Paul Verlaine, Alfred de Vigny and Guillaume Appolinaire's "Le pont Mirabeau".
In 2003, Jeanne Mas released a new album: Les Amants de Castille×Les Amants de Castille2003 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Cid Story1:272Seuls3:103Rodrigue as tu du cœur4:224Acte III scène 31:075Poussières de Castille4:026Chimène3:547Un vie ne suffit pas4:138L'Infante2:299La Nuit sans les Dieux3:5910Comme avant3:4511Les Autres Filles3:5912Vivre à demie libre3:5413Ma plus belle histoire1:45 in hommage to the famous play Le Cid by Corneille.
In 2004–2005 she toured to celebrate her 20 years of career and performed at the Espace Pierre Cardin and the Casino de Paris.
Jeanne Mas left France in June 2005 and settled in California where she created her own label Red Rocks Productions. In 2006 a new album : The missing Flowers×The Missing FlowersMay 2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1The Missing Flowers4:102On the Web4:433Summer Day4:414Un air d'Argentine4:045Year Year Year3:506Hoop Hoop4:007Don't Play3:558Sans toi3:329Don't Give Up3:5510My Paris Latino4:0011Mas alli mas alla3:0512Sin ti3:4513Amor de papel5:0314Un air d'Argentine (Pacific Drive club remix)6:3315Summer Day (Blond As U remix)5:3416Mas alli mas alla (Alla remix)6:40 was recorded between Paris and Los Angeles and produced with DJ Esteban. A new chapter commenced with this new album and a new look. Blond hair and feminine. In 2007: the album was released in Europe by Edina Music France.

2008 Concert and her renewed popularity

In June 2008, Jeanne Mas announced four nights of concerts at the Trianon in Paris.

2009 Olympia Theatre – Paris, France

In May 2009, Jeanne Mas performed two nights at the Olympia Theatre in Paris with her band – Mike Pachelli & Willis Clow (guitars),
Todd Connelly (bass), Matt Lesser (drums) and Balint Sapszon (keyboards).
In July 2011, Jeanne Mas released her 13th album, Bleu Citron×Bleu citron8 July 2011 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Petits pas3:292Les Dimanches4:573Ton retour, Act 10:464Reste2:595Moins magique4:176Que faire4:417Ton retour, Act 20:468Va bien2:519Ma photo dans les gares3:0810Un aigle blanc5:1911Mon problème3:3112Ton retour, Act 33:25, with a single, Les Dimanches being well received by critics.
In 2012, she released the album Made in France×Made in France2 May 2012 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Ouverture1:092Made in France3:533Un peu de3:214Fais moi de la peine4:005La Première3:346Entracte #11:007Au bout du chemin2:598Décembre3:479Entracte #21:0210Pour toi j'ai tort3:3811Regarde ailleurs3:3412# Dans le désert4:38, which received a mixed reception. From this the single Il pleut des lunes, and EP dance Gil with DJ Esteban was released.
On 24 October 2012, Jeanne Mas was back on the big screen with the film Stars 80, which tells the story of the two producers of the tour RFM Party 80. The film was a box office success.
On 10 August 2013, Jeanne Mas began a tour of seven dates in Obernai in Alsace, ending in Romans 28 September.

Personal life

Jeanne Mas has a daughter and a son. In 2005, she relocated from Rueil-Malmaison, France to the United States, firstly in California and then in Arizona.
As of 2016, Jeanne Mas has been vegetarian for twenty-three years, before becoming a vegan. In February 2016, Mas published the book Ma vie est une pomme ("My life is an apple") under Michel Lafon, which advocates the lifestyle.

Studio albums

Jeanne Mas (1985)
Femmes d'aujourd'hui (1986)
Les crises de l'âme (1989)
L'art des femmes (1990)
Au nom des rois (1992)
Jeanne Mas & Les Égoïstes (1996)
Désir D'Insolence (2000)
Je Vous Aime ainsi (2001)
Les Amants De Castille (2003)
The Missing Flowers (2006)
Be West (2008)
Bleu Citron (2011)
Made in France (2012)
H2-Eau (2014)
PH (2017)

Compilation albums

Depuis la toute première fois (1991)
Les plus grands succès de Jeanne Mas (1996)
L'essentiel (2000)
J'M – Le meilleur de Jeanne Mas (2001)
Best of (2004)
Most of the best (2006)
My 80's (2007)
The Flowers Collection (2009)
Divas Wanted (2010)

Singles

1978 : On The Moon
1984 : Toute Première Fois
1985 : Johnny, Johnny
1985 : Coeur En Stereo
1986 : En Rouge Et Noir
1986 : L'Enfant
1987 : Sauvez-Moi
1987 : La Bête Libre
1989 : Y'a Des Bons...
1989 : Les Crises De L'Âme (Only in Germany and Italia)
1989 : J'Accuse
1989 : Carolyne
1990 : Bébé Rock
1990 : Shakespeare
1991 : Angela (L'Art Des Femmes)
1992 : Au Nom Des Rois
1992 : Dors Bien Margot
1993 : Aime-Moi
1994 : C'Est Pas Normal
1996 : Côté H Côté Clean
1997 : Anna
2000 : Désir D'Insolence
2001 : Je Vous Aime Ainsi
2003 : Chimène
2003 : Poussière De Castille
2004 : Toute Première Fois (FDP Remix)
2005 : Johnny, Johnny (Remix)
2005 : The New Medley
2006 : Màs Allí, Màs Allà
2006 : On A Summer Day
2007 : Un Air D'Argentine
2007 : C'Est Interdit
2007 : Come To Los Angeles
2007 : Sans Toi
2008 : Be West
2009 : Back to the Future
2009 : Maudit
2010 : It Could Be
2010 : Si Long, Trop Court
2012 : Gil
2014 : Pablo
2014 : Les Lunes