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Myriam Roulet, known professionally as RoBERT (born 14 October 1964), is a French singer, composer, and lyricist.
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Robert | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Myriam Roulet |
| Born | 14 October 1964 |
| Genres | Electronic, pop, baroque |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, composer |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Labels | DEA Trema Naïve Sony Columbia Records |
| Website | http://www.robertlesite.net/ |
As an independent artist and songwriter, Robert's musical style is described as fairy-like, straddling the line between the tragic and the gothic, sometimes infused with a touch of absurdity. Themes of death, childhood, and love frequently feature in her songs, characterized by her crystalline, often delicate opera voice and the baroque (and occasionally electronic) musical arrangements. Often likened to Mylène Farmer, Barbara, or Marie Laforêt, she has achieved artistic success in France and Belgium, as well as in Japan, despite a certain level of media obscurity. Robert's live performances are often filled with hypnotic, euphoric, and at times dramatic moments.
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In November 1990, Robert released her debut single, "Elle se promène," which was partially produced by Neal Aston in London. This initial song received significant airplay on French radio and even became a dance hit in Japan. The music, combined with the stark atmosphere of its music video directed by John Lvoff, drew the attention of Mylène Farmer, who invited the young artist to participate in two radio shows. Robert subsequently appeared alongside Mylène Farmer and even performed on one of the shows hosted by Nagui.
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Three years later, in 1993, she unveiled her debut album 'Sine,' a project that had taken at least five years to materialize. Sonically and aesthetically, 'Sine' ventured into an underground, cold-techno territory, drawing inspiration from the whimsy of children's fairytales juxtaposed with the stark, urban, and otherworldly imagery.
During this period, her career witnessed memorable collaborations, including a partnership with the visionary French director Michel Gondry for the futuristic 'Les Jupes' music video. She also lent her delicate voice to several tracks on Jean-François Coen's inaugural album, notably 'La Tour de Pise,' for which Michel Gondry once again directed the music video. Furthermore, she shared the stage with Cohen for a captivating live performance of 'La Tour de Pise' on the popular French TV show 'Taratata.'
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In 1997, Robert released her second album, 'Princesse de rien,' featuring twelve songs. This album marked a significant shift in her musical style, incorporating ancient baroque instruments harmoniously blended with electronic loops and contemporary choreographic structures.
During the same year, she encountered an enthusiastic admirer: the prolific Belgian writer Amélie Nothomb. Nothomb went on to pen 'L'appel de la succube,' a song interpreted by the singer on the second edition of 'Princesse de rien,' released in 2000. Around this time, Robert also held her debut Parisian concert at the Café de la Danse.
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In September 2002, Robert unveiled her third album, 'Celle qui tue,' featuring a collection of 14 songs. This album showcased a distinct shift in style, embracing a more electronic sound and symbolizing Robert's transformation from a princess-like persona into an artistic representation resembling a witch or siren. Notably, Amélie Nothomb contributed lyrics to six of the songs in 'Celle qui tue' and also authored The Book of Proper Names' a romantically embellished biography of Robert.
In 2004, 'Unutma (N'oublie pas)' emerged as a compilation comprising both old and three new songs, including the Turkish-language track 'Unutma.' A specific song from Robert's prior studio album, 'Le Prince bleu,' captured the attention of American actress Majandra Delfino, who expressed a desire to collaborate with the artist. Subsequently, Robert visited California in 2003 to record a new version of the song, which ultimately found its place in 'Unutma.' This collaboration gave birth to an animated video that garnered numerous awards on a global scale. Additionally, 'Nickel' underwent a remix by Romain Tranchartin 2003.
In 2005, Robert released her inaugural live DVD, capturing the artistically acclaimed performance from her 2004 show at La Cigale.
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In November 2005, Robert embarked on the recording of her fourth album, 'Six pieds sous terre,' which introduced a more pronounced presence of acoustic instrumentation, including the (harpsichord, clarinet, harp, violins, and flute. This album also brought forth a heightened sense of drama and a fairy-like atmosphere compared to her previous works. Comprising eleven songs penned by Robert herself, the album also featured a cover of Marie Laforêt's 'Prière pour aller au paradis' and a duet titled 'Histoire du loup' with actor Sacha Bourdo. Notably, renowned French film director Gabriel Aghion directed his first-ever music video for the album's inaugural single, 'Personne.'
On 5 February 2006, Robert graced the legendary Olympia music hall with a performance, marking a significant milestone in her sixteen-year career. The 2007 re-release of the album saw the addition of two new songs, including 'Cold Earth,' an adaptation of Henry Purcell's 'Cold Song,' made famous by Klaus Nomi's interpretation.
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In November 2006, Robert signed a contract with a new distributor, Rue Stendhal. As part of this deal, all her albums were re-released in January 2007, making them available again after being out of stock for many years. Additionally, in early 2007, she released 'Princess of Nowhere,' a compilation featuring some of her older songs, along with two newly re-orchestrated tracks, 'Mike' and 'Fatal,' all adapted and sung in English. In October 2007, a DVD of her recital 'Haute Couture' at Espace Pierre Cardin in Paris was also made available.
A year later, in late 2008, she recorded her new studio album titled 'Sourde et aveugle,' once again collaborating with her husband Mathieu Saladin, and also with Austyn, a young French blues musician with whom she sang 'Le jardin des roses.' The album embraced the fusion of acoustic guitars with her delicate, often childlike ethereal voice, defining a new sound for her.
In 2009, Givenchy selected Robert to provide the soundtrack for the TV commercial promoting their latest fragrance, 'Ange ou Démon le secret.' Directed by the renowned Indian director Mira Nair and featuring Uma Thurman, the ad aired worldwide in September 2009. The song was also featured in one of Michelle Phan's videos.
'Nuit Gravement' is the title of her sixth studio album, recorded in Transylvania. For the first single, she collaborated with the French actor Anthony Delon, and the video was directed by Italian choreographer Giuliano Peparini.
In 2017, she divorced Mathieu Saladin, her former composer and musician, and launched her new independent label, 'Légendaire.'
In 2021, she released her first album under 'Légendaire,' titled 'Le chant des égarés,' featuring design and illustrations by Sauveur Carlus.
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Studio albums
- Sine (1993)
- Princesse de rien (1997)
- Celle qui tue (2002)
- Six pieds sous terre (2005)
- Sourde et aveugle (2008)
- Nuit gravement (2012)
- Aux marches du palais (2012)
- Le Chant des égarés (2021)
Live albums
- Robert live à la Cigale (2005)
- Haute Couture (2008)
Compilation albums
- Unutma (N'oublie pas) (2004)
- Princess of Nowhere (2007)
Singles
- Elle se promène (1990)
- Les Jupes (1991)
- Les Clichés de l'ennui (1993)
- Princesse de rien (2000)
- Nickel (2000)
- Colchique mon amour (2001)
- À la guerre comme à la guerre (promo single) (2002)
- Le Prince bleu (duet with Majandra Delfino) (maxi CD/DVD) (2004)
- Nickel (remixed by Romain Tranchart) (2004)
- Personne (radio edit remixed by Romain Tranchart & Grégory Louis) (2005)
- Histoire de loup (duet with Sacha Bourdo) (2006)
- Tout est calme (2008)
- Sorry (maxi CD) (2009)
- Ange & Démon (2009)
- La Revolution (2013)
- Taste of your tongue (2013 - E.P. digital)
- Débutante (2014 - E.P. digital)
- L'otage de tes pardons (2020-single digital)
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| Year | Title | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Elle se promène | John Lvoff |
| 1992 | Les Jupes | Michel Gondry |
| 1993 | Les Clichés de l'ennui | Jean Bocheux |
| 2000 | Princesse de rien | Mathieu Saladin & Robert |
| 2001 | Nickel | Philippe Gautier |
| Colchique mon amour (two versions) | ||
| 2002 | À la guerre comme à la guerre | ? |
| 2004 | Le Prince bleu (duet with Majandra Delfino) | Sébastien Rossignol |
| Nickel (remixed by Romain Tranchart) | Philippe Gautier | |
| 2005 | Personne | Gabriel Aghion |
| 2006 | Histoire de loup (duet with Sacha Bourdo) | Sylvain Gatelais |
| 2008 | Tout est calme | Any May |
| Le Jardin des roses (duet with Austyn) | Sylvain Gatelais | |
| 2009 | Ange & Démon | Gerlando Infuso |
| 2012 | Skype | Giuliano Peparini |
| 2013 | La Revolution | Guillaume Rabeyrin |
- Le voyage en douce (1980) – Robert, credited as Myriam Roulet, appears as a young Geraldine Chaplin
- La chambre des dames (1983) – Robert plays Blanche in this television film
- L'école des femmes (1989) – a theatrical comedy play written by the 17th century French playwright Molière
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