La Fille du Lido Inna Modja Love Revolution (Warner) 2011 Listen

The dance appeal of the first two singles from Inna Modja’s album, Love Revolution will no doubt attract the crowds, even though they don’t cut the same mustard as the rest of the collection. The first of them, La Fille du Lido, proves just how perilous it can be to move from French to English in the space of the same song, and the verses of French Cancan bear an uncanny resemblance to Teardrops by Womack & Womack (1988).
 
But after the rain comes the sunshine. For my land bears the same gentle folk quality of the singer’s early work, while Big apple takes us across the Atlantic to greet the sun returning to the streets of New York, with energetic brass and keyboards that seem to come straight from the soundtrack of Fame, Alan Parker’s film.

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The musical echoes are everywhere, like the chorus line from I am smiling, reminiscent of Corneille’s recent Bar des sentimentalistes. Not the first time that comparisons will have been made between the two soul artists, both of whom are originally from Africa and at ease singing in English and French.

Inna Modja affirms that you need to be confident about your differences whatever they are (Kinks in my hair), fights prejudice and illuminates her soul with blues and gospel (Homeless), and celebrates good times with her cover version of Des’ree’s number, Life.

Although her slalom through styles and atmospheres can be confusing at times, there is a charm in the easy way she puts her songs together, like the almost hip hop Spirit, harbouring the famous "Love Revolution" that lends its title to the album.

Inna Modja Love Revolution (Warner) 2011
On tour in France with a concert at La Cigale in Paris on 28 March 2012

Translation: Anne-Marie Harper