Jill Barber has announced the long-awaited follow-up to her debut Francophone album, 2013's Chansons, and shared a first taste of the record with her take on Édith Piaf's "Padam padam."
ENCORE! will be released on June 14 through Outside Music. It follows Barber's most recent English-language album, 2023's Homemaker, which saw her return to her folk roots. With ENCORE!, she offers new interpretations of classic songs by the likes of Charles Trenet, Blossom Dearie and Django Reinhardt, produced by Drew Jurecka (Dua Lipa, Alvvays).
"It's always intimidating to interpret a song made famous by the spectacular Édith Piaf… but this is such a magnificent song, I couldn't resist attempting my own rendition," Barber said of her new recording of the 1951 classic, which she finds very fun to sing. "The trick is not to emulate her (impossible!), but to go for my own unique approach. I am so pleased with how this song, about a woman who goes quite mad, turned out."
Listen to the singer-songwriter's theatrical cover of "Padam padam" below, where you'll also find the album tracklist.
ENCORE!:
1. Plus je t'embrasse
2. Ménilmontant
3. Nuages
4. De temps en temps
5. Padam padam
6. La mer
7. Ordinaire
8. Mal de vivre
9. Les eaux de Mars
10. Que reste-t-il de nos amours
11. Parlez-moi d'amour