Here’s a set of English speaking musicians in France that we think you’ll want to discover. Three of our selection of rising musicians in France are female Americans. They offer distinctly different styles all inspiring and uplifting. Our fourth selection is a British expat who has just wrote his first song in French.
Emma Doucet
Robin McKelle
A resident of Boulogne-Billancourt, hailing from Rochester, New York, Vocalist Robin McKelle delves into the catalogue of some of the most celebrated women of song, interpreting these masterworks through the lens of the jazz idiom. On Alterations, her latest album, McKelle follows in a long tradition of female song interpreters, lending her sultry vocal stylings to classics by a diverse list of female innovators including Dolly Parton, Sade, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Janis Joplin, Carol King, Billie Holiday, Joni Mitchell, and Lana Del Ray. A savvy songwriter and a powerhouse vocalist, McKelle has long found a home where soul, jazz,pop, gospel, blues and the American Songbook cross paths. In her live performances, she exudes a bandleader’s moxie that recalls the Rat Pack era. While comparisons to Ella Fitzgerald are common because of her warm alto voice, her early influences were mostly Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner and Janis Joplin. McKelle’s voice mirrors the power of those three vocal titans while maintaining the refined nuances of Fitzgerald. Keep an eye on her site for next performances RobinMcKelle.com
Robyn Bennett
It is in Algiers Point, one of the oldest neighborhoods of New Orleans that Robyn’s album GLOW was made. Inspired by the sounds, images, smells, vibrations of the Big Easy (the nickname of New Orleans), Robyn Bennett and her accomplice Ben van Hille started writing GLOW with the common desire to return to their roots, to make music together, music that comes from the soul, that sounds authentic and goes straight to the gut. Like the music she sings, writes and composes, Robyn Bennett is a burst of joy with great sensitivity. In line with the great American voices, the beautiful redhead radiates contagious music, catchy melodies, simple and touching poetry. An exceptional voice with a powerful and sensual tone. Her latest album « Move Feel Love » came out in November. In this musical journey to the confines of jazz, swing and soul, Robyn succeeds in renewing the genre with finesse and modernity. Robyn is currently touring her music in France and will be at the Café de la Danse Paris 6 December, if you miss that date aim for shows in Clamart and Longjumeau in early 2026. Check her out.
Tim Watt
Tim Watt is an English singer-songwriter and musician from Hertfordshire, England. Captivating audiences with haunting melodies, raw emotion, and soulful vocals, he has performed a vast array of live shows since the early 2000s — from the Neon Reverb Festival in Las Vegas to iconic folk venues including The Troubadour in London, Le Bus Palladium in Paris, and The Bitter End in New York City. His songs are sculpted with poetic lyricism, drawing inspiration from Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, and Neil Young, alongside contemporary artists such as Ryan Adams and Jack White. This revered lineage of influences contributes to a distinctive and rich tapestry of compositions. He has independently recorded and released a substantial body of original work throughout his career, methodically building a catalogue defined by artistic integrity and versatility and just this year, after a dozen years living in Paris, wrote his first song in French titled Je n’ai pas les mots pour le dire. Listen to his music here.
Listen to Tim talk about breaking into music in France on La Vie Creative podcast
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All images are from the official websites.