Paulette Verlée Reworks Release date: Friday, October 6th 2023
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NEWS - Paulette Verlée Reworks Release date: Friday, October 6th 2023
PIANO REWORKS OF OSCAR & THE WOLF, ANGÈLE, TAMINO, BAZART, SELAH SUE AND CHARLOTTE DE WITTE
After being inspired by Erik Satie and François Couperin, Paulette stayed closer to home for the new EP. Paulette, who does not like to be pigeonholed, went looking for Belgian present-day pop songs to put her own spin on them. Six well-known hits were transformed into concise piano works. Tamino, Angèle, Bazart, Oscar And The Wolf and Selah Sue passed in review. The piano metamorphosis of a techno song by the world's best female DJ Charlotte de Witte was the icing on the cake. From melody to beats, everything you hear comes from the same instrument: the piano.
The first rework is Strange Entity from Oscar And The Wolf. The song was released about 10 years ago at a time when Paulette herself was still intensely involved with pop music. The combination of a melancholic melody on a danceable rhythm was innovative and characteristic of the sound of the band that would later score on a world level.
A few years later, Goud van Bazart was released, breathing new life into Flemish pop. A fresh and danceable sound that makes singing in Dutch hip again. One for the ‘Flemish Canon’ as far as Paulette is concerned.
Selah Sue, deserves a special place in the list. The song You is an ode to love, to her love. The essence is contained in the simplicity and tranquility of the song and leaves no one unmoved. All respect for this artist with her heart in the right place.
With Tamino's stunning Indigo Night, Paulette stayed true to the original as much as she could. The song is so strong that any change to the score would discredit the piece.
When Paulette heard the song for the first time, she was blown away by what this man can do with just his voice and guitar.
Angèle could not be missing from the list. Paulette, being from Brussels herself, also has a warm heart for the capital. Angèle's candor in her music is an inspiration to many. Paulette can only applaud and support her fight for equal rights in love. This version of Taxi is a tribute to the young singer.
To conclude, Paulette chose Charlotte de Witte's Doppler. At first sight an impossible task to rework this techno track, until she dismantled her piano piece by piece. The soundboard together with muted bass strings became the basis and the beat of her version. Afterwards, all the piano puzzle pieces fell into place.
