Najoua Belyzel
Encyclopedia
Najoua Belyzel is a French pop rock
/electronic
singer of Moroccan
-Egyptian
descent.
. Since childhood, she had shown an interest in music, and by age 14, had begun writing her own songs.
Najoua originally studied law beginning in 2001 at the University of Nancy, but left for Paris to pursue a career in music. She met some success after a casting call when she joined the group Benoît, who had a successful single called "Tourne-toi Benoît", which touched on the subject of homosexuality. The later singles from the group, however, only met moderate success, and eventually the group parted ways.
She kept on working with the group's songwriter Christophe Casanave, whose work had already been performed by popular French acts Steeve Estatof
and Marc Lavoine
. The two worked together on a song called "Stella", which would later appear on her debut album.
The song "Née de l'amour et de la haine" was Belyzel's first demo in 2002.
In 2005, Najoua released her first single, titled "Gabriel
", an electric-pop dance track. The song became a huge hit in France, and peaked at number three on the Top 40
charts in France. It dealt with both homosexuality or even bisexuality and the impossible and pure love for an angel. The video was shot in an abbey. On 29 May 2006, she released her debut album titled Entre deux mondes, which debuted at #7 on the French charts and at #1 on the iTunes
France music store. In late 2006 and early 2007, she embarked on a tour with other artists across France and Francophone Europe to promote her album.
Two other singles were released, "Je Ferme les Yeux" in June 2006, which was also an electro-pop title but it met with less success than "Gabriel". The theme was a prayer to God to make this world better. The third single was "Comme Toi" a song about duality and schizophrenia. The video clip featured two Najoua, a warrior-like blond and a trapped brunette.
The album is mainly electro-pop with some ballads. It deals with many different themes such as love, friendship (Stella), war, pedophilia (Docteur Gel) her distress and disappointment when Najoua came to Paris (Bons Baisers de Paris)
Najoua Belyzel released a new single, "Quand revient l'été", on 10 September 2007.
She has been compared to Mylène Farmer
, mainly because the video clip for "Gabriel" was shot in the same abbey as one of Mylene's clip "Je te rends ton amour") and because they write about similar themes, but Najoua says she never wanted to copy Mylene and that they both have their distinctive universes.
During the Summer 2008 she released on the Iinternet a cover song of Marie Laforêt
"Viens, Viens", but it was not meant to be a single.
Najoua returned with the new single "La Bienvenue". Some excerpts of the video clip were shown to the fans in December and the final clip was shown on TV in February. The single became available on legal donwloading platforms on 13 February.
The song is about a girl who feels rejected in this world and who does not see the good in her. The video features a mannequin becoming alive (played by Najoua) but who is then disappointed by the cruelty of the world and finally decides to return to her previous state.
Najoua's new album Au Feminin was released on 23 November 2009, three years after the first one. It includes a duet with Marc Lavoine
called "Viola" as well as songs called Hey Hey Hey, Ma Sainte-Nitouche, La Trève. Her song "Née de l'amour et de la haine" is also included.
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
/electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
singer of Moroccan
Marocco
Marocco , widely known as Bankes's Horse , was the name of a late 16th- and early 17th-century English performing horse...
-Egyptian
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
descent.
Biography
Najoua was born in Nancy, and grew up in a large family with three sisters and two brothers. Her father is Morrocan and her mother is EgyptianEgyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
. Since childhood, she had shown an interest in music, and by age 14, had begun writing her own songs.
Najoua originally studied law beginning in 2001 at the University of Nancy, but left for Paris to pursue a career in music. She met some success after a casting call when she joined the group Benoît, who had a successful single called "Tourne-toi Benoît", which touched on the subject of homosexuality. The later singles from the group, however, only met moderate success, and eventually the group parted ways.
She kept on working with the group's songwriter Christophe Casanave, whose work had already been performed by popular French acts Steeve Estatof
Steeve Estatof
Steeve Estatof is a French singer-songwriter and the winner of the second season of the French Idol show Nouvelle Star....
and Marc Lavoine
Marc Lavoine
Marc Lucien Lavoine is a French singer and actor. In 1985, his hit single "Elle a les yeux revolver" allowed him to reach the top of the French chart and marked the beginning of his successful singing career....
. The two worked together on a song called "Stella", which would later appear on her debut album.
The song "Née de l'amour et de la haine" was Belyzel's first demo in 2002.
In 2005, Najoua released her first single, titled "Gabriel
Gabriel (song)
"Gabriel" is a 2005 song recorded by French artist Najoua Belyzel. It was her debut single from her album Entre deux mondes... en équilibre, on which it is the sixth track, and was released in November 2005. It achieved great success in Belgium where it topped the chart, and in France...
", an electric-pop dance track. The song became a huge hit in France, and peaked at number three on the Top 40
Top Forty
The Top Forty or Top 40 is a music industry shorthand for the currently most-popular songs in a particular genre. When used without qualification, it typically refers to the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music songs of the previous week...
charts in France. It dealt with both homosexuality or even bisexuality and the impossible and pure love for an angel. The video was shot in an abbey. On 29 May 2006, she released her debut album titled Entre deux mondes, which debuted at #7 on the French charts and at #1 on the iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
France music store. In late 2006 and early 2007, she embarked on a tour with other artists across France and Francophone Europe to promote her album.
Two other singles were released, "Je Ferme les Yeux" in June 2006, which was also an electro-pop title but it met with less success than "Gabriel". The theme was a prayer to God to make this world better. The third single was "Comme Toi" a song about duality and schizophrenia. The video clip featured two Najoua, a warrior-like blond and a trapped brunette.
The album is mainly electro-pop with some ballads. It deals with many different themes such as love, friendship (Stella), war, pedophilia (Docteur Gel) her distress and disappointment when Najoua came to Paris (Bons Baisers de Paris)
Najoua Belyzel released a new single, "Quand revient l'été", on 10 September 2007.
She has been compared to Mylène Farmer
Mylène Farmer
Mylène Farmer, , born Marie-Hélène Jeanne Gautier, , , is a French singer, songwriter, occasional actress and author....
, mainly because the video clip for "Gabriel" was shot in the same abbey as one of Mylene's clip "Je te rends ton amour") and because they write about similar themes, but Najoua says she never wanted to copy Mylene and that they both have their distinctive universes.
During the Summer 2008 she released on the Iinternet a cover song of Marie Laforêt
Marie Laforêt
Marie Laforêt is a French singer and actress, .In 1978 she moved to Geneva, Switzerland and took out Swiss nationality.-The sources of her birth name:...
"Viens, Viens", but it was not meant to be a single.
Najoua returned with the new single "La Bienvenue". Some excerpts of the video clip were shown to the fans in December and the final clip was shown on TV in February. The single became available on legal donwloading platforms on 13 February.
The song is about a girl who feels rejected in this world and who does not see the good in her. The video features a mannequin becoming alive (played by Najoua) but who is then disappointed by the cruelty of the world and finally decides to return to her previous state.
Najoua's new album Au Feminin was released on 23 November 2009, three years after the first one. It includes a duet with Marc Lavoine
Marc Lavoine
Marc Lucien Lavoine is a French singer and actor. In 1985, his hit single "Elle a les yeux revolver" allowed him to reach the top of the French chart and marked the beginning of his successful singing career....
called "Viola" as well as songs called Hey Hey Hey, Ma Sainte-Nitouche, La Trève. Her song "Née de l'amour et de la haine" is also included.
Albums
- 2006 – Entre deux mondes (Also known as Entre deux mondes en équilibre), #7 France, #46 Switzerland, 160,000 sales.
- 2009: Au Féminin #66 France 10,000 sales
Singles
| Year | Single | FR France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
QUE | BEL/Fr Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
RUS Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
GER Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
SWI Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Tourne-toi Benoit (with Benoit) | 16 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Comme Casanova (with Benoit) | 79 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2005 | Gabriel Gabriel (song) "Gabriel" is a 2005 song recorded by French artist Najoua Belyzel. It was her debut single from her album Entre deux mondes... en équilibre, on which it is the sixth track, and was released in November 2005. It achieved great success in Belgium where it topped the chart, and in France... |
3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 62 | 20 | Entre deux mondes |
| 2006 | Je ferme les yeux | 13 | 5 | 21 | 43 | - | 90 | |
| Comme toi | 16 | - | 37 | - | - | 92 | ||
| 2007 | Quand revient l'été | 10 | - | 25 | - | - | - | Au féminin |
| 2009 | La bienvenue | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | |
| M (Hey, Hey, Hey) | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2010 | Ma Sainte-Nitouche | - | - | - | - | - | - |
External links
- www.belyzel-najoua.com (in French)