Canadian and Quebec artist Lynda Lemay has a new album entitled À La Croisée Des Humains (People’s paths crossing). The themes are personal stories, love and life in general.
The music is French Pop—the guitar and the piano complement the incredible ballads. The sound has a Quebec vibe, especially with the song Hypothèque (Mortgage). Each tune has sound and music that reflects the specific mood felt, from joy to sadness. An example of this is the sad tune Paul Aime Paul (Paul loves Paul), which has a heavy piano sound to demonstrate the abuse victim’s distress from the abuse caused by the partner/husband. There’s an impressive variety in rhythm and diverse musical styles. Although it’s a studio album, there’s an intimate feel to it that gives it depth and character.
Lynda Lemay’s voice is beautiful and rich. She sings with heart and soul, full of grace. There are two lovely duets: one with Maxime Landry in the song Mon Drame Version 3 de 11 (My Drama version 3 out of 11) and another with Gustavo De La Cruz- Avec Les Mêmes Lettres (With the same letters).
The lyrics are diverse in subject matter- some are empowering, romantic or heartwarming. Some also tell personal stories that express relatable experiences, from joyful ones to everyday challenges and losing a loved one. Heureux Mais Peureux (Happy but scared) is about Lynda Lemay’s father, who’s dying, and she and her family come to visit him. The song covers such a complex topic with grace and compassion. Another heartwarming tune is Mon Drame Version 3 de 11 (my drama version three out of eleven) delicately tells the story of gender identity and the uncertainty some people face in their lives. Lynda Lemay has discussed in her music other challenging subjects. For example, Paul Aime Paul (Paul loves Paul) covers domestic abuse in an in-depth fashion and expresses the victim’s pain and suffering. The songs have beautiful poetry, rich in language and depth. The piece La Peur (the fear) is a relatable one that covers the struggles that seem forgotten by many, such as shootings and suicide. That applies even more so with the COVID-19 pandemic. Hypothèque (The mortgage) is another tune that people can relate to where financial stability isn’t a luxury. La grande éraflure (the big tear) is a sad and heartbreaking song about a mother who dies in childbirth and the daughter born by feeling guilty as if it were her fault. There’s a humanity in the sad songs.
However, there’s also hope and optimism- the song Je Sais Comment (I know how) is a good example. It’s about living life to the fullest and cheers listeners up. Le Poisson Rouge (the red fish) has a poetic style about freedom, and it’s a metaphor for living a simple life. These songs are relatable and genuine, full of compassion and understanding. The words for these songs are well-written.
The album À La Croisée Des Humains is available.
