France is holding another internal selection to choose a song for Stockholm this year. Like some other countries, they must be wondering what they need to do to win the contest. It’s been 39 years since Marie Myriam performed that reprise of L’oiseau et l’enfant in London.

We at Eurovision Ireland decided to look at eight acts who could sing for them. Maybe this list is a little wishful, but there’s bound to be something you’ll like in the following eight choices. No? Well then tell us who you’d like to see.

Amina

Amina’s performance from 1991 was one of those that has since become legend. It was an interesting year, with a unique presentation and the fabled tie for the win. Amina lost out because of the rules then in place. If that had happened in 2015, she would won, and Eurovision might have been a very different place. As you may know, she almost came back in 1999, singing a duet with Dino from Bosnia & Herzegovina. She withdrew, giving Béatrice a chance. Dino and Amina would have been a performance worth seeing. For more in what she’s doing at the moment, click HERE.

Louane

You’ve never heard of her? Well teenager Louane Emera (born Anne Peichert) is hot property in France at the moment. She’s been through the French franchise of The Voice, has had a Number One in 2014 with “Avenir”, and is now a budding actress – winning awards for her role in the 2015 film “La Famille Belier”. She’d be current, and maybe catch the ‘yoof’ vote amongst watchers of Eurovision.

Sébastien Tellier

Back to experimental, and who can forget Sebastian Tellier in 200x. He drove, yes drove on stage, inhaled helium from an inflatable globe and had a group of backing singers all in beards. Conchita Wurst’s inspiration perhaps? It did pass a lot of people by, but it did speak out to some of us as something utterly unique and reason why we follow the contest. Tellier was not to be outdone. However; his song became the music to a Rénault ad campaign.

Kukumiku

French entries aren’t always about singing in French. They have a very different take on the language rule to some of the other Big 5. In 1999, they demonstrated this by not only having a national final (which caught many people by surprise), but also including this little gem in Basque called ‘Irradaka’. I could have picked songs in Breton, Corsu or Haitian Krio that did make it, but you will have heard them before. It may be time for France Télévisions to experiment with another language. And mullets are optional.

Johnny Hallyday

No wish list would be complete without – arguably – the biggest French performer in the world today. Monsieur Hallyday has been in the music industry for over 50 years and is still releasing albums. Too old? Well look at Engelbert Humperdinck. He would be a surprise choice (Johnny, not the Hump), but as he’s largely unknown outside of the Francophone lands, what’s to say he wouldn’t want to try and move into the non-French-speaking markets? This song is Johnny’s last French No.1, from 2008

Uni T

The French have given most things a try, and again back in 1999 came up with this number, just called ‘Euro Song’. Schlager it ain’t, but it demonstrates that there could be a place for this sort of thing in a national final. It might be a bit novelty, a bit odd, but you’ll be watching it all the way through – just to see what’ll happen.

Vanessa Paradis

Next, France could go really left field and recruit a name to try for them. Those of us of a certain age remember the short pop career of a young lady who became the squeeze of Lenny Kravitz and Johnny Depp. Vanessa Paradis sang about ‘Joe le Taxi’ in 1988 and got some pulses racing at the time. Could Eurovision tempt her out of retirement?

Patricia Kaas

My last choice of performer is another legend – maybe even more so than Amina and Johnny. Patricia Kaas was arguably the biggest name singing in Moscow, and is hugely popular in places where you might not expect a French performer to be popular. Her stage show has you captivated from the first note, and she smoulders away in front of the camera. It’s the sort of song you’d hear towards the end of a night in some dimly-lit bar just before the proprietor closes for the evening. Any other year, and a better draw and she might have won. She would have been a very popular winner.

Who would you like to see represent France?

Author: John Stanton