Philippe B unveils 1999, the moving centerpiece of his new album Cigale, to be released this Friday

Two days before the release of Cigale, his seventh album, Philippe B takes us back in time with its final single, 1999, providing another foretaste of the personal yet deeply universal themes that inhabit his new record. Its release will be followed by a spring tour, including three sold-out launch shows at La Sala Rossa, in Montreal, on May 14th, 15th, and 16th. See the list below for all details.

Over a bittersweet chord progression carried by a lazy tempo, 1999 expresses the point of view of a young artist struggling to launch his career, stuck in financial insecurity and the uncertain wait for success. Drawing inspiration from the low points of his own twenties, Philippe B successfully recreates the feeling of emptiness and stagnation that arises when we feel lost, powerless, and unable to move on to the next stage of our lives. This prevailing melancholy gives way to catharsis when the chorus arrives, its melody offering a glimmer of hope.

About Cigale

Philippe B takes an empathetic and experienced look back on his past on Cigale, his most autobiographical album to date. While the singer-songwriter has always leaned into autofiction, his seventh record is the first to dive so explicitly into his memories, exploring the early stages of his career with a maturity that only years of hindsight can bring. These songs are about my twenties, but I could never have written them at the time, explains Philippe, who also composed, arranged, and produced the album.

Named after one of French poet Jean de La Fontaine's most well-known fables, Cigale portrays a man who has chosen to make a living from his passion despite the precariousness and insecurities that come with that choice. Philippe B draws on his own experiences to illustrate the trials and tribulations of an aspiring artist, touching on universal themes such as the passage of time, the development of identity and our perception of age. He once again proves his mastery of the art of songwriting by relying on simple, minimalist arrangements, allowing listeners to fully appreciate his gorgeous melodies and intimate lyrics.

About Philippe B

Somewhere between the sophisticated songwriting of Leonard Cohen and Jacques Brel, the rugged folk of Bob Dylan and Neil Young, the acoustic pop of Simon & Garfunkel, and the haunting melancholy of Nick Drake and Elliott Smith, there is Philippe B, who reminds us of the depth that can be conveyed with nothing more than a guitar and a few words. Recognized as one of the province’s most brilliant singer-songwriters, the Rouyn-Noranda native has been delighting Quebec with his precious songs for over 20 years now. Whether he’s singing about romantic relationships, the passage of time or his home region of Abitibi, the subject is always conveyed in a moving and vivid style; the simplicity and precision with which he manages to highlight the universal aspects of otherwise specific experiences transforms his songs into mirrors, through which we always end up seeing a part of ourselves.

Following his first two albums, on which he developed his identity as a singer-songwriter in the 2000s, his solo career reached new heights with the release of Variations fantômes in 2011. His third opus was immediately acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, in part for its reinterpretation of some of the greatest works of the classical repertoire, which were carefully sampled to adorn each track with sublime orchestral arrangements. Variations fantômes found itself on the year-end lists of several reputable media outlets (Le Devoir, La Presse), in addition to being listed in the top 25 best Quebecois albums released since 1990 by the Journal de Montréal and being named best album of the 2010s by CISM.

His subsequent albums also received considerable recognition: Ornithologie, la nuit (2014), La grande nuit vidéo (2017) and Nouvelle administration (2023) earned him nominations at the ADISQ Galas (including a win for Songwriter or Composer of the Year in 2014), the JUNOS, and spots on the Polaris Prize long list. Even though they all follow a similar formula, each of his albums has its own unique personality. It’s precisely because of this familiar simplicity that each new Philippe B release is so warmly received: you never know exactly how he will present his stories, but you can always expect a powerful experience.

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Tour dates