Rendez-vous à Paris with Tess Merlot

Celebrate the beauty of French chansons with Dutch chanson singer Tess Merlot and her band, consisting of Kevin McDonald on guitar, Pete Jeavons on bass, Sean Lillico on piano and Emily Gelineau on violin. “Lighting struck, the first time Dutch chanson singer Tess Merlot heard Jacques Brel.” From that moment on, music was all around. After playing hundreds of shows, the essence remained: allowing the human soul to reach the surface the way only French torch songs can. With original songs from Jacques Brel, Edith Piaf en Charles Aznavour and her own catalogue.

Motivated to share her passion and unite cultures, Tess released her first EP Chansons pour non-francophones in 2017. In 2019 she enchanted a jam-packed Paradiso in Amsterdam with her song ‘Mon Paris’. In 2020 she toured The Netherlands with her Moutons, selling out all shows. Leading up to the release of her debut album ‘Laissez-moi’ in July 2021, Tess’s songs received extensive airplay on multiple popular Dutch and Belgian radio stations. In 2022 she continued her tour through the Netherlands with internationally renowned trumpet player Michael Varekamp and The Legends, bringing their show ‘Swingin’ Paris’ to a broad audience.

Whether Tess takes the stage with her band or an entire orchestra, an irresistible joie de vivre is a given while chansons in their purest form are sprinkled across the room. Sometimes it’s stripped down and pure, other times grotesque and bold. Whatever it takes to do them justice. And every time Tess allows the chansons to do their work, magic appears. In short: Tess Merlot is the perfect addition to any room that doesn’t mind a little wine getting spilled.