NRJ Music Awards 2020

With gigs and events cancelled or postponed across France, this year's NRJ Music Awards are just one of the many events to have been affected.

While the French government has given permission for the filming of TV shows and films as well as rehearsals and preparations for events to continue during the lockdown, it looks like the NRJ Music Awards will be a different event this year, even though it takes place on December 5, just days after the confinement period is expected to end.

According to Ara Aprikian, the director of programmes on TF1 speaking to FranceInfo, the event will take place without a live audience and with the majority of performances pre-recorded. The announcements of the winners will still be live.

Public voting for the winners is open until December 4.

So who's been shortlisted this year? The NRJ Awards recognise both French and international artists, and regularly attract some of the biggest international names.

Female French artist of the year

Amel Bent,  Aya Nakamura, Camelia Jordana, Carla Bruni, Clara Luciani, Louane, Wjdene

International female artist of the year

Ava Max, Billie Eilish,  Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Sia, Tones and I 

Male French artist of the year

Amir, Dadju, Gims, Julien Dore, Kendji Girac, M Pokora, Vianney 

International male artist of the year

Harry Styles, Jason Derulo, Justin Bieber, Lewis Capaldi, Shawn Mendes, The Weeknd, 

Breakthrough French artist of the year

Alliel, Hatik, Soolking, Squeezie, Tayc, Wejdene

International breakthrough artist of the year

Doja Cat, Karol G, Master KG, Nea, Tom Gregory, Zoe Wees

French group/duo of the year

Boulevard des airs, Indochine, Tryo, Vitaa and Slimane, 

International group/duo of the year

Black Eyed Peas, BTS, Imagine Dragons, Major Lazer, Maroon 5 One Republic 

French song of the year

Jusqu'au bout Amel Bent  and Imen Es, La fête Amir, Facile Camelia Jordana, Angela  Hatik, Nos Célébrations Indochine, Désolé pour hier soir Tryo feat. Mc Fly and Carlito, Avant toi Vitaa and Slimane

International song of the year

Kings and Queens Ava Max, Ritmo Black Eyed Peas and J Balvin, Physical Dua Lipa, Savage Love Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo, Tusa Karol G, Before you go Lewis Capaldi,  Jerusalema Master KG, Blinding Lights The Weeknd

French collaboration of the year

Amel Bent and Imen Es (Jusqu'au bout), Bigfo and Oli and Bon Entendeur (Coup de Blues / Soleil), Gims and Sting (Reste), Grand Corps Malade and Camille Lellouche (Mais je t'aime), Lartiste and Carolina (Comme Avant), Soolking and Dadju (Melegim)

International collaboration of the year

Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber (Stuck with U), Black Eyed Peas and J Balvin (Ritmo), David Guetta and Sia (Let's Love), Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo (Savage Love), Karol G and Nicki Minaj (Tusa), Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande (Rain on me)

Video of the year

Say so Doja Cat, Physical Dua Lipa, Pendant 24h Grand Corps Malade and Suzane, Watermelon Sugar Harry Styles, Nous Juien Dore, Rain on me Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, Donne-moi ton oeur Louane,  A nos héros du quotidien Soprano, Blinding Lights The Weeknd, Ça ira Vitaa and Slimane

DJ of the year

Calvin Harris,  David Guetta, DJ Snake, Kygo, Ofenbach, Regard, Robin Shulz

Mylène Farmer and Sting at the NRJ Music Awards

A performance at the weekend at the NRJ Music Awards by Mylène Farmer and Sting, of the song Stolen Car, the first single from Mylène's new album.

The collection,  Interstellaires, was released on Friday. It's Mylène's tenth album, and its release was met with a massive commercial success.

Stolen Car was produced by French DJ The Avener and, it gave Mylène her 14th number one single, her first since 2012's À l'ombre.

The award ceremony also saw Mylène present Sting with an honorary award.

Among the other winners at the event, the 17th time the NMA have been held,  were Louane for the Francophone breakthrough artist, Shy'm for best Francophone female artist, M Pokora for best male Francophone artist, Fréro Delavega for Francophone group/duo of the year.

The Francophone song of the year award went to Kendji Girac's Conmigo and DJ of the year was David Guetta.

Honorary awards also went to Adele, Charles Aznavour  and Juston Bieber.

But while the international attention may have gone to the performance by Adele, it was Mylène's appearance that the French audience would have been watching.

NRJ Music Awards 2014: Pre-shortlist

Details have been announced of the first phase of this year's NRJ Music Awards, with a vote to
determine who gets onto the shortlist for the awards.

The first phase is one of pre-nominations, where a field of six is announced. A public vote until November 2 reduces each category to the four final nominations, the final winners announced on December 13.

Many of the biggest international names are included, but there's also a significant francophone presence across the ten categories.

The categories are:

Female Francophone artist of the year: Joyce Jonathan, Maude, Shy'm, Tal, Vanessa Paradis and Zaz

Male Francophone artist of the year: Calogero, David Guetta, Julien Doré, Keen V, M Pokora and Stromae

Francophone breakthrough of the year: Black M, David Carreira, Fréro Delavega, Indila, Kendji Girac, Lilly Wood and the Prick

Francophone Group/Duo or Collective of the year: Daft Pumk, Forever Gentlemen, Indochine, Kyo, Magic System and Shaka Ponk

International Breakthrough of the Year: Aloe Blacc, Ariana Grande, Iggy Azalea, London Grammar, Milky Chance and Sam Smith

International female artist of the year: Beyonce, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Shakira, Sia and Taylor Swift

International Male artist of the year: Avicii, Ed Sheeran, Jason Derulo, Lenny Kravitz, Pharell Williams and Pitbull

International group of Duo: Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, Maroon 5, One Direction, Onerepublic and U2

International song: Ariana Grande - Problem, Coldplay - A sky full of stars,  Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake - Love never felt so good, Pharrell Williams - Happy, Pitbull fet Jennifer Lopez - We are one  and Sia - Chandelier

Clip of the year: Black M - Mme Pavoshko, David Guetta - Lovers on the sun, Nicki Minaj - Anaconda, Katy Perry - Dark Horse, Pharell Williams - Happy and Stromae - Ta fete

NRJ Music Awards 2013 winners

Some of France's biggest names were out at the weekend with teh annual NRJ music awards being held in Cannes,a  major showcase for the country's talent as well as an opportunity for some of the biggest international acts to grace the stage in France in front of a massive audience.

Press in the UK were more focussed on One Direction and taylor Swift being in the same building at the same time

Francophone breakthrough of the year: Tal

Female Francophone artist of the year: Shy'm

Male Francophone artist of the year: M Pokora

Francophone group/duo of the year: Sexion d'Assaut

French song of the year: Sexion d'Assaut - Avant Qu'elle Part

Elsewhere, acts like Carly Rae Jepson, Rihanna, Bruno Mars, One Direction and Psy took the international categories, Psy getting two awards, for best international song and best international video.

There were live performance by a huge number of acts, including Nolwenn Leroy, Shy'm, Jennifer, Tal, Mylène Farmer Sexion d'Assaut, M Pokora and Johnny Hallyday.

Sad to see that the official videos on the TF1 website are geoblocked and unable to watch outside France. I suspect any unofficial videos that have appeared on video sites will be pulled before too long, so I'll not actually link to them.

Previous years have seen the performances available to watch internationally online from the official site, so I'll check again to see if the videos become available later.

Mylène Farmer: Je te dis tous

A new single release Mylène Farmer always merits a mention, with 2013 shaping up to be a major year for France's number one female star.

The track Je te dis tous comes from her album monkey Me, released in the closing months of last year, which came out following the single À l'ombre.

To these ears anyway, Je te dis tous is a better track than À l'ombre, and it has an epic feel that really suits her.

A video for the song has been shot and will hopefully appear soon.

Her Timeless tour gets under way in September, with 200,000 tickets selling in a matter of hours it's probably the most anticipated tour in France for years.

Meanwhile, Mylène appears at the NRJ Music Awards this weekend, and will be performing Je te dis tous. She's performed at the ceremony the last two years, with the songs Oui...main non and Du temps, both upbeat numbers quite different from a ballad like Je te dis tous.

No award nominations for Mylène this year though, on account of the album being released too late for inclusion in this year's shortlists.

It still looks like 2013 will be a memorable year for both Mylène and her fans.


M Farmer je te dis tout by sancun

Festival: David Guetta and Emeli Sandé at T in the Park

With Emeli Sandé wining the Critics' Choice Brit Award earlier this week even before her debut album has been released, and confirmation that she is to play this year's T in the Park festival in Scotland, I thought it worth showing a clip of her with David Guetta, as they performed together at the NRJ Music awards.

Guetta has also been confirmed as playing at Scotland's biggest music event.

While headline acts include Snow Patrol, Kasabian and The Stone Roses, I reckon more people will be buying tickets on account of Guetta being on the bill.

This performance would have introduced Emeli Sandé to a huge French audience, Guetta having been nominated for two awards this year and being given the NRJ Award of Honour at the 2011 ceremony.

I spoke last month about how I love this track, probbaly my favourite on the Nothing But The Beat album, and certainly Sia's vocals add to this. The song had been earlier linked to Katy Perry and Mary J Blige, and it's great to hear this alternative take of it with one of Scotland's most

With Guetta and Sandé both playing T in the Park on the Saturday, I suppose a reprise of this performance may not be out of the question.

NRJ Music Awards: The winners and Mylene Farmer performance

A look back at this weekend's NRJ Music awards in Cannes, one of the country's biggest commercial music events.

Francophone breakthrough act of the year: Keen'V

Female Francophone artist of the year: Shy'M

Male Francophone artist of the year: M Pokora

Francophone Group/duo of the year: Simple Plan feat. Marie-Mai

Francophone song of the year A Nos Actes Manqués by M Pokora

The international awards were won buy Adele (International breakthrough and song of the year for Someone Like You) and LMFAO (International group or duo and video of the year for Party Rock Anthem)

Rhianna won International female artist and Enrique Iglesias took the International male artist title.

There was also an award of honour for Shakira, presented by Johnny Hallyday, a diamond award for Mylene Farmer presented by Jean-Paul Gaultier, an award for Nolwenn Leroy for her album Bretonne, the best seller of 2011, as well as an award of honour for Justin Beiber.

The awards were televised on TF1 and can be watched on catchup (in France only by the looks of things) here > http://www.tf1.fr/nrj-music-awards/

The show featured performances by many of the acts who were shortlisted as well as others including Coldplay, Mylene Farmer and Johnny Hallyday. There was also a tribute to Michel Berger on the 20th anniversary of his death.

I thought the Mylene Farmer performance merited a mention on account of it being the number one in France this week, just days after the physical release of the CD, further adding to her record number of number one singles.

Update: The video was taken off YouTube by request of TF1. Fair enough, it's their work.

I linked to the YouTube version as the TF1 video didn't seem to play in the UK, so I thought it was geoblocked to France only. I'm pleased to see that all the performances can be watched internationally.

Videos of Mylene Farmer's performances can be watched on the NRJ music awards site
Click here to watch the video.

NRJ Music Awards round-up: Corneille - Le jour apres la fin du monde

A round up of three other significant awards at this year's NRJ Music awards in Cannes this weekend, again focusing on French related acts.

There are shortlists of four in the best female, best male and group/duo Francophone awards, with some big names among them.

The female artist of the year features:

Joyce Jonathan
Nolwen Leroy
Shy’m
Elisa Tovati

Nolwen Leroy is a previous winner of an NRJ award in 2004 as the Francophone breakthrough of the year.

The male artist of the year shortlist is:

Corneille
David Guetta
Christophe Maé
M Pokora

Guetta won the NRJ award of honour in 2011, and in 2010 the international album of the year. M Pokora won male francophone artist of the year in 2007, as well as music video of the year that year.

and the group/duo of the year shortlist is

DJ Abdel feat. Soprano
Elisa Tovati & Tom Dice
Magic System
Simple Plan feat. Marie-Mai

NRJ Music Awards : Mickael Miro - L'horloge tourne

This weekend sees the NRJ Music Awards in Cannes, so I though it was worth taking a look ahead at some of the finalists.

As is the case in many such big music awards, international artists dominate many of the categories, but as it is a French ceremony there is a huge representation from French artists.

The awards have been running since 2000, and are (obviously!) sponsored by the radio station they are named after, in partnership with TF1

The category for French song of the year has five finalists on the shortlist:

Nolwenn Leroy: Tri Martolod
Mika: Elle Me Dit
Mickael Miro: L'horloge tourne
M Pokora: A Nos Actes Manqués
Elisa Tovati et Tom Dice: Il Nous Faut

An interesting selection, with non-French acts, reality TV stars, as well as celtic music in the final five.

I've covered almost all these releases in the past year on the blog, although for some reason the Mickael Miro song slipped through without a mention, despite its winning the TF1 Chanson de L'année on December 30 2011. This probably means it is the most likely to win.

It was the first single from his debut album Juste comme ça, which was released in May 2011.

The winner will be announced at the ceremony on January 28

Charts: Merwan Rim - Vous

The French charts continue to be fairly static, but I missed featuring the song Vous by Merwan Rim which continues to keep a place in the top five.

There's perhaps a certain similarity to James Blunt's Beautiful in the song, but with Blunt becoming a huge star and his influence still being heard in UK artists like Ed Sheeran, it's obvious that there's also a huge market for contemporary singer-songwriters in France as well.

He is a graduate of a number of musical theatre, having worked in the field since 2004. His appearance in the musical Le Roi Soleil in 2005 leading to a higher profile for the Sarcelles-born singer.

In 2007 a duet with singer Marilou, entitled Danser sur la Lune was released in France and Canada en 2007, leading to him singing a duet with Céline Dion in Montréal. He's also appeared previously in soundtrack albums of the musicals he has appeared in.

Vous is his first solo single, and an album by Merwan Rim is expected to be released next month.

He has also been nominated for an NRJ Music award for Révélation francophine de l'anée, where he's been shorlisted with Inna Modja, Keen V and Mickael Miro.

This week's top five in France

1) Moussier Tombola - Logobitombo
2) Lucenzo - Danza Kuduro
3) Rene La Taupe -Rock La Vie
4) Collectif Metisse - Sexy Lady
5) Merwan Rim - Vous