Pépite at the Institut Français in London (and why this is a good thing!)

A great opportunity to catch one of France's most promising acts in the UK tonight, with Pépite playing at the Institut Français tonight.

It's the latest in their Music Rendezvous events, where they've been presenting a well-chosen selection of France's finest developing acts in London.

The IF music events give developing French acts an experience of playing in the UK that might be considered too risky a venture until their career is more established internationally. They may be playing decent sized club venues across France (and Pépite certainly are!) but shows in the UK can be a risky step financially for a French act.

Given the uncertainly of playing in the UK or playing in France where they might be already more established, it becomes a simple choice.  A home win beats a difficult away fixture.

It certainly doen't make life easy for a French music fan and doesn't help establish the act to a UK audience.

So this is where the IF step in and break the vicious circle. By putting on a show in London the act get a prestigious gig in a friendly environment, get some key exposure to critics and press and hopefully it opens the door to more engagement in the UK. Hopefully more gigs, more airplay and more French acts being introduced to an anglophone audience. Everybody wins!

Hopefully some day before too long, the acts playing the IF in London might even get to play at the IF in Edinburgh too.

Pépite are just the kind of act that a UK audience would take to. Their recently released Virages debut is the kind of dreamy electro indie that would attract the ears of anyone won over by Air and classic French pop, but with a perspective that ensures its firmly in 2019's playlist.

Pépite are currently on tour across France, and play at La Gaîté Lyrique in Paris on May 28.