NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- The city's Francophiles and French expats are gearing up to descend upon Central Park Sunday -- which is Bastille Day -- for a massive music festival, organized by the Consulate General of France in New York.
The Bastille Day 2024 French Music Festival -- which will feature artists spanning the musical spectrum, from rap to pop to house music -- will take place Sunday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Rumsey Playfield in Central Park, and its MC will be Paris native and Chelsea Film Festival creator and actor/producer Ingrid Jean-Baptiste; the entrance is at 72nd Street at Fifth Avenue. The festival is free and registration is not required.
"It's a very important event for us," France's newly-installed Consul General in New York, Cédrik Fouriscot, told 1010 WINS/WCBS 880. "It will be a great opportunity to celebrate and promote French culture, arti. We will have great deejays also with a French touch, very good singers, including very good rap group called IAM from Marseilles, I've very excited about that."
Fouriscot, a career diplomat and specialist in European affairs, explained, "It was our objective to show all the diversity of French talent ... And actually, I think it's the most important show organized by a French embassy or French consulate abroad."
Last year's festival had more than 6,000 attendees, according to the consulate. (Below, a video from the 2023 festival).
On July 14, 1789 -- 235 years ago this Sunday -- a Parisian mob stormed the Bastille prison. That first victory against the "ancien régime" has long been celebrated as Bastille Day.
Fouriscot also said Bastille Day and the Fourth of July are "very similar," adding, both celebrate values of liberty, equality and fraternity."
The festival's line-up includes the following:
• IAM: Formed in 1989 in Marseille, it is a rap group known for its unique musical style and its lyrics are often politically engaged, addressing issues such as social injustice, racism and urban violence. Their album "'L'Ecole du Micro d’Argent'" is still considered one of the best French rap albums of all time, and has won numerous awards including the prestigious Victoire de la Musique.
• Laurie Darmon: A French pop music singer-songwriter, musician and producer, Darmon started her career by launching her first self-produced EP and wrote 3 singles for the singer Christopher. She also founded her own music label, Lionne Records, and now reaches over 100 million streams worldwide. In 2023, she released her third album, “La Traversée du Désir“,. Her songs, such as "Laisse-moi t’aimer" and "Célibataire," have reached millions of listens on platforms.
• The Avener: The Avener, born Tristan Casara, is a French maestro of electronic deep house music. His journey into the spotlight was catapulted by the resounding success of his 2014 hit "Fade Out Lines”. This triumph was the cornerstone of his debut album "The Wanderings of the Avener," which showcased his genius in blending folk and blues into electronic beats.
• Femi the Scorpion: This Beninese artist, Femi Akanho aka "Femi the Scorpion", has been living in France for 7 years. A singer, composer and performer, best known for his dancing talents and for his exploits in the streets of Paris, he is recognizable by his colorful look. Every day, he gets hundreds of thousands of Parisians up and dancing to the rhythm of his sound system. The artist has become so popular that he has been named the "Happiness Transporter."
• Magic System: This Ivorian quartet’s group has been getting generations of people dancing all over the world for 20 years. Their song “Magic in the Air” even became the anthem of the French soccer team during the 2018 World Cup.