MTV Buzzworthy Blog » Artist of the Week: Yelle

213 Comments | Published by Buzzworthy on Monday, March 24, 2008 at 12:01 am.

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Yelle (the last “e” is silent) is not just another hipster chick in leg warmers and lamé (even though she’s partial both). The French electro hip-pop tart’s got the blogosphere appropriately atwitter over her spazzy live performances, aerobics-inspired videos and intentionally low-budget (think cable-access) ’80s steez, despite the fact that she hasn’t even released an album in the States yet.

When, like us, you don’t speak French, Yelle — think Lily Allen’s snark meets M.I.A.’s wardrobe meets Nelly Furtado’s flirt factor — who’s got the makings of a modern-day European Blondie, sounds like she’s just engaging in universal boy-issue lament set to hyper computerized blips and beeps and Casio beats.

But beneath the retro patina and language barrier lay raunchy, NC-17 lyrics about matters of… “size,” (zut alors!), sex toys, and girl-on-girl action, coated with a sweet gloss of poppy saccharine.

After opening for Mika, and dropping her French debut, Pop-Up, she’s about to release her album stateside and go from music blog footnote to center stage when she plays Coachella this spring.

But first: a week-long stint as this week’s MTV Artist of the Week.

Watch the Tecktonik posterchild’s “A Cause Des Garcons” video, Artist of the Week on-air videos, and check out more Buzzworthy coverage of Yelle here and here, because we’re a little obsessed — c’est vrai.

Filed Under: Mika, M.I.A., Yelle, Videos, Artist Of The Week, Music, Nelly Furtado, Celebrity

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213 Comments to “Artist of the Week: Yelle”

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will says:

7:31 on 03/24

So if the first comment is all about how good she looks, does that mean her music is any good? I kind of wonder if that's spam too lol. Anyway, nothing like French dance pop in the morning but its refreshing. Don't know if I'm totally blown away though, seems like everyone from their cousin to Rihanna is dabbling in electronic pop or maybe its just me. This is why I say I'll be awaiting when Portishead is Artist of the Week!
caliegh says:

9:06 on 03/24

shez pretty, but not that amazing. (the music video was kinda weird.......is that how all of them are in other countries?)
caliegh says:

9:08 on 03/24

shez an ok singer...but shez pretty and skinny.....thatz all that matters!lol
Lyndsay says:

9:18 on 03/24

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE her!!!!!
nina says:

9:20 on 03/24

hey caliegh...are you being ironic when you wonder if the videos are all like this one in other countries??? Well I hope that you are joking!!! Actually it kind of surprises me to see yelle on this website and I would like to ad that as it is written "the video is intentionally low budget" but there is another video ofthis song with "electro dance" but I guess that you haven't got this dance "phenomene in "other countries" (lol) that is why mtv prefered to show you this video instead of the other one... I don't think that yelle can be compared to any other artist because she really is unic and that's why people hate it or love it. personnaly I'm really plased with the position she takes toward boys while many other girls (singers and so on) prefer to chose simplicity by being seduction objects

(oh by the way i'm french)
Amalie says:

12:27 on 03/24

Her music is really well produced and i was surprised by the musicians the article stated she was similar to. I think she sounds more like the artist Peaches especially with her sexual content and her "position on boys AND girls", but its good music regardless.

(i'm french too)
Marie says:

12:40 on 03/24

J'adore Yelle!
Je pensais pas qu'elle était connue aux Etats-Unis! I'm Shocked!
i love her!
MiiNAKSHii says:

1:19 on 03/24

I'm proud that a french singer is on a website like mtv ^^
I love her
Tee-Jay says:

1:28 on 03/24

The type of music is Tecktonik. it's very big in Europe but its not how all the music is. You should see the video for the remix for this song, get an idea of how the dancing is for this type of music (funny, but in a way, cool).
Sarit says:

3:31 on 03/24

Surprised Yelle wasn't that talked about in the States till now... (still isn't, but then again, so many European artists and bands aren't). I'm from Spain and I heard about her by chance last year, I'm completely hooked on her songs!

Love the lyrics too, quite funny :D

Also, I like the new video for "Je veux te voir" better than the old one (maybe a bit too low-budget that one?)
Cecilou says:

4:31 on 03/24

YELLE on mtv that's awesome, she's very very famous in france in Europe and I'm glad that a frenchie could make it here (I'm French too)

Vive la FRANCE hihi.
Rachel says:

4:52 on 03/24

I LOVE YELLE!!! I was just in France for 5 months and (almost) everyone loves her, especially at the high school I was at. I was wicked pumped when I saw an AMERICAN website about her!! La chanson "JE VEUX TE VOIR" EST LA MEILLEURE!!
madeline says:

7:26 on 03/24

Yelle J'adore!
Elle est mon idole.
Vous tous les autres chiennes n'ont aucun goût pour la musique.
Yelle est beatuiful!
Et a beaucoup de paroles
Xoxox
franni says:

7:43 on 03/24

I LOVE YELLE!!!!!
I heard about her last year and fell in love with "Je Veux Te Voir"
BEST SONG EVER!!!!
Soon, I heard her other song "A Cause des Garçons"
At first I didn't like it but now I LOVE IT!!!!
I'm sooooo happy that she's MTV's artist of the year!!!
GOOOO FRENCHIES!!!!!!!
well, for those of you who want to listen to more of her stuff just go to her Myspace:
www.myspace.com/iloveyelle
Friskey!!! says:

8:14 on 03/24

when i saw yelle on mtv i freaked out i was so amazed!!!
finally Mtv is starting to recognize other artists other than american artists ( don't get me wrong i have nothing against them!)
i love that they are including international artists!!
i hope it's a success, like "nina" said i love that she sings about different things other than leaving or crying for a guy!
ViVe YELLE!
VIVE LA TECKTONIK!!!!
caleb says:

8:33 on 03/24

nice video
comment me back
tck..daniel..tck says:

9:52 on 03/24

wow!!!
i lovee yelle!
she's a reall good singer...and she really has a unique style.!!
i don't know why mtv compares hr to ote artists..
but what counts is that yelle ison mtv...
her video to "Je Veux Te Voir" is awesome..
Adam J says:

9:56 on 03/24

Hearing "Je Veux Te Voir" was love at first listen for me last summer. It's good that she is getting more recognition. Yelle's music is just fun, but I think Americans will be put off by the fact that all her songs are in French. I am just hoping that this increase in popularity will result in a US tour!

My favorite promo is the one that plays the last bit of "Tristesse/Joie" because that's what makes that song my favorite by her.
tck..daniel..tck says:

9:58 on 03/24

i love yelle!!!
and tecktonik...
wow i was surpried when i saw her on mtv...
she realy has talent.
and a unique style...i don't knw why mtv compares her to other artists...but what matters is that she's o mtv..
je te adore yelle
mousie says:

11:00 on 03/24

i htink she's pretty cool i like how her songs are really techno! i think it's cool that she speaks french casue it makes her songs sound more unique! i wish i knew wat she was saying :(
Matt C. says:

11:05 on 03/24

C'est une femme très formidable! J'aime cette chanseuse et tout elle fait! Bisous, Yelle!

I have been listening to Yelle for a long time and I am so excited for her new media exposure. She deserves it! I wish I was seeing her at Coachella. I have studied French for all of my college life and I love seeing new French culture entering the US.
Ash says:

11:12 on 03/24

When they says she's the "Tecktonik posterchild" they aren't talking about the original version of the songs on this site! Check out: A Cause Des Garcons (TEPR Remix) on youtube!
Danial says:

11:53 on 03/24

I was first exposed to her through EdgeClub102 here in Dallas and have been hooked on her music since.

And yes, I second the Tepr mix of A Cause Des Garcon on YouTube. What a smashing video, I might add.

I wonder who's next on being Buzzworthy? Uffie? DJ Mehdi? Cassius? Busy P? SebastiAn & Kavinsky? Erol Alkan?

Who knows?
Mikey says:

12:33 on 03/25

Yelle is deff one of my favorite singers ever.
I am so happy that French speaking singers are finaly entering america. This is great!

I really hope she makes it here, she is so talented! And I love her cloaths!!!
Laurenne says:

1:19 on 03/25

Like her music, Bravo!
Humbertito says:

2:11 on 03/25

I discovered her music more than a year ago... I think she's so talented and unique, fresh..In America we needed something like her, we're getting tired of the same beat, hip music, pop girls...emo bands, make me sick. Yelle brings a new refreshing style, a new look for the new generation.

Viva Yelle!
Lauren says:

5:53 on 03/25

Before and after EVERY commercial you have this chick on!!!! It's too much! I would like her if MTV didn't force her on us so much. MTV sucks!!! PLAY VIDEOS!!!!!!!!!!! Music Television?????? Oh, here she is again!!! poor girl
Danny says:

7:16 on 03/25

Wow i'm french too, its amazing now that Yelle is on Mtv i can meet lots of french people, I say that we take over the U.S start off with New York LOL.

but anyways I'm very happy for Yelle and I seriously couldn't believe that she became artist of the week. To be honest I felt and still feel that Justice should of been the first french artists on Mtv, but its OK now maybe later on they'll show others like Danial said. Just think soon we'll see dj Medhi, Justice, Uffie, BB brune and other great french artists including big artist from the rest of the world.
mike says:

9:54 on 03/25

great, another m.i.a. clone. what else do we need. mtv, get a clue and do something music related instead of finding clones.
Eric says:

11:22 on 03/25

ACDG Riot In Belguim Remix

it's sicker than the original
nena says:

1:51 on 03/25

WEIRD
Raye says:

2:05 on 03/25

now a French artist? cool. can we bring some Japanese singers over here..? like Ayumi Hamasaki... Gackt... and ppl like that? that would be awesome!
MOI says:

2:38 on 03/25

i don't really like her song
coucou says:

2:45 on 03/25

i can't believe YELLE is MTV's Artist of the Week.
it's incredible that a french singer made it here, becuase we usually just have american bands. i think YELLE will get even bigger and she will go places.
YELLE is unique in her own way and she brings something new to the table. And her style is out of this world. Her lyrics are funny, sweet, happy, sexy and catchy as hell all at the same time. Pop-Up is an astonishing record it will make you get up and dance full of awesome beats, amazing rhythm, crazy synths, electro pop madness. YELLE is nothing like M.I.A. if anything she is even better. Plus YELLE and M.I.A. happen to work with and like the same designers, so no she's not a wannabe M.I.A.

YELLE is the next big thing
I love her
annie says:

3:11 on 03/25

i dont like her one bit i like her music but not her she looks like she smells bad and is mean i just dont like her and her cloths looks like a 5 year old made them there horibble my friend was sleeping and we where watching mtv and she woke and saw her and stated scremming cuz she is so ugly and scarry looking find someone else or give her a make over PLEASE
annie says:

3:11 on 03/25

i dont like her one bit i like her music but not her she looks like she smells bad and is mean i just dont like her and her cloths looks like a 5 year old made them there horibble my friend was sleeping and we where watching mtv and she woke and saw her and stated scremming cuz she is so ugly and scarry looking find someone else or give her a make over PLEASE
nicole says:

3:34 on 03/25

shes not pretty at all, she just dresses cool. her musics fun.
Nagano says:

4:29 on 03/25

Wow... Cant believe...
Finally MTV might be introducing the American public to some GOOD music... Its like a breath of fresh air its nothing that America has seen.
Love her clothes. Brings that French/ European flavor with a tad bit of American Apperal...
NOW IF MTV CAN JUST PLAY SOME DAMM VIDEOS!!!
VIVA Yelle
Amber says:

4:42 on 03/25

I like her music its really fun and creative!...but then on the other hand i dont like how her video is. Like almost every minute you have a sight up her dress thing...not a pretty sight. Maybe she should stick to just music, no videos.

:)
BarkBite says:

5:23 on 03/25

I think it's great that MTV is recognizing international artists. For far too long we've ignored foreign-language music. There's some great stuff out there.
nabil says:

5:55 on 03/25

Yelle t'es tropp super!!!!!!!!! on attend de faire connaitre la Tecktonik au americain.lol
oakling says:

6:22 on 03/25

hee! it's getting this website some international attention :) I think our reactions to the video, too, illustrate how myopic we get in the US - we're like, "wait! other countries have music videos? OMG!" I would love to see more of what the rest of the world is doing!
adjycb says:

6:24 on 03/25

I think its o.k. Though it would be really cool if there was some japanese music on mtv. NO TOKIO HOTEL is NOT a japanese band I was very dissapionted. I would like some people like tommyfebuary6 and othe j-pop
kelsee says:

6:30 on 03/25

christ are you kidding me? how can yelle be the artist of the week. i've loved her for so long. f***ing mtv i swear i want to strangle whoever chooses these artist of the weeks. you freaking ruin everything. now the freaking cheerleaders are going to listen to her. thank you so much for ruining tons of good bands.
ashley says:

6:41 on 03/25

bonjure this is grate i love french music shes awsome the music is really good love ashley pleas bring more world music
brit says:

7:45 on 03/25

Congrats on becoming artist of the week to Yelle!! I saw her open for Mika when I was in Paris! I could not understand a word she was saying but ut sure did sound cool!!
Courtney says:

8:12 on 03/25

Bonjour! I Just heard about her today & am already totally CraZy for her songs! I'm learning French & it is a beautiful language & Freakin Awesome the way Yelle sings em'!
wiggle says:

8:18 on 03/25

MTV, PLEASE stop playing this so much!

Every commercial, in between each show? It's a little much!

I am a fan of new music, but hate being bombarded with it. I stopped watching my shows because I can't stand hearing Yelle every ten minutes!
Kikiiii says:

8:58 on 03/25

J'adore ècouter la un musique!
Celina says:

10:06 on 03/25

i loooove it!!!!!!!!!!!1

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