Touch of Paris -- From England
Looking a true French chanteuse, Petula tapes her TV show in Quebec. Her recording career began at 17, but she only turned to French three years ago. She is married to a Frenchman, has two daughters.
Petula Clark is an English girl who sings French songs--and has made a hit in Quebec.
THERE is nothing unusual about a Parisian singing star visiting Quebec and feeling very much at home. Particularly as far as the language situation is concerned. But when the French singer is really an English girl who, three years ago, could not speak a word of French - well, that's a different matter.
For Petula Clark, the girl whose long play records, Tete A Tete and Rendez Vous, made her one of Paris' top recording artists and a best-seller in North America as well, performing in Quebec was no different from performing back home - in France.
For three days, she worked in a Quebec studio taping a television show sponsored by General Motors for showing on Frencb-language private stations - and she spoke French to other performers and to the directors and technicians as though it were her native language.
Pretty good for an English girl? Oh, very good, says Petula, who adds that the people back home in Epsom, England, are proud of the success she has made for herself in France.
For Petula Clark, the girl whose long play records, Tete A Tete and Rendez Vous, made her one of Paris' top recording artists and a best-seller in North America as well, performing in Quebec was no different from performing back home - in France.
For three days, she worked in a Quebec studio taping a television show sponsored by General Motors for showing on Frencb-language private stations - and she spoke French to other performers and to the directors and technicians as though it were her native language.
Pretty good for an English girl? Oh, very good, says Petula, who adds that the people back home in Epsom, England, are proud of the success she has made for herself in France.
(Incidentally, Petula's single record, Chariot, won the Grand Prix du Disque in Paris last year.)
Born of Welsh parents, Petula began singing when she was seven. By the time she was 13, she had a movie contract in Britain. She has played in about 25 films with such stars as Peter Ustinov, Alec Guimness and the late Kay Kendall.
Her record career began when she was 17 but it was not until three years ago that she really began to make a name for herself as a singer. In that year, an impresario suggested she sing in Paris. She sang English songs on that occasion and made such a hit she decided to try singing French ones. Today, Petula is heard practically all over the world and all her songs are French. Her single, Je Me Sens Bien, on the Vogue label, sold more than 100,000 copies in Canada alone.
How difficult is it for her? Well, being
Born of Welsh parents, Petula began singing when she was seven. By the time she was 13, she had a movie contract in Britain. She has played in about 25 films with such stars as Peter Ustinov, Alec Guimness and the late Kay Kendall.
Her record career began when she was 17 but it was not until three years ago that she really began to make a name for herself as a singer. In that year, an impresario suggested she sing in Paris. She sang English songs on that occasion and made such a hit she decided to try singing French ones. Today, Petula is heard practically all over the world and all her songs are French. Her single, Je Me Sens Bien, on the Vogue label, sold more than 100,000 copies in Canada alone.
How difficult is it for her? Well, being
A thoughtful Petula discusses the