In 2007, Cécile moved to Aix-en-Provence, France, to study law as well as classical and baroque voice at the Darius Milhaud Conservatory. It was in Aix-en-Provence, with reedist and teacher Jean-François Bonnel, that she started learning about improvisation, instrumental and vocal repertoire ranging from the 1910s on, and sang with her first band. In 2009, after a series of concerts in Paris, she recorded her first album "Cécile", with Jean-François Bonnel's Paris Quintet. A year later, she won the Thelonious Monk competition in Washington D.C.
Cécile performs unique interpretations of unknown and scarcely recorded jazz and blues compositions. She focuses on a theatrical portrayal of the jazz standard and composes music and lyrics which she also sings in French, her native language as well as in Spanish. She enjoys popularity in Europe and in the United States, performing in clubs, concert halls, and festivals accompanied by renowned musicians like Jean-Francois Bonnel, Rodney Whitaker, Aaron Diehl, Dan Nimmer, Sadao Watanabe, Jacky Terrasson (with an a noted collaboration in his "Gouache" Universal CD), Archie Shepp, and Jonathan Batiste. She sings for the 2nd consecutive year for the Chanel’s « Chance » ad campaign. In August 2012, Cécile recorded at the Avatar Studios a CD to be released early next year for the Mack Avenue Label with Aaron Diehl, Rodney Whitaker, Herlin Riley and James Chirillo.
Cécile has performed at numerous festivals such as Jazz à Vienne, Ascona, Whitley Bay, Montauban, Foix, with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in New York’s Lincoln Center and Chicago’s Symphony Center and with her own band at the Kennedy Center, the Spoleto Jazz Festival, Detroit Jazz Festival and other venues.
Ben Ratliff writes in The New York Times “she sings clearly, with her full pitch range, from a pronounced low end to full and distinct high notes, used sparingly — like the one I heard a few weeks ago at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola on the last word of “What a Little Moonlight Can Do,” the spire in a magnificent set. Her voice clamps into each song, performing careful variations on pitch, stretching words but generally not scatting; her face conveys meaning, representing sorrow or serenity like a silent-movie actor. She also presents a lot of jazz history, and other things…”
Womanchild
Cécile McLorin Salvant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A hesitative step
How can they expect a girl to walk in stride
She can’t stand erect without someone beside
WomanChild falters
Clumsy on her feet
Wonderin’ where she’ll go
Good she’ll never know
Until she comes undone
WomanChild staggers
A hesitative step
How can they expect a girl to walk in stride
She can’t stand erect without someone beside
WomanChild falters
Clumsy on her feet
Wonderin’ where she’ll go
When her time has come
Good she’ll never know
Until she comes undone
The song "Womanchild" by Cécile McLorin Salvant speaks to the experience of a young woman who is growing up and navigating the world around her. The lyrics reflect the limitations and expectations that are often placed on girls and women, as well as the confusion and uncertainty that can come with trying to find one's place in society. The repeated lines of "WomanChild staggers" and "WomanChild falters" create a sense of vulnerability and instability, highlighting the challenges of trying to stand on one's own two feet in a world that can be both harsh and unforgiving.
The first verse emphasizes the physical difficulties that the young woman is facing. She is described as taking "a hesitative step" and being unable to stand "erect without someone beside." These lines can be read as a metaphor for the emotional struggle that many young women face as they try to find their footing in a world that can be hostile and unwelcoming. The second verse speaks to the existential questions that the young woman is grappling with: where will she go, and what will become of her? The repeated line "Good she’ll never know / Until she comes undone" drives home the message that there are no easy answers, and that the journey of self-discovery can be fraught with uncertainty and risk.
Overall, the song "Womanchild" is a powerful exploration of what it means to grow up as a girl in a society that often expects girls and women to be passive, submissive, and accommodating. The lyrics are haunting and evocative, inviting listeners to reflect on their own experiences and the experiences of the women in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
WomanChild staggers
The woman represented in the song is struggling with something.
A hesitative step
She is taking a step forward with uncertainty and indecisiveness.
How can they expect a girl to walk in stride
The societal expectation for women to be confident and assertive is unrealistic and unfair.
She can’t stand erect without someone beside
The woman feels like she needs support and validation from others to stand tall and be her true self.
WomanChild falters
The woman is stumbling and faltering in her journey.
Clumsy on her feet
She feels like she is making mistakes and not moving forward gracefully.
Wonderin’ where she’ll go
The woman is uncertain about what her future holds and where she will end up.
When her time has come
She is contemplating what will become of her when she reaches the end of her life.
Good she’ll never know
The woman feels like she will never truly know if she lived a good life or made the right choices.
Until she comes undone
The woman is worried that she will fall apart or fail before she has a chance to fully understand her own journey.
Contributed by Charlie M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.