Living on the Côte d’Azur with her younger brother, Jonathan, her Jewish Algerian father (Michel Dadouche) and her half-Corsican, half-Belgian mother (Christine Bartoli), Jenifer came to inherit her family’s love of music. Her father got her listening to James Brown, Stevie Wonder and Janis Joplin while her mother introduced her to the ‘chanson’ classics of Jacques Brel, Edith Piaf, Charles Aznavour and Serge Gainsbourg. Meanwhile, Jenifer’s maternal grandmother initiated her into the art of Corsican polyphonic music.
When Jenifer turned seven, her parents treated her to her first course of singing lessons. And the budding young singer took whatever opportunity she could to exercise her vocal talent, singing in the shower, with street buskers and at all the talent contests organised in the region. In 1993, Jenifer got to support C.Jérôme in concert when the latter performed at a Bastille Day firemen’s ball in Corsica (where the family holidayed every summer). By the age of thirteen, Jenifer had vowed to become a professional singer one day. She participated in the Graines de star television broadcast in 1997, but this was a failure.
Jenifer decided to go to Paris and attend the casting for the first series of Star Academy in France . She was selected, and eventually won. The hit single "J'attends L'amour" (I'm waiting for love) soon followed. After the tour with her band that followed her victory, she went on the road as a solo artist from October 2002 until January 2003, and eventually performed at the Paris Olympia, which she had dreamed of as a child.
Her debut self-titled album went on to sell over three quarters of a million copies. The album featured a song written by Marc Lavoine and a duet with fellow Star Academy student Mario. The second single "Au Soleil" became one of the "tubes de l'été" (Summer hits) of 2002 in France. The album was re-released later to include two new tracks: "Entre Humains" and "Des Mots Qui Résonnent". The latter became her third top ten single in France and Jenifer stated that it was more her style of music, being more pop/rock. Finally a fourth song, the ballad "Donne Moi Le Temps" was released. The re-released album sold over a million copies.
In 2004 Jenifer returned onto the scene with her second, more personal, melancholy album "Le Passage". Among others, this album contained songs written by Calogero, Kyo, Tina Arena and one song Jenifer co-wrote. This album contains the singles "Ma Révolution" (My Revolution), "Le Souvenir De Ce Jour" (The Memory of This Day), "C'est De L'Or" (It's Golden) and "Serre Moi" (Hug me). The album was supported by an extensive tour across France and was followed by the release of a live album "Jenifer Fait Son Live" and an accompanying DVD.
Jenifer previously lived with Maxim Nucci, the author-composer with whom she has had one child, named Aaron, who was born on 5 December 2003. The couple separated around the end of 2005 but have since reunited. She has stated that she also wants to produce music in English outside of France.
2006 was a quiet year for Jenifer, the singer making only a few public appearances at award ceremonies, “Enfoirés” concerts and other charity fund-raising shows. That summer, she dubbed the female lead in the French version of the animated film “Over the Hedge”, posing for a series of promotional photos with the American actor Bruce Willis who was involved in dubbing the American version.
Jenifer’s third album, "Lunatique", a vibrant mix of pop, reggae, ska and ‘60s rock, hit record stores on 12 November 2007. The 24-year-old singer was joined in the studio by two VIP collaborators: the French actor Guillaume Canet (who guested on "Nos futurs") and her friend, the singer and musician M who added his famous pink guitar to "Touche-moi" and the album’s title track.
Si c'est une île
Jenifer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Avec le coeur des hommes
Et je suis soliste en somme
Je fais, je fais des aquarelles
Des erreurs d'échiquier
J'ai tout le ciel à rêver
Si c'est une île
Je veux bien l'amour
Si c'est une île
Une île
Je veux bien l'enfer
Si c'est une île
Je veux bien l'amour
Si c'est une île
Je fais, je fais bien des patiences
En rêvant d'évasion
Oui c'est Byzance au salon
Je fais, je fais bien des retards
Je retiens l'attention
De cette histoire d'illusion
Je veux bien l'enfer
Si c'est une île
Je veux bien l'amour
Si c'est une île
Une île
Je veux bien l'enfer
Si c'est une île
Je veux bien l'amour
Si c'est une île
Une île
Dans la vie faut parait-il
Faut pas s'en faire
J'suis tranquille, tranquille
Je veux bien l'enfer
Si c'est une île
Je veux bien l'amour
Si c'est une île
Je veux bien l'enfer
Si c'est une île
Je veux bien l'amour
Si c'est une île
Une île
Je veux bien l'enfer
Si c'est une île
Je veux bien l'amour
Si c'est une île
Une île
Une île
Une île
In the song, Jenifer talks about the different things she does like playing patience and making achievements with the hearts of men. She considers herself a soloist in life as she makes watercolors, errors in chess, and has the whole sky to dream. She also mentions wanting to go to hell if it’s like an island and wanting love if that is what an island represents. Towards the end of the song, she seems relaxed and unbothered by life, saying she is tranquil, perhaps because she is open to what life has to offer as long as it is an island.
The lyrics of this song suggest someone who is finding their place in the world. The symbolism of an island suggests a place away from the mainland where the rules are different and anything can happen. It seems like Jenifer is saying that she is open to whatever life has in store for her, whether it’s good or bad, as long as she can find her own special place in it. The different activities she engages in like making aquarelles and playing patience are just ways for her to pass the time before she can find her island.
The song is quite open-ended. It leaves one with many possibilities on what Jenifer means by her choice of words in the chorus. It could be that she wants a sort of escape from reality, or maybe she’s tired of the same old things and wants to explore new experiences. While some may question her decision to choose hell as one of her options, it could be because the island represents freedom and if hell is similar, then it's okay. Overall, the song speaks to an individual who wants to be free and unbound, but at the same time, wants to find a sense of purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
Je fais, je fais des réussites
Avec le coeur des hommes
Et je suis soliste en somme
I achieve success with the hearts of men, ultimately being a solo artist
Je fais, je fais des aquarelles
Des erreurs d'échiquier
J'ai tout le ciel à rêver
I paint watercolors, make mistakes in the game of chess, and dream of the whole sky
Je veux bien l'enfer
Si c'est une île
Je veux bien l'amour
Si c'est une île
Une île
I'm willing to accept hell if it's an island, I'm willing to accept love if it's an island
Je fais, je fais bien des patiences
En rêvant d'évasion
Oui c'est Byzance au salon
I play patience while dreaming of escape, it's like Byzance in the living room
Je fais, je fais bien des retards
Je retiens l'attention
De cette histoire d'illusion
I delay things on purpose to hold attention, in this story of illusion
Dans la vie faut parait-il
Faut pas s'en faire
J'suis tranquille, tranquille
They say in life you shouldn't worry, I'm calm, very calm
Je veux bien l'enfer
Si c'est une île
Je veux bien l'amour
Si c'est une île
Une île
I'm willing to accept hell if it's an island, I'm willing to accept love if it's an island
Je veux bien l'enfer
Si c'est une île
Je veux bien l'amour
Si c'est une île
Une île
I'm willing to accept hell if it's an island, I'm willing to accept love if it's an island
Je veux bien l'enfer
Si c'est une île
Je veux bien l'amour
Si c'est une île
Une île
I'm willing to accept hell if it's an island, I'm willing to accept love if it's an island
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Xavier Caux, Maxime Rodolphe Nouchy, David Verlant
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@evanboyz4191
2020 Et toujours en kiffe devant cette musique un truc de dingue ce son me fait sentir tellement bien
@laurapierre4347
Un clip merveilleux trop peu visionné et trop peu connu du grand public, quel dommage ! Jen , on t'aime et on te soutient depuis toujours <3
@MaDeclarationJenifer
LE titre rock du répertoire de Jenifer ! ;)
@ginettejolivot3581
Jenifer Communauté savatoi
@karenvillemin5117
toujours aussi rafraîchissante. une artiste qui chante avec autant de passion, ça contamine!
@eloyoje
Excellent titre, ce petit côté plus rock lui va si bien.
@Family300610
Le rock convient parfaitement à la voix de Jenifer :)
@fandejenifershana226
J'adore , Jen et une artiste , une vrai , ne change rien Jen
@LunatiqueJenifer
Demain : Sortie du nouvel album de Jenifer "Appelle-moi Jen'" !
@tourrettesebastien2424
Tic Tac pour la Rythmique 👍👍👍