He released his debut album, Plume, in 2011, and was the second-place finisher in that year's Francouvertes competition. He has toured extensively, including appearances at the Francofolies de La Rochelle, Osheaga and SXSW festivals.
He followed up with Fox in November 2012. Ouellet garnered three nominations at the Félix Awards in 2013, including Best Male Singer, Best Single for "L'Amour" and Pop Album of the Year.Fox won the Juno Award for Francophone Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2014.
While his own music follows a folk-pop style with some reggae and African music influences, he is also a frequent collaborator with several hip hop groups, including CEA and Movèzerbe.
His third album, Trente, was released in March 2016. He followed up later the same year with Aikido, a downloadable free mini-album.
Catastrophe
Karim Ouellet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Les mains en feuilles mortes
L'estomac noué, j'ai mal à tête encore
Laisse pas l'diable cogner à ta porte
Fais-moi croire quelque chose yé pas trop tard tout le temps qu'on part
Ferme la fenêtre y'a trop de courants d'air
Et Santan peut ben courir aller voir sa mère
Il fait toujours plus froid que ressenti, froid que ressenti
...dans l'océan, un coup d'épée dans l'air
L'ouragan passe et qu'est-ce qu'on va ben faire
Quelques gouttes d'eau dans la rivière
Fais-moi croire quelque chose
Yé pas trop tard tout le temps qu'on part
Ferme la fenêtre y'a trop de courants d'air
Pis Santan peut ben courir aller prendre une pose
On a rien vu de pire sur la terre c'est sûr
Il fait toujours plus froid que ressenti, froid que ressenti
Et Santan peut ben courir aller voir sa mère
On a rien vu de pire sur la terre c'est sûr
Il fera toujours plus froid qu'hier
The first verse of the song Catastrophe by Karim Ouellet speaks to the physical and emotional turmoil that the singer is experiencing. The metaphor of eyes filled with rain and hands like dead leaves suggests a sense of sadness and decay. The next line about having a knot in the stomach and a headache indicate a physical manifestation of anxiety. The final line "Laisse pas l'diable cogner à ta porte" serves as a warning, telling the listener not to let the devil in.
The chorus repeats the same phrase "Fais-moi croire quelque chose yé pas trop tard tout le temps qu'on part" which means "Make me believe something isn't too late all the time that we're leaving." This line suggests that the singer is looking for hope or reassurance, but also acknowledges that time is running out. The next line about shutting the window to avoid drafts, and the comment about Satan running to see his mother imply a sense of chaos and instability in the world. However, the line "On a rien vu de pire sur la terre c'est sûr" (We haven't seen anything worse on this earth for sure) provides a glimmer of hope that things could be worse, and that we can withstand the current situation. The repeated reference to "cold that's felt" suggests that the singer is experiencing emotional pain that is tangible and real.
The second verse makes use of the imagery of a storm and hurricane to convey a sense of helplessness in the face of natural disasters. The line about "a sword strike in the ocean" paints a picture of destruction and chaos. The singer asks "What are we going to do now?", highlighting the sense of being overwhelmed by forces beyond our control. The line "a few drops of water in the river" is a reminder that everything is interconnected, and that small actions can have significant consequences. The second chorus is a repetition of the first, with the addition of the line "It always gets colder than yesterday" suggesting that the situation is deteriorating.
Overall, the song Catastrophe by Karim Ouellet is a reflection on the challenges and chaos of life, as well as a call for hope and resilience in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Les yeux remplis de pluie
My eyes are filled with tears.
Les mains en feuilles mortes
My hands are like dead leaves.
L'estomac noué, j'ai mal à tête encore
My stomach is tied in knots, and I still have a headache.
Laisse pas l'diable cogner à ta porte
Don't let the devil knock on your door.
Fais-moi croire quelque chose yé pas trop tard tout le temps qu'on part
Make me believe something before it's too late and we leave.
Ferme la fenêtre y'a trop de courants d'air
Close the window, there are too many drafts.
Et Santan peut ben courir aller voir sa mère
And Satan can go see his mother.
On a rien vu de pire sur la terre c'est sûr
We have seen nothing worse on earth, that's for sure.
Il fait toujours plus froid que ressenti, froid que ressenti
It always feels colder than it is, colder than it is.
...dans l'océan, un coup d'épée dans l'air
...in the ocean, a sword thrust in the air.
L'ouragan passe et qu'est-ce qu'on va ben faire
The hurricane passes, and what are we going to do?
Quelques gouttes d'eau dans la rivière
Just a few drops of water in the river.
Pis Santan peut ben courir aller prendre une pose
And Satan can go take a break.
Il fera toujours plus froid qu'hier
It will always be colder than yesterday.
Writer(s): Karim Ouellet, Claude Begin, Thomas Gagnon Coupal
Contributed by Allison I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@goatedwrld6862
Fly high king 🕊
@67710409
Too young to leave us…too sad. My best song, many sounds, the total creation. Bye bye bye Karim have a nice trip..😢
@evelynebussiere3079
Artiste incroyable que je découvre après son départ je suis une mamie de 68 ans et j’ai une profonde incompréhension mais à la fois une désespérance de voir cette jeunesse en perte de repaire et je m’en fait pour mes petits enfants qui grandissent dans cette vie.
@jfar3340
repère
@MlleT87
Cette chanson la merite detre ecoute au moin 1 millions de fois :)
@cathge
Ma chanson préf de Karim avec du recul!
@GuillaumeWHYT
Karim t'est le best
@Patapouf_
Repose en paix Karim, btw Incroyable musique ! Tu me manqueras :c
@FATWILLLL
omg, la guitaire etait epic, yaurait du en avoir plus! bonne toune
@jipjapjoo15
Fantastic. Come to Toronto!