As her father, who emigrated from France to Québec at an early age, was also a musician, Marie-Mai began her interest in music in her early years when practising piano lessons and also participated in musical theatre. Shortly, she began singing and her grandmother noticed her talent. In the following years, she would help Marie-Mai improve her singing abilities even further. At that time, her grandmother suggested to her that she audition for a new competition, Star Académie. Prior to this, in 2001, she would start to perform in shows at Montreal's Théâtre Musical in the Passion intense show.
She became a finalist in the 2003 edition, in which she was immediately noticed by her pop-rock style. She finished third behind Marie-Elaine Thibert, the runner-up of the competition and Wilfred Le Bouthillier, the eventual winner.
After the Star Académie tour that ended in 2004, she was part of Rent, a rock opera musical which was held at the Olympia Theatre in Montreal.
On July 1, 2009, Marie-Mai performed "Mentir" and "Emmène-Moi" for Canada Rocks The Capital held in Ottawa.
On February 28, 2010, she performed "Emmène-Moi" during the closing ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
Her debut album Inoxydable, produced by Fred St-Gelais, was released on September 28, 2004. Over 120,000 albums were sold in Quebec alone while the album was released in France in 2006. Several singles had reached high in the Quebec charts including the songs "Il faut que tu t'en ailles" and "Encore une nuit" which reached the top of the Radio Énergie charts.
In the fall of 2006, Marie-Mai had already reached the international stage, when she opened for Garou for four shows at the Olympia in Paris where several international acts made their mark at the landmark music hall. Additional stops in the European Tour included Switzerland, Belgium, Romania and Russia. In an interview with TVA's correspondent in Paris, Claude Charron, Marie-Mai mentioned she was thrilled about the experience and was amazed by the public reception in Paris. She also added that despite being a short experience each night (she opens with 30-minute performance), she enjoys every single moment of it and would stay there forever on the stage.
Her second album, Dangereuse Attraction (also produced by Fred St-Gelais), was released in August 2007. She mentioned in the interview with Charron that she hopes for success similar to her debut album Inoxydable. The first song from her next album is "Qui prendra ma place" (Who Will Take My Place) and already reached number 1 in the Francophone Chart of Radio NRJ (formerly Radio Énergie). Marie-Mai mentions that her second album is much more personal than Inoxydable. Her song "Tôt Ou Tard" is a cover of Alexz Johnson's "Waste My Time" on the album Songs from Instant Star. Over 80,000 albums were sold.
Marie-Mai provided guest vocals on David Usher's songs "Kill the Lights," on Wake Up and Say Goodbye, and "Je Repars," on The Mile End Sessions. She also provided guest vocals for Simple Plan's new song "Jet Lag" which is from their fourth album Get Your Heart On!, released on June 21 2011.
Conscience
Marie-Mai Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Je suis l'agréable mensonge
Ta porte de sortie quand la vérité de ronge
Je suis ton âme idéal
Je passerais la ligne entre le bien et le mal
Je suis celle qui parle pour toi
Moi je n'irais jamais te dire de penser 2 fois avant d'agir
ah ah ah ah ah ah
Ma conscience se balance
Entre vous et elle danse
Remettre le feu
Posséder mon nom
Libre de se bruler pour m'épargner des larmes
Je suis le chemin facile
Pourquoi faire un détour quand on peut couper la cible
Je suis le pouvoir et la rage
Jamais prisonnier jamais sains jamais sage
Il ne voudras jamais sens plaindre
Entendre les conseil de celle qui te tant la main
Elle peut bien faire aller ses ailes
La vertu est tellement cruelle
Ah ah ah ah ah
Ma conscience se balance
Entre vous et elle danse
Remettre le feu
Posséder mon nom
Libre de se bruler pour m'épargner des larmes
Ma conscience se balance
Entre vous et elle danse
Remettre le feu
Posséder mon nom
Libre de se bruler pour m'épargner des larmes
Bruler bruler, ah ah ah, bruler
Je suis l'agréable mensonge
Ta porte de sortie quand la vérité te ronge
Je suis ton arme idéal
J'effacerais la ligne entre le bien et le mal
Je suis celle qui parle pour toi
Celle qui te supplie tout bas te faire elle bon choix
Il ne voudras jamais sans plaindre
Entend les conseil de celle qui te tant la main
Ma conscience se balance
Entre vous et elle danse
Remettre le feu
Posséder mon nom
Libre de se bruler pour m'épargner des larmes
ah ah ah ah
The lyrics to Marie-Mai's song Conscience explore the concept of an internal struggle between good and evil, personified as the singer's conscience. The opening lines describe the conscience as "l'agréable mensonge" or the pleasant lie that serves as an escape when the truth becomes difficult to bear. The conscience is portrayed as the ideal self that the singer aspires to be, willing to cross the lines between good and bad as necessary to achieve that ideal.
The second half of the song addresses the tension that arises when the conscience clashes with other external forces, represented by the repeated cry of "Ma conscience se balance" or "My conscience is wavering." The singer acknowledges that they are drawn to the alternative options offered by these other forces, including the "pouvoir et la rage" or power and rage, but ultimately they must choose whether to "posséder mon nom" or own their actions, even if it means risking pain and tears.
The lyrics paint a picture of a complex struggle within the self, as the singer grapples with conflicting desires and values. This internal battle is reflected in the repeating "ah ah ah ah ah" throughout the song, which creates an almost hypnotic effect.
Line by Line Meaning
Je suis l'agréable mensonge
I am the pleasant lie
Ta porte de sortie quand la vérité de ronge
Your way out when the truth eats at you
Je suis ton âme idéal
I am your ideal soul
Je passerais la ligne entre le bien et le mal
I would cross the line between good and evil
Je suis celle qui parle pour toi
I am the one who speaks for you
Celle qui te supplie tout bas de faire le bon choix
The one who silently begs you to make the right choice
Moi je n'irais jamais te dire de penser 2 fois avant d'agir
I will never tell you to think twice before acting
Ma conscience se balance
My conscience swings
Entre vous et elle danse
Dancing between you and it
Remettre le feu
Ignite the fire
Posséder mon nom
Own my name
Libre de se bruler pour m'épargner des larmes
Free to burn itself to spare me tears
Je suis le chemin facile
I am the easy way out
Pourquoi faire un détour quand on peut couper la cible
Why take the long route when you can hit the target
Je suis le pouvoir et la rage
I am power and rage
Jamais prisonnier jamais sains jamais sage
Never a prisoner, never healthy, never wise
Il ne voudras jamais sens plaindre
He will never want to complain
Entendre les conseil de celle qui te tant la main
Listen to the advice of the one extending their hand
Elle peut bien faire aller ses ailes
She can use her wings well
La vertu est tellement cruelle
Virtue is so cruel
Ma conscience se balance
My conscience swings
Entre vous et elle danse
Dancing between you and it
Remettre le feu
Ignite the fire
Posséder mon nom
Own my name
Libre de se bruler pour m'épargner des larmes
Free to burn itself to spare me tears
Ma conscience se balance
My conscience swings
Entre vous et elle danse
Dancing between you and it
Remettre le feu
Ignite the fire
Posséder mon nom
Own my name
Libre de se bruler pour m'épargner des larmes
Free to burn itself to spare me tears
Bruler bruler, ah ah ah, bruler
Burn burn, ah ah ah, burn
Je suis l'agréable mensonge
I am the pleasant lie
Ta porte de sortie quand la vérité te ronge
Your way out when the truth eats at you
Je suis ton arme idéal
I am your ideal weapon
J'effacerais la ligne entre le bien et le mal
I would erase the line between good and evil
Il ne voudras jamais sans plaindre
He will never want to complain
Entend les conseil de celle qui te tant la main
Listen to the advice of the one extending their hand
Ma conscience se balance
My conscience swings
Entre vous et elle danse
Dancing between you and it
Remettre le feu
Ignite the fire
Posséder mon nom
Own my name
Libre de se bruler pour m'épargner des larmes
Free to burn itself to spare me tears
ah ah ah ah
Contributed by Arianna B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.