Leroy's parents left Saint-Renan when she was four years old. After living in Paris, Lille, and Guingamp, her mother, Murielle, and her younger sister, Kay, settled with Leroy's grandparents in Saint-Yorre. Her mother divorced from her father, professional footballer Jean-Luc Le Magueresse, in 1993.
Nolwenn studied at the "Collège des Célestins" in Vichy. When Leroy was eleven, her music teacher noticed her musical talents and encouraged her to learn the violin. At the age of thirteen she won "Les écoles du désert", a contest sponsored by the Cora supermarket chain, which allowed her to travel with a humanitarian mission from Gao to Timbuktu, Mali; she later claimed this had a profound influence on her.
In July 1998, Leroy was awarded a scholarship by the Vichy Rotary Club to travel to Hamilton, Ohio, as an exchange student. While attending Hamilton High School, she took music lessons at the Performing Arts School and became fluent in English during her stay there.
When she returned to France, she began classical singing classes at the Vichy music conservatory.
In 2001, she enrolled in the University of Clermont-Ferrand to study law for a potential alternative career to music.
2002: Star Academy
After watching the first series of the television reality show, Star Academy, in 2001, Leroy was impressed by Armande Altaï, one of the show's judges, and decided to join Altaï's singing classes.[citation needed] In 2002, Nolwenn was selected for the second season of the show. She was declared the overall winner, ahead of her fellow finalist, Houcine,in December 2002.
2003–2004: Eponymous debut album
Leroy's first album, Nolwenn, was released in March 2003 and was certified platinum by November for sales exceeding 600,000 copies. In 2006, the album was certified two times platinum by the Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique for more than 800,000 copies sold. Four songs from the album, "Cassé", "Une Femme cachée", "Suivre une étoile" and "Inévitablement" were released as singles. Leroy went on tour in France, Belgium and Switzerland in late 2003 to promote songs from the album.
2005–2008: Histoires Naturelles
Leroy's second album, Histoires Naturelles, was produced by Laurent Voulzy. Five singles were released from the album. "Nolwenn Ohwo!", written by Alain Souchon and Voulzy, topped the French music charts.[7] The second single was the title track, "Histoire Naturelle". Music videos were made for both songs; the video for "Histoire Naturelle" expressed the main theme of the album with Leroy being portrayed as natural history museum exhibits. Of the other single releases, "Mon Ange" was distributed digitally while "J'aimais tant l'aimer" and "Reste Encore" were promotional-only. Songs from Histoires Naturelles and Nolwenn were performed on Leroy's second tour entitled "Histoires Naturelles Tour", which started in September 2006. Leroy's first live album was subsequently released in late October 2007.
2009–2010: Le Cheshire Cat & Moi
Le Cheshire Cat & Moi was a project that began in 2007, co-written by Leroy and Teitur Lassen, with contributions from Jonatha Brooke, Michelle Featherstone, Mike Errico and Rupert Hine. It was arranged and produced by Lassen, and recorded in Sweden and the Faroe Islands. Leroy was observed to feature "a lighter sound than on previous releases"and the album gave the opportunity for her to write all the lyrics.The album was released in December 2009. A tour entitled "Le Cheshire Cat & Vous" to promote the record was held in 2010.
2010–2012: Bretonne
Leroy performing at the 2010 Francofolies in Spa (Belgium).
Leroy released a fourth studio album, Bretonne, on 6 December 2010. Cover versions of traditional celtic songs such as "Mná na h-Éireann", and contemporary songs such as Christophe Miossec's "Brest" were included on the album. Most of the songs related to Brittany, the singer's birthplace, four sung in Breton. Leroy collaborated with Jon Kelly for the musical arrangements. The album topped the French album charts for 9 weeks.
The album was re-released in November 2011 as a Deluxe Edition which added 7 English language tracks, including "Amazing Grace", "Scarborough Fair" and two Mike Oldfield tracks, "Moonlight Shadow" and "To France".
2012–present: Ô Filles de l'Eau
Nolwenn Leroy will release her new album on the 26th of November 2012. In December 2012, as it sold more than 300,000 albums Ô Filles de l'Eau.
Leroy's music was studied for its neurological impact in geriatric populations. Researchers found that Leroy's recordings might have a more beneficial effect than other music, noting that: "the music of Nolwenn Leroy was found to be significantly superior to other music tested". To describe the phenomenon they coined the term the Nolwenn Effect, saying: "the music of Nolwenn Leroy appears to have a different effect on brain-based modulation of gait and stance than other music tested to date".
Mozart and Dutch and French singers were tested; only Mozart and Leroy's music were specified. The U.S. study was completed in February 2008, but no substantial results appear to be published
Dans Les Prisons De Nantes
Nolwenn Leroy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dans les prisons de Nantes
Y'avait un prisonnier
Y'avait un prisonnier
Personne ne vient le voir
Personne ne vient le voir
Que la fille du geôlier
Que la fille du geôlier
Un jour il lui demande
Un jour il lui demande :
"Qu'est ce que l'on dit de moi ?"
"Qu'est ce que l'on dit de moi ?"
On dit de vous en ville
On dit de vous en ville
"Que vous serez pendu"
"Que vous serez pendu"
"Puisqu'il faut que l'on me pende
"Puisqu'il faut que l'on me pende
Déliez moi les pieds
Déliez moi les pieds"
La fille était jeunette
La fille était jeunette
Et lui délia les pieds
Et lui délia les pieds
Les pieds lui a délié
Les pieds lui a délié
Le prisonnier alerte
Le prisonnier alerte
Dans la Loire s'est jeté
Dans la Loire s'est jeté
Dès qu'il fût sur la rive
Dès qu'il fût sur la rive
Il se mit à chanter
Il se mit à chanter
Je chante pour les belles
Je chante pour les belles
Surtout celle du geôlier
Surtout celle du geôlier
Si je reviens à Nantes
Si je reviens à Nantes
Oui, je l'épouserai
Oui, je l'épouserai
Dans les prisons de Nantes
Dans les prisons de Nantes
Y'avait un prisonnier
Y'avait un prisonnier
The song "Dans Les Prisons De Nantes" by Nolwenn Leroy tells the story of a prisoner in the prisons of Nantes who is visited only by the jailer's daughter. He asks her what people are saying about him outside and she tells him that they say he will be hanged. He then asks her to untie his feet and, when she does, he escapes by jumping into the Loire river.
Once he is out of the prison and on the riverbank, he begins to sing. He sings about beautiful women, especially the jailer's daughter, whom he says he will marry if he ever returns to Nantes. The lyrics of the song are simple and repetitive, emphasizing the prisoner's longing for freedom and love.
The song is based on a traditional French folk song that dates back to the 18th century. It is believed to have originated in the Breton region of France, where Nantes is located. Over the years, many different versions of the song have been recorded by various artists, each adding their own unique interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
Dans les prisons de Nantes
In the prisons of Nantes
Y'avait un prisonnier
There was a prisoner
Personne ne vient le voir
No one comes to see him
Que la fille du geôlier
Except for the jailer's daughter
Un jour il lui demande:
One day he asks her:
"Qu'est ce que l'on dit de moi ?"
"What are they saying about me?"
On dit de vous en ville
They say in town
"Que vous serez pendu"
"That you will be hanged"
"Puisqu'il faut que l'on me pende
"Since I have to be hanged
Déliez moi les pieds
Untie my feet
La fille était jeunette
The girl was young
Et lui délia les pieds
And she untied his feet
Les pieds lui a délié
She untied his feet
Le prisonnier alerte
The prisoner alert
Dans la Loire s'est jeté
Jumped into the Loire
Dès qu'il fût sur la rive
As soon as he was on the bank
Il se mit à chanter
He started singing
Je chante pour les belles
I sing for the pretty ones
Surtout celle du geôlier
Especially the jailer's daughter
Si je reviens à Nantes
If I come back to Nantes
Oui, je l'épouserai
Yes, I will marry her
Dans les prisons de Nantes
In the prisons of Nantes
Y'avait un prisonnier
There was a prisoner
Contributed by Bella T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Aleksa Plevnik
Les paroles/ Lyrics / Tekst :
Dans les prisons de Nantes
Y avait un prisonnier
Personne ne vint le voir
Que la fille du geôlier
Un jour il lui demande
Qu'est-ce que l'on dit de moi ?
On dit de vous en ville
Que vous serez pendu
Puisqu'il faut qu'on me pende
Déliez-moi les pieds
La fille était jeunette
Les pieds lui a délié
Le prisonnier alerte
Dans la Loire s'est jeté
Dès qu'il fût sur la rive
Il se mit à chanter
Je chante pour les belles
Surtout celle du geôlier
Si je reviens à Nantes
Oui je l'épouserai
Dans les prisons de Nantes
Y avait un prisonnier
ENGLISH
In the prisons of Nantes
Was a prisoner
No one came to see him
But the jalior's daughter
One day he asked her
What are they saying about me?
In the town they say
That you are going to be hanged
Since they will hang me
Untie my feet
The girl was young
She untied his feet
The lively prisoner
Jumped into the Loire
Once he had made it to the shore
He began to sing
I sing for all the beauties
But especially the daughter of the jalior
And if I return to Nantes
Yea, I will marry her
In the prisons of Nantes
There was a prisoner
https://lyricstranslate.com
Aleksa Plevnik
Les paroles/ Lyrics / Tekst :
Dans les prisons de Nantes
Y avait un prisonnier
Personne ne vint le voir
Que la fille du geôlier
Un jour il lui demande
Qu'est-ce que l'on dit de moi ?
On dit de vous en ville
Que vous serez pendu
Puisqu'il faut qu'on me pende
Déliez-moi les pieds
La fille était jeunette
Les pieds lui a délié
Le prisonnier alerte
Dans la Loire s'est jeté
Dès qu'il fût sur la rive
Il se mit à chanter
Je chante pour les belles
Surtout celle du geôlier
Si je reviens à Nantes
Oui je l'épouserai
Dans les prisons de Nantes
Y avait un prisonnier
ENGLISH
In the prisons of Nantes
Was a prisoner
No one came to see him
But the jalior's daughter
One day he asked her
What are they saying about me?
In the town they say
That you are going to be hanged
Since they will hang me
Untie my feet
The girl was young
She untied his feet
The lively prisoner
Jumped into the Loire
Once he had made it to the shore
He began to sing
I sing for all the beauties
But especially the daughter of the jalior
And if I return to Nantes
Yea, I will marry her
In the prisons of Nantes
There was a prisoner
https://lyricstranslate.com
Azidhane Awal
Je vous regarde, je vous écoute inlassablement plusieurs fois par jour. Vous êtes tout simplement merveilleuse.
yoyo501eme
Elle a juste envi de faire connaitre c'est trés belles chansons a travers la France bravo a Nolwenn et aux Tri Yann :)
96anarion
Piękna piosenka! J'adore!
crapotte42
Très belle chanson,puis nolwenn a une très belle voix,sa donne un coup de jeune a la chanson,vraiment très belle chanson
Ussondupoitou
Attention, la chanson "Dans les prisons de Nantes" avec cette mélodie n'est pas bretonne mais québécoise et s'appellait au départ "Dans la prison de Londres". Les paroles ont été adaptées pour la France au début du XXème siècle. On retrouve cette chanson interpretée avec différentes mélodies et paroles par des grands noms de la musique française comme Edith Piaf et les compagnons de la chansons, ou encore plus récemment, nos chers Bretons de Tri Yann, puis Nolwenn.
Leucippe
Toutes les chansons traditionnelles qu'elles Bretonnes ou non ont été remises au gout du jour et oui il faut s'adapter au marché au risque que notre folklore soit oublié à jamais n'en déplaise à certains.
claudem1600
bravo nolwen,super album j'adore...
Asuryan
j'aime bien comment nolwenn a repris beaucoup des chanson bretonne ce qui je pense aucun chanteur n'aurais pensait faire. Je touve cette chanson super mais si ce n'est pas elle qu'il la inventer
Morgane
J'aime trop cette version En + chanté par une femme on ne peut que Féliciter Bravo Nolwenn :))