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
Karantez Vro
Nolwenn Leroy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Baoe va yaouankiz he dougan
Rak, siwazh, an hini a garen
Ne gare ket pezh a garan.
Eñ na gare nemet ar c'hêriou,
Ar morioù don, ar broioù pell,
Ha ne garen 'met ar maezioù,
Maezioù ken kaer va Breizh-Izel.
Ret' voe didab 'tre div garantez :
Karantrez-vro, karantez den.
D'am bro am eus gouestlet va buhez
Ha lezet da vont 'n hini 'garen.
Biskoazh klevet keloù outañ.
Ar gleizhenn em c'halon zo chomet
Pa ne gare ket pezh a garan
Pep den a dle heuilh e donkadur :
Honnezh eo lezenn ar bed-mañ.
Gwasket 'voe va c'halon a-dra-sur,
Met 'gare ket pezh a garan.
Dezhañ pinvidigezh, enorioù,
Din-me paourentez ha dispriz.
Met 'drokfen ket evit teñzorioù
Va Bro, va Yezh ha va Frankiz.
The lyrics to Nolwenn Leroy's song Karantez Vro speaks of love for one's homeland and the importance of following one's convictions, even when it may not be popular or understood by others. The first verse tells of a red bird in the singer's heart and how since their youth they have carried this bird with them. The red bird symbolizes the love and passion for their homeland. The singer says that those they love do not love the same things as they do, as they only love the cities, the distant seas, and foreign lands, but they do not love the fields of their lower Brittany.
The second verse talks of two different kinds of love, the love for one's country and the love for one's people. The singer says they have tried to reconcile both loves, the love for their country and the love for the person they love. They have heard cruel rumors about them but they still held love in their heart, even if it was not reciprocated. The third verse talks about how each person should follow their own path, and that it is the law of the world. The singer says their heart has been broken before, but they still love what they love even if it may be misunderstood or unappreciated by others. They have given up wealth, honors, condemnation, and contempt for their country, their language, and their freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
E korn va c'halon 'zo ur gleizhenn
In the corner of my heart, there is a fern
'Baoe va yaouankiz he dougan
That my youth has carried with it
Rak, siwazh, an hini a garen
Because, indeed, the one we love
Ne gare ket pezh a garan.
Does not love what we love.
Eñ na gare nemet ar c'hêriou,
They only love the castles,
Ar morioù don, ar broioù pell,
The rough seas and distant lands,
Ha ne garen 'met ar maezioù,
But we only love the fields,
Maezioù ken kaer va Breizh-Izel.
The beautiful fields of Lower Brittany.
Ret' voe didab 'tre div garantez
I had to choose between two loves
Karantrez-vro, karantez den.
The love of country, the love of man.
D'am bro am eus gouestlet va buhez
I have dedicated my life to my country
Ha lezet da vont 'n hini 'garen.
And left to go towards the one I love.
Biskoazh klevet keloù outañ.
Forever hearing their calls.
Ar gleizhenn em c'halon zo chomet
The fern in my heart has remained
Pa ne gare ket pezh a garan
Even though they don't love what I love
Pep den a dle heuilh e donkadur
Everyone must follow their destiny
Honnezh eo lezenn ar bed-mañ.
That is the law of this world.
Gwasket 'voe va c'halon a-dra-sur,
My heart was broken,
Met 'gare ket pezh a garan.
But they don't love what I love.
Dezhañ pinvidigezh, enorioù,
They have wealth, honors,
Din-me paourentez ha dispriz.
To me, poverty and disdain.
Met 'drokfen ket evit teñzorioù
But I won't exchange for treasures,
Va Bro, va Yezh ha va Frankiz.
My country, my language, and my freedom.
Contributed by Bella M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Overlord Levesque
I really love Nolwenn, she is my favorite singer.
I found this translation on internet:
Karantez Vro (For Love of Homeland).
In my heart there lays a wound,
Since my youth the scars were there
Because, alas, the one I loved
did not love what I loved.
He liked only the city,
Not the vast sea and the farway;
I liked only the countryside,
the beauty of the country of Brittany.
I had to choose between two great loves,
The love of homeland, and the love of a man;
To my country I offered my life,
And there my beloved could never follow
Since, I never saw him again,
I never knew what happened to him -
In my heart the wound still bleeds,
Because what I loved he did not love.
Each one of us must live by Fate
Thus, it is in this world.
Bruised, indeed, was my heart,
For what I loved he did not love
To him, honors and wealth
To me, a despised and humble life.
But I would not exchange it for any treasure,
My country, my language and my freedom
Verell Wassko
E korn va c'halon 'zo ur gleizhenn
'Baoe va yaouankiz he dougan
Rak, siwazh, an hini a garen
Ne gare ket pezh a garan.
Eñ na gare nemet ar c'hêriou,
Ar morioù don, ar broioù pell,
Ha ne garen 'met ar maezioù,
Maezioù ken kaer va Breizh-Izel.
Ret voe didab 'tre div garantez :
Karantrez-vro, karantez den.
D'am bro am eus gouestlet va buhez
Ha lezet da vont 'n hini 'garen.
Biskoazh klevet keloù outañ.
Ar gleizhenn em c'halon zo chomet
Pa ne gare ket pezh a garan
Pep den a dle heuilh e donkadur :
Honnezh eo lezenn ar bed-mañ.
Gwasket 'voe va c'halon a-dra-sur,
Met 'gare ket pezh a garan.
Dezhañ pinvidigezh, enorioù,
Din-me paourentez ha dispriz.
Met 'drokfen ket evit teñzorioù
Va Bro, va Yezh ha va Franki
Jean-Claude BELLEC
superbe chanson mise en musique par Véronique AUTRET, chanteuse du groupe Gwarlarm, les paroles sont de notre grande Poétesse Anjela Duval
AMOUR, PATRIE,
En mon cœur est ma blessure,
Depuis ma jeunesse y reste gravée
Car, hélas, celui que j'aimais
Ce que j'aime n'aimait pas.
Lui n'aimait que la ville,
La grande mer et les lointains ;
Je n'aimais que la campagne,
Beauté des campagnes de Bretagne.
Entre deux amours il me fallut choisir
Amour-patrie, amour de l'homme ;
A mon pays j'ai offert ma vie,
Et s'en est allé celui que j'aimais.
Depuis, jamais je ne l'ai revu,
Jamais connu de ses nouvelles.
En mon cœur saigne la blessure
Car ce que j'aime, il n'aimait pas.
Chacun sa Destinée doit vivre,
Ainsi en ce monde en est-il.
Meurtri, certes, fut mon cœur,
Mais ce que j'aime, il n'aimait pas.
A lui, honneurs et richesse
A moi, mépris et humble vie.
Mais je n'échangerais contre nul trésor
Mon pays, ma langue et ma liberté.
Christophe Rameau
Pas de beauté vulgaire, pas d'insultes ni de combats stupides et illusoires, une présentation toujours soignée, classe pleine de gout et une voix qui impose le respect. Une simplicité élégante et talentueuse. Je ne m'en lasse pas.
JOCELYNE HELOU
Merci Nolwenn ! Tu chantes merveilleusement bien le poème d'Anjéla Duval !! J'en ai les larmes aux yeux !!🙏❤💐🎶🎼🌊
Loïc FRIAUT
Plus on l'écoute plus on a envie de l'écouter, cette cahnson tiré d'un poème d' Angéla Duval est magnifique
Isabelle Le Boussard
Mon papa adoré est parti ...mon cœur et celui de ma fratrie saignent 💔 et celui de ma mère est anéanti 😢. Nous sommes orphelins d'une âme douce et généreuse. Nous avons passé cette belle chanson à ses obsèques. Mon papa adoré était locuteur breton et avec sa bonté s'en est aussi allée une part de la mémoire de nos ancêtres Bretons . Je suis si triste qu'il ne soit plus là, j'ai perdu une part de ma vie ...😥
Marcello1926
Moi c’était mon frère, un breton de cœur
Rap A-iti
Quelle superbe interprétation du beau texte de la poétesse bretonne Angela Duval!! Merci Nolwenn de nous apporter autant de douceur, de beauté...et d'esprit d'ouverture!! Si des millions de personnes apprécient, sache qu'en tant que brittophones on se régale d'autant plus!!
Joris Pattyn
Arguably the most haunting and touching song ever heard, sung by a artist that hardly has her equal.
Sylvie Pavy
C'est joli, doux, apaisant. Heureusement qu'il existe encore des gens de valeurs.
Jérôme Le Melinaire
C'est juste magnifique. Cette chanson me transporte. La musique, les arrangements, tout est parfait ! Nolwenn me rend tellement fier d'être breton. Bel hommage au poème de Angela Duval et à la langue bretonne.
Anne-Marie Guillarmou
Quel bonheur que d'entendre Nolwenn chanter, je ne m'en lasse jamais et j'adore.