Cathy Claret
Cathy Claret | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sur de Francia |
| Origin | España |
| Genres | Pop, flamenco, chanson, música experimental, Shibuya-kei |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instruments | Voz, guitarra, bajo, flauta, percusión, instrumentos de juguete |
| Years active | 1980s–presente |
| Labels | Virgin Records, Les Disques du Crépuscule, Subterfuge Records, Warner Music Group, Respect Record |
Cathy Claret is an artist, composer, producer, singer and self-taught multi-instrumentalist originally from the south of France and based in Spain since the early 1980s. Her work, developed between pop, flamenco, chanson, experimental sound art and toy instruments, is considered one of the earliest European musical projects to organically merge Gypsy flamenco with contemporary pop and avant-garde music.[citation needed]
Early career
Before launching her solo career, she worked as an instrumentalist playing bass, guitar, flute and percussion in several underground and avant-garde scenes connected to Barcelona, Seville and France. She soon began composing and performing her own songs in Spanish, French, English and Caló, creating a highly personal hybrid musical language. Her voice has often been compared to those of Astrud Gilberto, Jane Birkin and Françoise Hardy.[citation needed]
Virgin Records and first international recognition
In the mid-1980s she sent a demo tape to Virgin Records France. The label signed her in Paris and released the single "¿Por qué, por qué?" in 1986, a song that would later become a cult classic within international pop music. The track circulated in France, Japan and several other countries, and was later re-recorded in a second version with producer Ben Rogan, known for his work with Sade.[1]
Cathy Claret performed the single at the Zénith in Paris as opening act for Les Rita Mitsouko and New York rapper Prince Charles. She also took part in a promotional tour across bullrings alongside Vanessa Paradis.[citation needed]
Les Disques du Crépuscule period
Cathy Claret / Cathy Claret
Following this first French period, she released her debut album Cathy Claret / Cathy Claret through the Belgian label Les Disques du Crépuscule. Recorded between Paris and Seville, the album established many of the defining elements of her artistic universe: flamenco melodies mixed with minimalist pop, Latin rhythms, experimental arrangements and an intimate, sensual vocal style. The album received reviews in international publications such as NME, Melody Maker and Les Inrockuptibles, becoming a reference within the late-1980s alternative scene.[2]
Without major marketing campaigns or television exposure, the album achieved an unusual international circulation for a record sung mostly in Spanish. It was released across Europe as well as in Japan and the United Kingdom, often with different artwork and editions depending on the country. Over time, Cathy Claret / Cathy Claret became an international cult record, regarded as an important work within alternative pop, Gypsy flamenco fusion and underground music of the late 1980s and early 1990s.[citation needed]
Reception in Japan and Shibuya-kei
From the late 1980s onward, Cathy Claret developed a particularly strong following in Japan, where she would later be rediscovered as an early influence on the sensibility associated with the Shibuya-kei movement. Her music became associated with Japanese artists such as Kahimi Karie, Cornelius, Hideki Kaji and Yukako Hayase.[3]
Soleil et Locura
She later released Soleil et Locura with Les Disques du Crépuscule. The album was recorded between Paris, Brussels and Seville at the studio of Jesús Bola (Pañoleta Records), a place also associated with recordings by Camarón de la Isla. On this album she developed a rawer and more experimental sound, closer to a live performance aesthetic. The record includes the song "Bolleré", later performed by Raimundo Amador together with B.B. King, becoming a notable example of flamenco and American blues fusion.[4]
Collaborations
During those years she also participated in international compilations and collective projects alongside artists linked to the Crépuscule and Virgin catalogues, including John Cale, Joy Division, Wim Mertens, Isabelle Antena and Bryan Ferry. Cathy Claret also collaborated extensively with Pascal Comelade, performing as both musician and singer on numerous albums and stage projects, while also co-founding the ensemble Bel Canto Orquestra.[citation needed]
Film music
Alongside her recording career, she developed significant work as a film composer. She wrote original music for films such as Sam Sufit — featuring participation by Neneh Cherry — Cenizas del paraíso, Otros días vendrán and Dame veneno, as well as the fashion short film Two, created with Manuel Albarrán and Daniel Cubero, expanding her language toward cinematic and atmospheric territories.[citation needed]
Later work
After a period of lower public visibility, she returned with La chica del viento (2000), an album focused on more acoustic songwriting. In 2003 she released Susurrando through Subterfuge Records, a work that deepened her intimate and minimalist aesthetic.[5]
She later entered an independent production phase with the album Gypsy Flower, recorded between Spain and several European countries. The album featured collaborations with musicians such as Finley Quaye, Hook Herrera and Jerónimo Maya, as well as members of the families of Manzanita and Las Grecas.
This was followed by Solita en el mundo, distributed under license by Warner Music Group, and later recordings that continued her blend of flamenco, chanson and "pop canastero".
In 2018 and 2022 she worked with the Japanese label Respect Record, releasing La primavera and Así soy yo. Both albums reinforced her longstanding connection with Japan and featured collaborations with Soleá Morente and Lin Cortés.[6]
Throughout her career she has also collaborated or shared projects with artists such as Pata Negra, Rossy de Palma, Sorderita, Veneno, Finley Quaye, Soleá Morente and Emilio Caracafé.
Visual work and social dimension
The social and human dimension has also played an important role in the visual universe surrounding her music. Many of her music videos and audiovisual works were created together with friends from marginalized Gypsy neighborhoods, deliberately moving away from conventional music industry aesthetics. Some of these projects were filmed in places such as Campo de la Bota, Can Tunis, Las Tres Mil Viviendas, Sant Roc and La Mina, bringing a close and human perspective to her visual work.[citation needed]
Legacy
Decades later, her influence remains active: in 2025, a Tokyo club dedicated two themed nights to the album Cathy Claret / Cathy Claret, reflecting the lasting impact of her music within Japanese cult-pop and alternative music scenes.[7]
Museo Flamenco Pop
Alongside her musical career, she also created the Museo Flamenco Pop, an artistic and documentary project dedicated to the memory of Gypsy flamenco-pop and the importance of contemporary Romani musical culture. The archive brings together nearly one thousand vinyl records, recordings, photographs and documents related to the history of flamenco-pop and its international connections. Museo Flamenco Pop has organized exhibitions, audiovisual sessions, cultural mediation activities and presentations in various venues across Spain and France, ranging from cultural institutions and contemporary art biennials to penitentiary centres, connecting art, memory and social engagement.[8]
Discography
Albums
- Cathy Claret / Cathy Claret (Les Disques du Crépuscule)
- Soleil et Locura (Les Disques du Crépuscule)
- La chica del viento (2000)
- Susurrando (Subterfuge Records, 2003)
- Gypsy Flower
- Solita en el mundo (Warner Music Group)
- La primavera (Respect Record, 2018)
- Así soy yo (Respect Record, 2022)
Selected singles
- "¿Por qué, por qué?" (Virgin Records, 1986)
- "Bolleré"
Filmography (selected film scores)
- Sam Sufit
- Cenizas del paraíso
- Otros días vendrán
- Dame veneno
- Two (short film)
References
External links
- [https:// Official website]
- Cathy Claret discography at Discogs
Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:French women singers Category:French women composers Category:Flamenco singers Category:Spanish pop singers Category:French expatriates in Spain Category:Virgin Records artists Category:Shibuya-kei musicians
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