Sexe fort (Eng: Stronger Gender) is the name of the seventh studio album recorded by the French artist Patricia Kaas. It was released in 2003 and achieved success in many countries, including Belgium, Switzerland and France, but its sales were less than Kaas' previous albums.

Sexe fort
Studio album by
Released1 December 2003
RecordedBrussels, Belgium
Capri, Italy
GenreJazz Rock, Chanson
LabelSony Musique, Columbia
Patricia Kaas chronology
Piano Bar
(2002)
Sexe fort
(2003)
Toute la musique...
(2005)
Singles from Sexes fort
  1. "Où sont les hommes"
    Released: 2003
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Background edit

This seventh studio album was released on December 1, 2003.

As for the previous albums, Kaas was surrounded by famous songwriters who had already worked with her. For example, Jean-Jacques Goldman participated with the song "C'est la faute à la vie" (Eng: "That's the Problem with Life") and "On pourrait" (Eng: "We Could"), which he also produced himself ; by the way, this last song was recorded as a duet with the Swiss artist Stephan Eicher. Pascal Obispo, who was particularly involved in the composing of Le Mot de passe, wrote the song "L'Abbé Caillou" (Eng: "The Abbot Caillou"), whose title is a play with and a tribute to the Abbé Pierre. French singers and songwriters Patrick Fiori, Louis Bertignac and Renaud also participated in the writing of at least one song.

This album was followed by a tour performed by the singer around the world, the seventh one.

Chart performances and critical reception edit

In France, the album was not as successful as Kaas' first five studio albums. It went to #9 on November 30, 2003, then dropped almost every week. It managed to stabilize in the low positions and totaled only 12 weeks in the top 50, 15 weeks in the top 100 and 39 weeks on the chart (top 200).[2] It was certified double gold[3] and appeared respectively at #70 and #150 on 2003 and 2004 End of the Year Charts.[4][5]

In Belgium (Wallonia), the album started at #35 on December 6, 2003, before climbing to #5 and finally reached #3. However, it fell off the top ten after its fourth week and dropped slowly on the chart, until its 16th week.[6]

In Switzerland, the album was charted for 14 weeks, from December 14, 2003, to March 21, 2004. It peaked at #6 in it second week and remained for three weeks in the top ten, and ten weeks in the top 50.[7] It achieved gold status.[8]

The album met a moderate success in Finland, peaking at #31 with only two weeks on the chart,[9] and #55 in Germany.

Following the release of Sexe fort, Kaas received a particular distinction on December 8, 2003, when she received the First Class Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for her contribution to friendship between France and Germany, an honour that until then had been awarded to only a few international artists.

Track listing edit

# Title[10] Length
1. "Où sont les hommes"
(L.Ivanne / B.Ghigilone)
3:49
2. "L'Abbé Caillou"
(P.Y.Lebert / P.Obispo)
4:38
3. "Je ne veux plus pardonner"
(D.Manet / S.Campanile)
3:25
4. "La Nuit est mauve"
(Renaud / F.Bernheim)
4:18
5. "C'est les Femmes qui mènent la danse"
(D.Manet)
3:31
6. "On Pourrait" (duet with Stephan Eicher)
(J.J.Goldman)
3:44
7. "J'en tremblerai encore"
(D.Manet)
3:05
8. "Je t'aime, je ne t'aime plus"
(E.Roda Gil / D.Manet)
2:55
9. "C'est la faute à la vie"
(J.J.Goldman)
3:38
10. "Je le garde pour toi"
(E.Andreu - J.Kapler / J.Kapler)
3:21
11. "La Blessure"
(S.Campanile / S.Moraillon / P.M.Dupont)
3:18
12. "Des Regrets"
(P.B.Carmen)
4:58
13. "Tu pourras dire"
(M.J.Zarb - P.Fiori / N.Kamiel - P.Fiori)
3:30
14. "Peut-être que peut-être"
(F.Cabrel - O.Dodone / B.Le Roux)
3:49
15. "Une Question de temps"
(D.Manet / L.Bertignac)
3:45

Credits edit

Recording edit

  • Arranged by Frédéric Helbert
  • Except : Jean-Jacques Goldman and Erick Benzi (6, 9), Pierre Jaconelli (2), Frédéric Helbert and Louis Bertignac (15), Frédéric Helbert and Pascal B.Carmen (12), Thierry "Tyty" Blanchard and J.Kapler (10)
  • Executive producer and vocal direction : Richard Walter
  • Engineer, mixing : Bruno Fourrier
  • Assistant : Matthieu Dallaporta
  • Additional engineers : Erick Benzi and Phil Delire
  • Except mixing : Erick Benzi and le Triangle (6, 9), Bruno Fourrier and Pierre Jaconelli (2), Thierry Blanchard "Tyty" (12)
  • Assistants Capri : Manuel Farolfi, Riccardo Durante
  • Artistic direction : Michel Boulanger
  • In charge of production : Richard Walter Productions (Martine Trendel, Ghislaine Real)
  • Recorded and mixed at Studios ICP (Brussels, Belgium), Capri Digital Studio (Capri, Italy)
  • Mastering : JC Beaudon à Translab
  • Artwork : peggy.m / Malo
  • Photos : peggy.m
  • Light conception : Hamoudi Laggoune from C4 Productions
  • Make up : Aurélia Jugenet
  • Hairdresser : Jean-Paul Ealet
  • Management : ITC (Richard Walter, Cyril Prieur), Zurich, Switzerland

Musicians and vocalists edit

  • Keyboards, syncs and proclamations : Frédéric Helbert (1, 3-5, 7, 8, 11-15), Matthieu Vaughan (2), Pancho, Erick Benzi and Charly Valora (6, 9), Thierry "Tyty" Blanchard (10)
  • Guitars : Frédéric Helbert, Milton Mc Donald, Pierre Jaconelli, Pascal B.Carmen, Louis Bertignac, Jeff Bourassin, André Hampartzoumian, Bruno Le Roux
  • Bass : Nicolas Fiszman, Bernard Viguié
  • Drum kit : Roy Martin, Ian Thomas, Amaury Blanchard
  • Harmonica : "Diabolo" (3, 4, 7, 13)
  • Piano : Jean-Jacques Goldman (9)
  • First violins : Mark Steylaerts, Marian Taché, Vadin Tsiboulevsky, Eric Baeten, Gudrun Vercampt, Karel Ingelaere, Maurits Goosens, Eva Zylka
  • Second violins : Véronique Gilis, Bart Lammens, Carol Minor, Alissa Vaitsner, Eva Vermeeren, Dirk Uten
  • Violas : Marc Tooten, Philippe Allard, Jeroen Robbrecht, Liesbeth De Lombaert, Katrien Smedts
  • Cellos : Karel Steylaerts, Lode Vercampt, Herwig Coryn, Sigrid Van Den Bogaerde
  • Double bass : Koenraad Hofman, Charice Adriaansen
  • Background vocals : Dominique "Doudou" Greffier (1, 3, 12, 15), Dark Vador (1,3), Pascal Obispo (2), Jean-Jacques Goldman and Erick Benzi (6), Louis Bertignac (15)

Charts edit

Certifications and sales edit

Region Certification Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)[23] 2× Gold 200,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[24] Gold 20,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References edit

  1. ^ AllMusic review
  2. ^ Sexe fort, French Albums Chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved June 4, 2008)
  3. ^ Kaas's certifications in France Chartsinfrance.net (Retrieved June 4, 2008)
  4. ^ 2003 French Albums Chart Ifop.com Archived 2008-05-13 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved June 2, 2008)
  5. ^ 2004 French Albums Chart Ifop.com Archived 2008-11-14 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved June 4, 2008)
  6. ^ Sexe fort, Belgian (Wallonia) Albums Chart Ultratop.be (Retrieved June 4, 2008)
  7. ^ Sexe fort, Swiss Albums Chart Hitparade.ch (Retrieved June 4, 2008)
  8. ^ 2003 certifications in Switzerland Swisscharts.com (Retrieved June 4, 2008)
  9. ^ Sexe fort, Finnish Albums Chart Finnishcharts.com (Retrieved June 4, 2008)
  10. ^ Sexe fort, track listing allmusic.com (Retrieved June 4, 2008)
  11. ^ "Ultratop.be – Patricia Kaas – Sexe fort" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  12. ^ "Ultratop.be – Patricia Kaas – Sexe fort" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  13. ^ "Patricia Kaas: Sexe fort" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  14. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  15. ^ "Lescharts.com – Patricia Kaas – Sexe fort". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  16. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Patricia Kaas – Sexe fort" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  17. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Patricia Kaas – Sexe fort". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  18. ^ "Лучшая 10-ка НФПФ. Декабрь 2003г" (in Russian). National Federation of Phonogram Producers. Archived from the original on 8 January 2005. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  19. ^ "Classement Albums - année 2003" (in French). SNEP. Archived from the original on September 24, 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  20. ^ "Rapports Annuels 2004" (in French). Ultratop & Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  21. ^ "Classement Albums - année 2004" (in French). SNEP. Archived from the original on September 24, 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  22. ^ "Swiss Year-end Charts 2004". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  23. ^ "French album certifications – Patricia Kaas – Sexe fort" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  24. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Sexe fort')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.