In France in 2006, two songs that were constantly on the airwaves came from the album La Femme chocolat by Olivia Ruiz: “J’traine des pieds” and “La Femme chocolat.” I liked them for their musicality and the unique timbre of Ruiz’s voice.

You can listen to both songs below:

In 2007, Olivia Ruiz won Female Artist of the Year at Les Victoires de la Musique, the French equivalent of the Grammys and the album went on to sell over 750,000 copies in France. Her next album, Miss Météores, also topped the charts in 2009 with the single “Elle Panique.”

Listen to “Elle Panique” with the French lyrics here:

“Elle Panique,” along with many other Ruiz songs, relies on a lot of slang that may be difficult for non-native speakers to understand. For example, “Fous-moi la paix, ma sale caboche!” (Leave me alone, you stupid head!). (Please keep in mind that fous-moi la paix is pretty rude and is somewhat equivalent to the British term “bugger off,” thus it’s a bit stronger than the English translation I’ve added here.)

Ruiz’s next album, Le Calme et La Tempête, was released in 2012 to a much quiet reception. And then, for four years, she did not release another album. Her new album, which will be released on November 18th, has already made more waves than the last one with glowing reviews by many French music critics. Her return was heralded by Le Parisien in an article that included the album in its entirety for free streaming. (You can listen to Ruiz’s new album, and read more about her career, here: AUDIO. Olivia Ruiz: écoutez en avant-première son nouvel album «A nos corps-aimants»). The new album, A nos Corps–Aimants, is catchy, and clever, and fun. Take a listen and let us know what you think about it in the comments below!