“This language must live” … Alvan and Ahes want to make Breton shine

“We’re in a parallel universe.” Eurovision France, you decide, It’s hard to realize that the quartet has just won tickets to the world’s biggest concert. On May 14, in Turin (Italy), he will voluntarily defend the tricolor opportunities FullenA song entirely in Breton.

“It’s a language we’m been ashamed of for a long time. Now it’s a real honor to bring it to Eurovision,” says Marine Levigne, one of the members of the Ahes who wrote the lyrics. Spark ‘and’ beautiful girl ‘. It’s fire, passion, dance, celebration, ”he explains.

Along with Sterenn Diridollou and Sterenn Le Guillou, the latter joined electro artist Alexis Morwan last summer in a common project called Alvan, combining their musical influences to celebrate their roots. “My grandmother Breton talked, but I’m not talking about it at all. First I learned the song as a soundtrack, then I learned the meaning. Fullen Said the young man.

“We’ve going to represent our region, we’re going to represent France, which is incredible.”

“We composed this song together and sent it to the French selection for Eurovision:” Why not? We’re trying. “Then we’re going to Turin. We’ve going to represent our region, we ‘re going to represent France, which is unbelievable,” said Steren Le Quillo.

The song is Came first in the votes of the ten-person arbitral tribunal – Among them, Cyril Féraud, Nicoletta, Andre Manoukian, Elodie Gossuin, Agustin Galiana and Jenifer gave him the highest score – but also from the public. “It was a tidal wave,” says Alexandra Red-Amil, director of entertainment for France Televisions and head of the French delegation to Eurovision.

Alvan and Ahaz say they did not expect such a consensus. “We know that Brittany and the regions with strong identities in France support us. Anyway, as part of that, advance to Marine Levine. We feel a change of mood, especially in the arbitral tribunal. These big names in French song and French culture gave the opportunity to check out this song and represent France in this language. Is beautiful. I think we are moving towards the best. ⁇

It must be remembered that in our centralized country, the history of the Breton language is not without conflicts or sufferings. Between the 19th and mid-20th centuries, in particular, it was hated, resisted, and suppressed. In 2018, step Public Office of the Breton LanguageIt had only 225,000 active speakers.

“Breton shows its place in music”

“There are other minority languages ​​in Europe. If there is at least one that can be heard in Turin, it is unbelievable,” Marine Levigne continues.

“We want this language to survive. Being here is a huge success. It’s a magic wand, ”he said with tears in his eyes.

They believe Eurovision will act as a sounding board. “Our aim is to show that the challenge we wanted to take by putting this song into innocent acting is that we can mix Breton with the most modern sounds. This is a very beautiful language, it’s ours.