Barbara Pravi Releases Her New Album ‘La Pieva’

Relentless and unrepented serotonin provider Barbara Pravi could well be accused on three counts of incitement, for self-love (“Bravo”), positively revolting (“Lève-toi”) and to respect freedom (“Marianne”).

In 2021, she leapt to second place at the Eurovision Song Contest with her masterful single “Voilà” - now certified quadruple diamond with 200 million streams and counting - further engraving her vibrato in the popular psyche. The follow-up album ‘On n'enferme pas les oiseaux’, (100,000 copies sold internationally) earned her the Best Female Newcomer accolade at the French music awards and the Sacem Grand Prix for Song of the Year.

Patron of the Collective d'Arles, a place of listening and female support, the woman who had opened up about her abortions and her first boyfriend’s toxic violence, adds another coin to her personal jukebox with a new 8-of-March song. Barbara Pravi lends her black curls and great enthusiasm to help her fellow citizens further and mark International Women's Day. This year, with “Marianne”, she proudly honoured the liberty, equality, fraternity motto and opened her arms to welcome all oppressed women, not least her Iranian sisters. With visuals created by graphic artist and illustrator Marjane Satrapi, and infused by the libertarian anthem Baraye, performed by actress and singer Golshifteh Farahani, the track feeds on her core beliefs as well as her family tree, the roots of which connect Serbia, Iran, Poland and France. Retracing the thread of her ancestry, the artist sets off on the trail of a Gypsy, baptised the Pieva, - literally the singer - a widow, who walked from village to village through the Serbian mountains.

On stage, seasoned by an impressive international tour of 150 shows, she sheds her debutant skin to embrace leonine power. Having learnt to love herself better, she sows passions as did Dalida before her, an artist she wonderfully covers on stage. Explosive and twirling, swinging her arms or holding out her fist, the effervescent singer has enough charisma to sweep everyone away. Her infectious generosity is enough to prompt an 80,000-strong stadium into doing the Mexican wave as she did during the Jeux de La Francophonie opening ceremony in Kinshasa, DRC. She is equally moving when singing behind the piano in the solemn setting of an intimate chapel.

Echoing her desire for transparency, her new album ‘La Pieva’, is both introspective and universal. For almost ten years, Barbara Pravi has kept the letter with her that Deda, her Serbian grandfather, wrote to her. A handwritten note that reveals the origin of their name and the existence of Pieva, the whimsical storyteller and singer. From an injunction to honour her artistic filiation, her powerful stories now rise to life from the ashes, interlaced with notes of love and hope. With this album, it’s truly her blood that Barbara Pravi is looking to honour.

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