In Paris, they stopped believing in bohemia long ago – at least in the kind that fits into postcards with Montmartre and Café “Les Deux Magots”. It hides in studios beyond Périphérique, records tracks on coffee-stained laptops, absorbs the influence of the entire world and gives back something that’s impossible to tie to one place or time. Singer Tennin is of this breed. Upon first listening to her music and performance, I understood the girl doesn’t strive to be French in the traditional sense. Her melancholy is special. It’s characteristic precisely of Paris: a city where beauty and fatigue exist on the same plane.
And it seems to me that Tennin’s new single “Au Creux De Ma Main”, released on December 5th, very convincingly demonstrates this. Listening to it, I wanted to find myself on the morning fog-covered embankment of the Seine. You’ll agree that not every music can evoke such vivid visual images. The French language itself adds texture and charm, and the title “Au Creux De Ma Main” (“In the curve of my palm”) conveys something very intimate and careful – as if holding a precious moment. A strong association of place and mood arises, which speaks to Tennin’s mastery in working with sound and atmosphere. Her production is built on contrasts, but without sharp edges. The beats are muted, the bass beats on the edge of audibility, the synthesizers stretch in a long shadow. Tennin’s hypnotic vocals sound in an undertone – she doesn’t strive to strike with power, but wants to be heard. The poetic title “Au Creux De Ma Main” in my view conceals a hint at the palm as a symbol of closeness and protection, touch and loss.
Tennin leaves space for the listener: understatement becomes an invitation to dialogue. The singer connects cinematic pop, alternative R&B and trip-hop into music, her creative freedom is more important than genre frameworks. Fragility and strength, doubt and confidence. And I honestly admit that I like how she transforms contradictions into songs that resonate with the listener.
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