Lisa LeBlanc presents an orchestral version of her hit Aujourd’hui, ma vie c’est d’la marde and announces new album Live avec l’Orchestre symphonique de Québec

Two years after the release of Chiac Disco, her highly celebrated fourth record, Lisa LeBlanc returns today with a live version of her landmark song Aujourd’hui, ma vie c’est de la marde, recorded at the Grand Théâtre de Québec with her band, and the 63 musicians of the OSQ, plus conductor Jean-Michel Malouf. The Acadian artist plans to release her album Live avec l’Orchestre symphonique de Québec via Bonsound on October 11th, 2024.

Lisa offers a new take on the hit that propelled her career into the mainstream back in 2012. The new enchanting intro and the ingenious addition of orchestral instruments transform this moody anthem into a fairytale-esque delight. Quite the contrast with the song's raw, honest lyrics, the arrangements add a touch of irony that is sure to put a smile on everyone’s face.

Live avec l'Orchestre symphonique de Québec combines the simplicity of Lisa's lyrics with her taste for extravagance. The result is as delightful as it is surprising. Born out of a desire to further explore the composition of her album Chiac Disco (2022), this collaboration with the OSQ turned out to be the perfect opportunity for Lisa to reimagine her repertoire in a glorious, yet accessible way.

Featuring songs in both French and English, the album's impressive arrangements evoke a range of emotions. Aujourd'hui, ma vie c'est d'la marde is embellished with a harpsichord, and Québec comedy icon François Pérusse makes a guest appearance on Gossip II. Her most sentimental songs like Kraft Dinner and Me semble que c'est facile become even more poignant in this format.

On this album, Lisa LeBlanc also pays tribute to those who mixed pop and orchestral music before her, such as Dusty Springfield, Bobbie Gentry and Lee Hazlewood. The arrangements of Highways, Heartaches and Time Well Wasted and City Slickers and Country Boys recall the spaghetti western sounds of Ennio Morricone, though the many nods to the heyday of disco remain an essential part of the album.

This creative trip was also an opportunity for her to bust out her banjo, proving that this instrument, an integral part of her musical DNA, is not exclusively intended for bluegrass and traditional music. As one of the first artists to bring together a banjo and a wide array of classical instruments, Lisa LeBlanc has successfully pulled off the challenge of creating an orchestral album that is both humble and majestic.