Few would associate the popular jazz singer-songwriter Madeleine Peyroux with the stereotype of the starving artist. But, during a 2019 visit to the KNKX studios, Peyroux explained how, in the beginning, that's exactly what she was.
"Being a poor artist is better, you know, you're more respected in some ways," she said.
Peyroux's journey to becoming the sensation she is today began when she moved from New York City to France with her mom at age 13. In France, Peyroux was inspired by "the combination of having beautiful old acoustic streets, a whole tourist culture, but also this celebration of being a musician or being an artist."
In Paris, her striking Billie Holiday-style delivery and songwriting blossomed. In 1996, when Peyroux was in her early twenties, her career took off with her first album, Dreamland. Her second album, Careless Love, sold over half a million copies.
Today, she's heard on radios and in coffee shops around the world, all thanks to her start on the streets of Paris, where busking is a typical way to begin a music career.
"There's a tradition of that that allowed me to not worry too much about these weird decisions I was making at the age of 14 or 15, to drop out of school and just, 'well, you know, I'm gonna do this for a while,' because I can survive. You could make just enough money, at that time, anyway," Peyroux said.
Over the years, as Peyroux's career has taken her to large venues and theaters, she's remembered the lessons she learned as a busker.
"Whether you're on the street or you're in a private party, or you're in a restaurant and a club, you think about the same things. I mean, it's not great to play in the street, because when nobody can hear you, and you can't hear yourself, and that's one of the first luxuries of professional performances is good sound," Peyroux said.
Peyroux isn't performing on the streets of Paris anymore, but she says connecting with an audience has its challenges, no matter the venue.
"The thing that draws people in has always surprised me. It never ceases, because it's really when it's just good, and sometimes it's when you're not trying to get somebody to pay attention to you," she said.
At this point in her career, it's hard to believe anyone would ignore a Peyroux performance. The Grammy-nominated artist is still touring widely and recently released her ninth studio album, Let's Walk.
Songs heard in this episode:
- "On My Own"
- "No Meanness"
- "Getting Some Fun Out Of Life"
