A Québécoise Singer Is Representing France In Eurovision 2023 — Could She Be The Next Céline Dion?
Her name is La Zarra and she'd better win.
The waterfront in Liverpool, where Eurovision 2023 will be hosted. Right: Singer La Zarra posing in Montreal.
You read that right: a Québécoise singer named La Zarra will be representing France in the latest edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. Not since the dulcet tones of Céline Dion's singular voice blessed the ears of Eurovision audiences in 1988 has a Québécoise come so close to achieving glory on the European stage!
Sorry, I got a little carried away. What I meant to say is that, in 1988, Dion took home that year's Eurovision win when singing for Switzerland. In other words, there's a precedent of Québécoise singers beating out all the European competition, so La Zarra has big shoes to fill.
The artist herself acknowledges Dion as an inspiration, stating that she is "a great admirer of the most beautiful French voices such as Edith Piaf, Barbara, Dalida, but also Céline Dion" in a recent press release.
La Zarra is identified as a Parisian artist in the press release, but her childhood was spent in Canada, listening to Dion and Mylène Farmer, as well as singers from her Moroccan heritage.
Her time representing France couldn't come at a more pivotal time, since the country flopped in Eurovision 2022 after a second-place finish at Eurovision 2021. It's La Zarra's turn to bring France back from the brink, and she says she's "very proud to have the chance to perform [her] song in front of millions of viewers around the world."
Although she also says she's "very honoured to represent France," in the European competition, it's safe to say her win will be celebrated in North America, too.
This article's left-hand cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.