Music royalty is coming to town.
Disco legend and Montrealer France Joli exploded onto the international music scene in 1979 at age 16 with her worldwide smash hit Come to Me.
Joli became an “overnight success” in July 1979 when she performed at the legendary Beach ’79 concert on Fire Island. Attendees included everyone from Calvin Klein to Studio 54 co-owner Steve Rubell.
Joli sang her signature song Come to Me which charted at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, then at number one on the disco chart. To this day the song is known as “the definitive Fire Island dance classic.”
Joli has performed at hundreds of Pride events around the world, and will perform at her hometown Pride in Montreal for the first time at the Mundo Disko concert at the Fierté Montréal Festival on August 10.
The disco legend sat down with Time Out Montreal for a candid Q&A.
Were you only 15 years old when you recorded your now classic number one disco song Come To Me?
I was very young. It was a great song from the beginning because when we recorded it in the studio, there was a lot of buzz in the industry. All the musicians were like, “You got a hit record there.” I never really expected to have such success with it, so to hear my song being played on all the radio stations was surreal. The dream became more and more real as the weeks and months went by.
What happened after you debuted Come to Me live at the iconic Beach ’79 benefit concert on Fire Island when you were 16?
It changed my life. It was my first American performance, and I sang for 5,000 gay men and lesbians. It was my first encounter with the gay community and I was fully embraced by so many people. It was a perfect night. I came on at 1:45 a.m., and there was a full moon on the beach. Although the song hadn’t been released yet, they had heard the song in the clubs, so people were screaming like it was the biggest hit of the summer! It was like a dream. And seeing these guys just being so free, that’s when I started being an advocate for the gay community.
How does it feel to know that Come to Me is the Fire Island dance classic?
It makes me feel special. Every year somebody calls me from Fire Island to do a show, and sometimes we can make it happen.
Why does disco remain important?
It is happy music that came to symbolize freedom. All people – not just the gay community – lost themselves dancing on the dance floor. I believe that is why disco remains so popular today. I also think one of the reasons disco was so controversial is because the LGBTQ community made it popular, and many people resented that it became the soundtrack of gay liberation.
What does Pride mean to you?
Pride means freedom, acceptance and equality. It is a day of remembrance, protest and celebration. We’ve come a long way but there is still a lot of discrimination against LGBTQ people around the world. It’s important for me to be part of the solution, to help get more people involved because I fell in love with the LGBTQ community. They are my family. It is a privilege for me to perform at Pride celebrations.
And now you will headline at your hometown Pride for the first time!
And I thought it might never happen! I have performed at Prides around the world, but I have always wanted to sing at Pride in my hometown. I’ve been longing to do this, so here I am at age 61. It really warms my heart that it’s really finally happening after all these years.
How much do you love your hometown of Montreal?
I love the diversity of Montreal. I had the luxury of living with an English family when I was young to learn English. And of course, you know, I recorded in English. But French is home for me. And it feels so good to see the English being mixed with the French. And I don't want to get too political here, but I believe French and English Montrealers live together beautifully. We are doing just fine.
Montreal has many neighbourhoods. Which is your favourite?
The West Island, more specifically Pointe-Claire. Growing up in Dorion, Pointe Claire almost felt like downtown Montreal to me. Caesar’s Palace was a place where you could roller skate and listen to great music. It was right behind the CF Fairview Pointe Claire shopping centre. Plus my mom and dad had a shop in Pointe-Claire Village. They sold and serviced snow blowers and lawn mowers.
What is your favourite bar, nightclub or venue in Montreal?
In my younger days I enjoyed the Lime Light disco because it was representative of everything I liked about Montreal – diversity of people and cultures. Today, because I travel a lot for my work, when I return to Montreal I prefer to rest and relax at home.
What’s your favourite local restaurant?
I don’t usually go out to restaurants. I have a strange relationship with food. I have an eating disorder that’s under control right now. It began when I was 12 when people in the business told me I had to be 10 pounds underweight because of the cameras and television. I was bulimic and anorexic when I was younger. That nearly destroyed me. Today I’m 70 pounds overweight. It’s harder to lose weight when you’re older, but I’m done being overwhelmed by this. I eat better today and take it day by day.
What are your favourite Montreal festivals?
I’m not big on wandering around in large crowds, but I do enjoy the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal and, of course, this summer I can’t wait to perform at the Fierté Montréal Festival.
What do you like about Montreal during the summer?
I love that everybody is outside walking or riding bicycles. The city explodes with life and colour and the energy and diversity is in full bloom. When I travel I always tell people I’m from Montreal. And I can tell you from my travels, Montreal has a great reputation around the world. I love our city!
You are a living legend and will forever be Montreal’s Queen of Disco!
All my life I had a hard time with compliments. Now I just take them and I go, “That’s the way you feel about me? You got it, baby! I thank you so much.”
For more information about the Fierté Montréal Festival, click here.
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