Ophélie Winter - No Soucy! (1996)

"No Soucy!" made Ophelie Winter a star when it was released in 1996. Though she was already a television personality in France on M6 (channel). The album is a mis of R&B, hip hop, and even has some rap.
Ophélie Winter blends dance and hip hop with European funkiness, and then stamps it with her own, uniquely French signature. Without sounding contrived, she bounces effortlessly between French and English lyrics, usually mixing some of both into the same song.
From "Le Feu qui m'attise" through "Revolution for Love", the songs keep getting funkier and funkier. Winter then transitions to the slow groove of "Rien que pour lui", before launching into "When I Get the Mood", a vocal and percussion jamfest that kicks-off the three-song highlight of this album. "Keep It on the Red Light" is the most danceable song on the CD and features rapped verses in French, a sung chorus and bridge in English, and solo raps by Coolio and Shorty. The jam then continues into the in-your-face "Dieu m'a donné la Foi". This isn't empty-headed pop, my friends this is an often-abused genre of music at its best.
She came before Britney, Christina, Mandy, and all the others stars which have been molded by record companies to reproduce Ophelie's allure by copying her sound and style, but they've never been successful. Christina Aguilera's "What a Girl Wants" is actually Ophelie's song "Ce que je suis!" That's right, Christina did a COVER of Ophelie's song, but never gave up the credit! No Soucy is a timeless album, and I would encourage anyone to buy it, even if they don't understand French.
The album provided five singles, including three top ten hits in France: her signature song "Dieu m'a donné la foi" which reached number one, "Le Feu qui m'attise" , "Shame on U" a duet with Coolio "Keep It On The Red Light" and "Rien que pour lui".

Track listing

01.  "Soon"  (Garrett, Karlin, SoulShock)  - 4:18
02.  "le Feu qui m'attise"  (O.Winter / J.Harry)  - 3:57
03.  "Jusqu'au bout"  (Brown, Martinelli, Mitchell, Winter, Winter)  - 4:42
04.  "Face to Face"  (Mithra)  - 4:01
05.  "Revolution for Love"  (Cutfather, Garrett, Joe, Martinelli)  - 4:18
06.  "Rien que pour lui"  (O.Winter / J.Harry)  - 4:50
07.  "When I Got the Mood"  (Hardt, Nakache, Nakache)  - 4:49
08.  "Keep It On the Red Light" (feat. Coolio)  (R.Mitra / Coolio / Shorty / Bambi Cruz)  - 4:19
09.  "Dieu m'a donné la foi"  (B.Godsend / D.Godsend - N.Hardt - P.Jerry / Adaptation : M.Winter)  - 3:58
10.  "Everlasting Love"  (B.Godsend /D.Godsend - G.Godsend - N.Hardt / Adpation : O.Winter)  - 4:10
11.  "Shame on U"  (Hardt, Nakache, Nakache)  - 4:38
12.  "Let the River Flow"  (Hardt, Nakache, Nakache)  - 3:46
13.  "Face to Face"  (Slam Jam remix)  (Mitra)  - 4:02
14.  "Dieu m'a donné la foi"  (Dee Litherhaus bootleg) (Hardt, Nakache, Nakache, Perry)  - 6:04
15.  "The Air That I Breathe" (Remix)  (Harry)  - 4:23
16.  "Shame on U"  (P4 Remix)  (Hardt, Nakache, Nakache)  - 4:35
17.  "1000 Lbs Keep It on the Red Light"  (Collio, Cruz, Mitra, Shorty)  - 6:48

Credits
Christophe Denis - guitar
Siedah Garrett - vocals
Gibson - adaptation
Nick Martinelli - vocals
Aisha McCray - vocals
Don Phillips - vocals
Daddy Waku - vocals
Guy Waku - arranger, clavier
Mickaël Winter - adaptation, vocals
Ophélie Winter - adaptation, vocals
Betty Wright - vocals
Jeanette Wright - vocals
Producer(s) - A.Nakache, M.Nakache, N.Hardt, Fred Fraikin, Guy Waku, J.Harry, SoulShock & Karlin, Bambi Cruz, Siedah Garrett

Notes
Recorded: 1995-1996
Genre: Soul, Dance Pop
Length: 55:55
Label: Warner / East West France

© 1996