Jane Birkin singing in duet with Charlotte Gainsbourg

On Saturday English actress and singer Jane Birkin was in concert at the Opera of Monte-Carlo with the special participation of her daughter Anglo-French actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg, French rapper Abd Al Malik and Miossec. This was part of Jane’s European tour that for the first time in her life she was forced to cancel last year due to illness. To mark the 20th anniversary of her late partner Serge Gainsbourg, Birkin wanted to put a new spin on performing his songs on stage. It was the time of the Fukushima disaster when she decided to offer the Japanese people an improvised concert, and was inspired to name her tour « Singing Serge Gainsbourg via Japan ». Birkin was Serge’s muse and this special concert is a reinterpretation of his repertoire performed by her with a group of very special musicians, with whom she first performed in Japan soon after the earthquake. When asked what makes her still go around the world singing, she said «it is the happiness of being desired ».

Miossec, Jane Birkin, rapper Abd Al Malik and Charlotte Gainsbourg

Jane Birkin came to France in 1966 to work on a film opposite Serge Gainsbourg, beginning one of the world’s great love stories played out through French songs. Together they recorded provocative duets like the well known « Je t’aime moi non plus », and Jane produced a number of solo albums : Di Doo Dah, Ex-fan of the Sixties and Baby alone in Babylone. Her breathy, slightly high-pitched voice and her irresistible English accent conquered the Monegasque audience in a sold out sumptuous Salle Garnier. 

Photos by Celina Lafuente de Lavotha.