Barbara Pravi

Barbara Pravi stands out among French pop vocalists as both a songwriter and performer whose fresh take on the chanson style has brought her both widespread praise and strong sales. While steadily issuing EPs of her own material she also supplied tracks to fellow acts, most notably the piece “Bim Bam Toi,” which gained worldwide notice after Carla Lazzari performed it at the 2019 Junior Eurovision Song Contest. In 2021 she stepped forward as France’s entrant in the senior edition of the event, where her entry “Voilà” secured second place and turned her into an overnight sensation. Later the same year her first full-length release, On n’enferme pas les oiseaux, climbed into the national Top Ten. Her follow-up album, La Pieva, reached stores in 2024.

The singer entered the world in Paris on April 10, 1993, as Barbara Piévic; she later adopted the surname Pravi to salute her Serbian grandfather, a word in that language that carries meanings close to “real” or “authentic.” Early songwriting efforts drew on the legacy of earlier French icons such as Jacques Brel, Barbara, and Françoise Hardy. After inking a deal with Capitol Records she appeared in several stage musicals and issued her debut single, “Pas grandir,” in 2017. A self-titled EP followed in 2018, yet broader recognition arrived once “Bim Bam Toi” was selected for the 2019 Junior Eurovision Song Contest, where Carla Lazzari’s rendition finished fifth. Additional material she penned reached artists including Yannick Noah, Julie Zenatti, and Jaden Smith. Early in 2021 she claimed victory in the French national selection with “Voilà” and carried the song to the international contest held in the Netherlands, finishing runner-up and delivering France’s best result in thirty years.

Serving as the opening track of her debut album On n’enferme pas les oiseaux, the single propelled that project to number six on the domestic charts while earning enthusiastic reviews. The following year another young French performer, Lissandro, took Pravi’s composition “Oh maman!” to the 2022 Junior Eurovision Song Contest and captured first place. Over the ensuing two years she balanced live shows, acting roles, and the publication of a book. By the start of 2024 she was preparing her second album, which surfaced as La Pieva that September.