Trying to think of just one word to describe Béatrice Martin is no easy task, but if need be I’d pick impressive. You don’t have to listen long to Martin’s Coeur de pirate, to realize something special is playing out. Somewhere between track three and four off the group’s latest album, Roses, one has to marvel at the seamless weaving of English and French language songs.

The band will take the stage this month in Berlin and with sold-out shows already on the books this tour, you probably do not want to procrastinate securing a ticket. Details below on how to win one of two pairs!

BLY spoke with Béatrice Martin:

For people who have not heard of you or are just discovering your work, can you give them a brief history of how you got into music?

I got into music very early on but it became a professional venture when I turned 18. I had been in a band before and started putting out demos on Myspace on my own. I got some attention with that and got signed to a label not too long after! Things quickly picked up in Canada and in France and I’ve been doing this ever since.

How would you describe your sound for those who have yet to hear it?

It’s pop music, the piano is very present and there are some aspects of it that resemble the classic “chanson” style.

In a time when selling one million of anything is extremely tough for younger artists, and even older artist for that matter, you have done this with your albums. How does that make you feel?

It’s so amazing really, to think that people have taken an interest in what I have to say. I’m only here because of the fans. If they stopped listening to what I do tomorrow then I would stop too… but I keep doing it because I know it helps some of them? Haha… at least I hope it does.

Your first two albums are sung entirely in French. With your new album, Roses, half of the songs are written in English. Did you find the songwriting process to be different between the two languages, or was it pretty much the same experience?

It’s different because I didn’t know if I was any good at writing in English. I had been doing the French thing for so long… I mean… what if it was corny? What if the poetry was lame? I got it all proof read… it was very stressful haha. But yeah I like that in English there’s something more direct… pop music and the English language go hand in hand so it was nice to see it all work nicely.

You’ve covered the Buddy Holly song “Everyday” as well as “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper. Were those some of your favorite songs by American artists? Who else could you see yourself covering?

Yeah I mean I covered them as part of a job… but I love covers. I love covering songs that no one would expect. I did a The Weeknd cover that did well, because people were like: ‘ok that’s weird. We like it but it’s weird.’ So yeah if I can cover Drake or Bieber or anything super different, I’m into it.

You are currently in the thick of a long world tour. How has it been going? Any memorable stories thus far?

It’s going ok! I’m really tired but it’s worth it. I love seeing new places, I love seeing people that have waited a while to see me live… it’s really great.

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It looks like your show at PBHFCLUB in Berlin on April 29th is your last concert until June. That gives you a month off the road until you are back at it. What is that transition like from doing constant shows to having a break? Or is it even a break? Will you still be hard at work with your music?

Oh no I’m not on a break, haha! I have to rehearse for the festivals, but yeah I’m happy I’ll be home. I want to keep writing music and see what happens… would like to release an EP soon.

You have played Berlin in 2012. Did you get a chance to check out the city?

I didn’t play Berlin in 2012 but I have been there. (editor’s note: Don’t always trust a certain Setlist wiki:) It’s the best, I loved it so much. I think I’ll bike everywhere next time because we kept taking public transport and it was so long to get where we wanted to go but wow, I loved it. I always love going to the zoos in the cities and the Berlin zoo was amazing. Some of my favorite designers are in Berlin too, and I loved to go to outside bars in the afternoon and guess who had been out for the whole night. I can’t wait to be back.

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Coeur de pirate

LIVE: Friday, April 29th

@ PBHFCLUB (Straße der Pariser Kommune 8 10243 Berlin)

Support: Elliot Maginot

Tickets can be purchased HERE