Franco-German friendship is an achievement that should be celebrated. Together.

French pop, hip-hop and chanson: francophone pop music is not exactly a genre. But it exists in its own right in all its splendid diversity, and it’s catchy – that famous je ne sais quoi, enhanced by feather-like guitars, extremely danceable electronics, the power of Nouvelle Chanson, the lyricism of rap. Or everything together, all at once. The Chance Festival, which takes place in September at Hofgarten Park and in front of the Theatermuseum, has just been held for the fourth time. It celebrates pop à la Française, with free entry for all, while championing sustainability, diversity and the European idea.

From Air and Daft Punk to Phoenix, from MC Solaar and Stromae to Aya Nakamura or the über-charismatic Zaho de Sagazan, rising star of the moment – French pop has casually overcome national borders and language barriers and has its own Wikipedia entry for good reason. Corinna Oetken, one of the initiators of Chance Festival, is also a staunch supporter of French pop culture. And she passionately believes that Franco-German friendship is an achievement that should be celebrated. Together.

“The Élysée Treaty, which was concluded between de Gaulle and Adenauer in 1963, sealed the Franco-German friendship and paved the way for the borderless Europe we know today. This is a friendship that must be preserved at all costs. We want to see Germany and France continue to collaborate closely at all levels – including on a cultural and musical level,” says Corinna Oetken, co-founder of the non-profit organisation Serge & Nina, which organises the Chance Festival. Ultimately, the festival is a personal thing for her. “I studied French literature, I’ve lived in France, I love music and especially Francophone pop music. Music conveys a lot of emotions and is a great vehicle for French culture – even if you only have a rudimentary understanding of the French language or don’t understand it at all.”

Europe? Not without French pop!

Some 8,000 people attended last year’s Chance Festival. They came not only to listen to music at the Hofgarten stage, to dance and to enjoy French snacks and drinks in the shade of the trees in Düsseldorf’s oldest park. From the outset, the festival has also been known for its panels and workshops focusing on pressing contemporary issues including sustainability and diversity. German and French speakers, including artists appearing at the festival – such as singer-songwriter Czesare this year – discuss burning topics on the Dialogue Stage in front of the Theatermuseum. Projects and initiatives from both countries also pitch up on the lawn every year to showcase their work.

This year’s edition of the festival saw two panels come together, one under the banner of ‘European solidarity – not without pop culture?’ and the other asking ‘Democracy and pop music – how political should pop music be?’. Annette Gerlach from European culture TV channel Arte will host the discussions on the Dialogue Stage, which the Franco-German broadcaster will also sponsor. “In the aftermath of the European elections, we deliberately decided to focus on European topics this year. The shift to the right can be felt everywhere and we want to take a stand against it,” says Corinna.

Czesare, Amalia, Aupinard and Féfé – up-and-coming stars and luminaries of French pop

In September 2024, the Chance Festival brought together four artists on the festival stage who represent a cross-section of the broad musical spectrum offered by the French music scene. “At each edition of the festival, we have very experienced artists who are fully fledged stars in France, as well as newcomers. The festival attracts people from all generations,” says Bastien Nadal. The son of a German mother and a French father, Bastien attended the music conservatory in Versailles and studied Music Business & Management in Paris. As an intern at the time, he was involved in organising the first edition of the festival, Chance 2021, at the Grafenberg racecourse.

Two French rappers appeared at this year’s festival, in the shape of newcomer Amalia from Marseille and headliner and former Saïan Supa Crew member Féfé. And although fellow artist and Bordeaux native Aupinard draws inspiration from bossa nova, he also started out in the rap scene. “France is the second largest rap market in the world,” says Bastien. “Even the late French singer and songwriter Charles Aznavour paid tribute to French rap, because language is so important to this genre and because rap has always addressed social issues.” How do Serge & Nina succeed in getting some of these top French artists to appear? “The format appeals to many of them and they simply want to do it,” says Corinna. “We’re not a commercial event but want to give everyone the chance to take part in the festival. That was a key reason why we stopped charging an admission fee two years ago.”

Sponsored by the Franco-German Citizens’ Fund

From the outset, the Franco-German Citizens’ Fund has been the event’s main sponsor. “The fund has been around since 2020 and the idea behind it is to promote citizen-led cultural exchange between Germany and France, independently of big institutions,” explains Corinna. “We now also have the backing of the city and the Department of Culture as well as – and this is also great – the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The latter has been supporting us with its ‘Europe cheques’ since the beginning of the year as part of a new regional initiative.”

The co-founders of Serge & Nina are Petra Schlieter-Gropp and Nils Gropp, who run the event agency Schlieter & Friends and organised the Jazz Rally for many years and most recently created Lovebird Festival. Both Corinna and Bastien work for the agency. “They have our backs, helping us to run Serge & Nina on a voluntary, not-for-profit basis,” says Corinna. Thanks to Schlieter & Friends, they have access to a large network in Düsseldorf. Membership of Music Düsseldorf, the newly founded association for promoting the local music industry and for networking, is also paying off. “That too is really productive and fruitful – a real benefit,” says Corinna.

Francophile Düsseldorf

A celebration of Franco-German pop culture and thus Europe – but the unifying idea goes further, as Bastien explains: “Chance Festival wants to be more than just a Franco-German festival – it’s a platform for Francophone artists in Germany, whether they come from France, Switzerland, Belgium or French-speaking countries in Africa.” Why Düsseldorf? “Düsseldorf is very Francophile. For one thing, because of its history – legend has it that Napoleon once stayed at the Zum Schiffchen inn. And actually Paris is a mere four hours away on the Eurostar,” says Bastien. “Düsseldorf is also home to the biggest French diaspora in North Rhine-Westphalia,” adds Corinna.

Just how well the French way of life and the Rhenish temperament go together is demonstrated every year at the France Festival, the great celebration of French cuisine. And of course, the Chance Festival also caters for your physical well-being. Regional caterers offer crêpes and French Viennoiserie, African veggie and vegan cuisine and oysters. The right drinks will also be available. In addition, everyone can fill up their water bottle for free at the Stadtwerke drinking water taps. "This is not only sustainable for us, but essential because water is a very precious commodity that should nevertheless be accessible to everyone," says Bastien Nadal.

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Information

The Chance Festival takes place at Düsseldorf Hofgarten Park in September. Artists perform on stage at the music pavilion, while food and drink is available in front of the Theatermuseum. The evening programme features DJs playing on the balcony of the Theatermuseum.
If you want to listen to the panels, you should bring headphones. The talks are bilingual, a team of professional interpreters will provide simultaneous translation and the audience can join in using an app.

Tip: Tip: The workshops include a whole range of hands-on activities for children. The exhibition in the Theatermuseum can also be visited.

Text: Eva Westhoff
Press photos: 2023 Chance Festival, photographer: Anne Orthen