Check it out! Mylène Farmer has teamed up with Feder to drop two fresh versions of the “Désenchantée” Remix for streaming and download. You’ve got a catchy radio edit that’s 4:21 and a deeper extended version lasting 6:53. This is just a hint of the cool stuff on the horizon. Feder’s about to give Mylène’s iconic hits a modern twist with a new batch of remixes. When can you expect it? Let’s just say, keep an eye out – it’s coming your way pretty soon. So, stay tuned, everyone!
Mylène Farmer’s collaboration with Feder traces back to a period 6 years ago, pinpointing an era just before the pandemic — a time that now feels like a different world. They joined forces during the creative process of the album “Désobéissance,” a project that not only showcased their individual talents but also marked a significant chapter in their careers.
This collaboration was a fusion of Mylène’s enigmatic and profound lyrical prowess with Feder’s innovative electronic music production. The album “Désobéissance” emerged as a bold statement, combining Mylène’s distinctive voice and introspective themes with Feder’s dynamic beats and modern soundscapes. It was celebrated for its artistic depth, exploring themes of freedom, rebellion, and introspection, resonating deeply with listeners and critics alike.
The partnership between Mylène and Feder on this album was not just about merging their musical styles; it was a creative exchange that enriched their work, pushing each artist to explore new territories. The success of “Désobéissance” laid the groundwork for future collaborations, proving that their artistic chemistry was both impactful and enduring.
At the time, during her interviews, Mylène was full of praise for Feder:
“This meeting with Feder is really a very, very nice meeting. I think that we are united today. He is someone who brought me a lot, who brought me this groove. There is something sexy, something dark, things that we have in common. And then, He’s a little brother today.” ( “Let yourself be tempted” – RTL – 03/10/2018 )
ABOUT FEDER
DJ Feder, whose real name is Hadrien Federiconi, is a French deep house and electronic music DJ and producer who has gained international acclaim for his distinctive sound that blends deep house with touches of electronica and indie music. Born on September 5, 1987, in Nice, France, Feder began his career in the music industry in the early 2010s and quickly rose to prominence with his unique approach to electronic music.
One of Feder’s breakthrough singles, “Goodbye” featuring Lyse, was released in 2015 and became a massive hit across Europe. The track is known for its catchy melody, deep house vibes, and emotional vocals, which helped it secure top chart positions in several countries, including Russia, Turkey, and Italy. The success of “Goodbye” significantly boosted Feder’s career, establishing him as a notable figure in the electronic music scene.
Following the success of “Goodbye,” Feder continued to release a string of successful tracks and remixes, further solidifying his reputation as a talented producer. His music often features melodic beats, soulful vocals, and an ability to convey deep emotions, characteristics that have endeared him to fans worldwide.
In addition to his solo work, Feder has collaborated with various artists across different genres, showcasing his versatility as a producer. He is also known for his dynamic live performances, where he captivates audiences with his energy and finely curated sets.
Feder’s influence extends beyond the charts, as he has played at some of the world’s most renowned music festivals and clubs, contributing to the global electronic music culture. His work has not only earned him a loyal fan base but also critical acclaim within the music industry.
Let’s jump into the time machine and revisit the enchanting story of the Désenchantée
It has been 30 + years since we have heard and seen the Désenchantée for the first time.
Guess how many times the song was performed by Mylene though all these years? Believe or not the count is over 150 times! It is the only song she has performed in every concert and the tour (except the one prior to the birth of the song – En concert) since its creation! It remains to be a crown jewel of any Mylene’s live event. Over the years there were many different arrangements of the song, but it is also the most recognizable and the most loved from Mylene – her signature song.
“Désenchantée” (English: “Disappointed”) is a 1991 song recorded by Mylène Farmer. The first single from her third studio album L’Autre…, it was released on 18 March 1991 and achieved great success in France, topping the charts for more than two months. It was Farmer’s most successful song ever recorded.
Let’s take a time travel in time back to the 1990: it’s a difficult year for fans who were not yet used to periods of silence and media withdrawal from Mylène.
Very little news to put in their mouths: the continued exploitation of the album En concert with a last single extracted, Plus Grandir Live on April 23, then the release of the show’s VHS in November. These are also first rumors around the next album.
For Mylène, it is a period of transition that is probably quite difficult to experience.
The meeting with her audience during concerts and then the end of the tour and the emptiness that followed were destabilizing times for her.
“It’s a moment of emptiness, and not of doubt. An absence of ideas about writing for another album. That’s why I let a little time pass before I started writing again. . It’s hard to imagine writing after such a moment … The return to everyday life was a bit like a depression, but I was still relatively surrounded. But all these states of affairs very powerful and then nothing, it is almost inhuman. Every artist has to experience this happily – or unfortunately … “(Mylène Farmer – Podium – May 1991)
This does not mean that work is absent with the promotion in certain European countries of the album Ainsi Soit Je… and in particular of the titles Sans Contefaçon and Douces .
Mylène also takes the opportunity to read, learn to drive and improve her English.(time well spent if you ask me, especially knowing that she will need it very much only in 5 years or so in the US)
Some changes in the team: departure of her first manager Bertrand Le Page, arrival of Thierry Suc already co-producer of the 1989 concerts and who becomes Mylène’s manager and will be by her side for all these years.
Finally, Mylène will devote herself to writing the new album and then working in the studio over a period of five months.
What is immediately striking is obviously Mylène’s new look: still red hair but short, giving her an almost androgynous appearance. I think she never quit playing with those aspect raising them to the unreachable standards – I love love love her androgynous than and now when she occasionally teases us with her Tetu photos, and I sure hope there is more to come…
At the end of 1989, the decision seemed to be made, Mylène declared: “Maybe I’ll cut my hair. It’s not an easy decision, but I really like the boyish style Jane Birkin had in the days of Je t’aime moi non plus. You will see me with hair. short but on next year ” (Mylène Farmer – Coiffure Beauté International – December 1989)
The cut, performed over two five-hour sessions on January 11 and 12, 1991 by Jean-Marc Maniatis, was immortalized in photos by Marianne Rosenstiehl. We discover Mylène’s gaze, sometimes skeptical, sometimes seduced, sometimes anguished. I can imagine the split emotions she had experienced cutting her gorgeous golden mane.
“I wanted to change my head without really transforming myself. I feel good in my haircut, in my new head, in fact I am less moved by my fragility. ” (Mylène Farmer – “Star Music” – N ° 18 – May 1991)
The lyrics to Désenchantée were written by Mylène Farmer.The handwritten text of the chanson Désenchantée and the declaration form deposited at Sacem on November 23, 1990.
After listening to her two previous albums, Cendres de lune and Ainsy Soit Je…, we can distinguish in Mylène the Libertine and the Mélancolique.
The words of Désenchantée may have been inspired by her readings, in particular Emil Cioran – author whom she often quotes in interviews – with On the peaks of despair or Ecartancement.
Interestingly its him who said “I only write this kind of stuff, because explaining bores me terribly” – reminds you of someone you know? 😊
For her return with Désenchantée, Mylène offers a dark text on this ” permanent loss of illusion ” (Mylène Farmer – Podium – September 1991) but carrying a message that seems unusually universal for the singer.
“Disappointed Generation”: many people will attribute a political meaning to the song. Indeed, the title comes out in a period of great gloom in France. We talk a lot about the disappointed of Mitterandism, François Mitterrand having been re-elected President of the Republic in 1988 following a campaign which particularly appealed to young people, campaign carried by the slogan “Generation Mitterrand”.
For Mylène, there is no political demand in this text (at least as we are aware of). Please find a very complete interview on the topic later on the page. It will answer a lot of your questions.
“This only implies me. I am not saying that the times are ‘disenchanted’. But that my outlook on life, on things is. It is Mylène Farmer who is disenchanted. My request is fundamentally narcissistic and egotist. [again, very much echoes Emil Cioran philosophy:” Chaos is rejecting all you have learned. Chaos is being yourself.” (note the choice of words!)
I cannot pronounce negativism, by affirming it. It is not pessimism to think that one in 91 became more lucid, more aware of its disillusions than before. From its birth, I believe that one undergoes his life, his death. In this matter, one cannot be fundamentally an interventionist. I have a problem with life, but I live, so everything is not going so badly as one thinks. ” (Mylène Farmer – “Star Music” – N ° 18 – May 1991. Totally Emil Cioran if you ask me!
“We may ask our generation to have nothing more than a great lucidity as regards life and its difficulties; to have this feeling that one is constantly in search of freedom and that this freedom opens onto a great desert. So, all of these are great losses of illusions. Now, there, I’m talking more about myself, finally, than of a real generation. ” (Mylène Farmer – NRJ – 04/05/1991)
Mylène will repeat during several interviews in the media that she is “not out of time, but out of History” (Mylène Farmer – RTL – 04/08/1991) For Laurent Boutonnat, the scope of this title seems on the other hand wider: “Disenchantment is a spotlight on a generation in need of a future “. Its not a secret that it is still the same old and beloved theme of the missing “L’Autre”, especially in the line: “Je cherche une âme qui Pourra m’aider”
Laurent Boutonnat offers for this title an unstoppable melody, as only he has the secret.
Two remixes created by Laurent Boutonnat and Thierry Rogen, the “Chaos Mix” and the “Remix Club” (my very favorite from the early ones):
The second was massively broadcast in nightclubs during the summer of 1991, allowing the song to reach first place among the hits of the clubs of the time.
Thierry Rogen, who took part in the arrangements and then in the remixes of Désenchantée, told the painful genesis of this title.
At the time, many demonstrations were organized by students throughout France to protest against their status and conditions for learning, and the Gulf War was raging. The pessimistic lyrics of the song strongly echoed the feelings toward worldwide events and thus certainly contributed to its success. According to the sound engineer, Thierry Rogen, “Désenchantée” was recorded four times. Boutonnat originally wanted a jerky song with techno influences, but Rogen convinced him to add drums and a more funk sound.The text was inspired by the 1934 book On the Heights of Despair by the Romanian philosopher Emil Cioran.
“It is the greatest memory of production that I have. One day, I was at Laurent’s and as he never did a model and he kept everything in mind, he took out his little piano and told me about it. made Disenchanted. My first hot reaction was: it’s a huge hit. I excited them with my own excitement, and suddenly we stuck an extra pressure that we already had with the preparation of the album The other …! For the record, Désenchantée has been recorded four times. The first three, we put it in the trash. We couldn’t do it, the arrangements weren’t good. The third time, Laurent got to such a point of nervousness that he said: “I’m going to throw it away”, and he left, slamming the door, exasperated.
Once alone, I worked on a completely different rhythm. Originally, Laurent wanted this choppy song with techno bass. And I felt her rather groove, with brass gimmicks. So, I took it up with this in mind, with more funk batteries. Laurent came back the next day, and he bounced back on my idea. The day we finally mixed the version you know, our fingers were heating up, because we knew we were holding a huge hit! We were not wrong, but sometimes, the biggest hits are born in pain … It remains for me the strongest song of Mylène and, I am very proud of the direction taken by the arrangement of this title.” (Thierry Rogen -” Instant Mag “- N ° 14)
Among the choristers for the recording of Désenchantée, we find Sophie Tellier, choreographer and dancer on the Tour 89 but also an actress in several clips such as Libertine and Tristana as well as Dominique Martinelli also a dancer alongside Mylène in particular on the Tour 89. They are thanked in the booklet by their first names.
“Mylène and Laurent have always heard me sing during dance rehearsals. So I think they wanted me to come and put a little voice on one of their song. It was quite symbolic, a friendly collaboration. I was only present during the recording of the choirs of Désenchantée. It was very short; it took us a day of work all together. Mylène was there during the recording, she intervened a little to direct us. Upstream work was done, we just came to pose our voices for the choirs. The atmosphere was very pleasant. ” (Sophie Tellier -” Styx Magazine Special Mylène Farmer / The other … “- April 2011)
The single was released on March 18, 1991. Due to its success, it will become Mylène’s single having benefited from the largest number of media (promo + trade – details in the Désenchantée repository). He entered 12th place in the French top 50 and reached in his third week of classification the first position he will occupy for nine consecutive weeks. It will sell more than 800,000 copies in France and be certified gold record.
It remains the biggest success in terms of sales or rankings for a single from Mylène in France. The album The Other … , released on April 8, 1991, is simultaneously number one in sales in France.
Mylène Farmer – Disenchanted – 45 Tours
Désenchantée is THE hit of the spring then the summer of 1991: number one in radio, TV, sales then in clubs.
Performance and interview of Mylène Farmer in the program “Sacrée soirée” on TF1 on April 17, 1991. She made her return to the media after 2 years of absence by performing “Désenchantée” for the first time.
Another sign of success: the copyrights generated by this song are the most important in 1991 in France according to Sacem and Désenchantée will still be ranked among the top ten for 1992. Désenchantée also becomes a hit in Belgium, ranking five weeks in first place in sales.
The title will meet with unusual success for a French artist in other European countries.
Désenchantée manages to integrate the sales charts of several countries (23rd in Switzerland, 19th in the Netherlands, 16th in Austria and 46th in Germany).
The song is also a hit on radio in Europe, particularly in Switzerland (top4 of the country’s airplay), Austria (top12), the Netherlands (top15) and Germany (top20). Radio stations will also enter the title in their playlist in Denmark, Norway, Finland or Italy. I don’t know the ranking in Russia, but I can testify from teh experience I kept heating it everywhere. The clip was on teh TV practically daily. I knew the lyrics by heart by the end of 1991 (with the translation)
It is the biggest success for a single from Mylène abroad.
The cover of Désenchantée by Kate Ryan during the summer of 2002
will allow the song to even more massively impose itself in Europe (Désenchantée is the 7th most widely broadcast French song in the world in 2002).
The song was released again on September 28, 2016 of a maxi vinyl picture disc sold exclusively by Fnac and why not?
A reissue of the Maxi 45 Tours is available on December 08, 2017. Release on January 11, 2019 of an Orange Maxi 45 Tours Collector sold exclusively by Universal Music.
Mylène Farmer Maxi 45 Tours Reissue 2017 Disenchanted
The music video was produced by Requiem Publishing and Heathcliff SA and directed by Laurent Boutonnat, who also wrote the script. Shot for five days (from 18 to 23 February 1991) in Budapest, Hungary, with a budget of about 240,000 euros, this video was one of the longest at the time (10:12) and used many extras: 119 children and many Hungarian actors such as Erika Francz Jánosné. There is another version shortened to four minutes. The video for the single features a riot in what appears to be a concentration camp or gulag facility where adults and children are subjected to forced labor and being treated abysmally by armed guards. The riot scenes are quite realistically shot and contain much violence. The anthem-like song goes well with the visual background. According to French magazine Instant-Mag, this music video has a fairly similar structure to that of “Tristana”. It has a gloomy story, an ambiguous ending, allows various interpretations, and deals with the theme of messianism. Farmer “symbolically embodies the spirit of freedom”. The final scene is inspired by the 1830 painting La Liberté guidant le peuple by Eugène Delacroix.
To promote and defend the title, Mylène will interpret it in five television shows, including one in Italy.
It is from Disenchanted that Mylène’s television appearances will become rarer. The programs are carefully chosen, and the performances refined to the extreme (with the use of ampex).
The promo began on television on Sunday April 07, 1991 with the broadcast of a 50-minute program recorded on the set of the filming of the clip Désenchantée. “Pour un clip avec toi” offers a very long interview of Mylène with Laurent Boyer and unpublished images of the shoot.
The first photos of the clip as well as the new look of Mylène had been unveiled a week earlier in the magazine “Télé 7 Jours” whose singer made the front page and to which she gave an interview.
On April 10, 1991, for the first time, Mylène was the guest of a 20-hour newscast and not the least since it was the one on TF1 presented by Patrick Poivre d’Arvor.
Mylène’s first performance on Désenchantée with choreography is offered on TF1 on Wednesday April 17, 1991 in “Sacrée Soirée”.
Until the end of May, Mylène will reinterpret Désenchantée in three other programs broadcast on TF1, “Stars 90”, “Tous à la Une” and “
In parallel, Mylène multiplies the interviews on the radios but especially in the press. In September, she sings Désenchantée in a program in Italy broadcast on Rai Uno.
Désenchantée has become essential during concerts. This is the Farmerian hymn.
Let’s play the “favorite” game once more and chose your preferred live version of the song (see below the videos to refresh your memory)
Did you notice that the song is always has a different spin for each concert tour and even has its own theme. I can’t wait to see what NEVERMORE 2023 will bring. I also have noticed the song becomes longer and longer from as time goes on A first 1996 performance lasted 7 min 31 sec but the tour of 2009 has it extended to 11 min 35 sec! It is almost 10% of the entire concert length! It is also a centerpiece and the culmination of any Mylene’s live event
TOUR 1996
In the TOUR 1996 the song lasted 7 min 31 sec. It starts much slower and brings almost calming feel. It develops without rushing into the masterful remake of the original version. Well, the song only 5 years old back then and didn’t need an upgraded sound per se.
Désenchantée was sung live for the first time during the 1996 Tour from May 25 to December 15, 1996. Arrangements for the stage: Laurent Boutonnat. Choreography: Mylène Farmer.
MYLENIUM TOUR
MYLENIUM TOUR (length 7 min 36 sec) Has very ethnic and natural feel just like the entire Tour
Désenchantée is sung on all the dates of the Mylenium Tour from September 21, 1999 to March 8, 2000. Arrangements for the stage: Yvan Cassar. Choreography: Mylène Farmer.
avant que l’ombre…a Bercy 2006
BEFORE THE SHADOW … IN BERCY (length 9 min 14 sec) very energetic and empowering
During the thirteen concerts of 2006, Before the shadow … in Bercy , Mylène sings again Désenchantée from January 13 to 28, 2006 . Arrangements for the stage: Yvan Cassar. Choreography: Mylène Farmer.
TOUR 2009
TOUR 2009 (length 11 min 35 sec! – wow the longest of all) Very high tech and very army like with the leather jacket on Mylene and the military inspired clothing on the dancer with a big “X” on the back.
Désenchantée is sung on all the dates of the 2009 Tour indoors from May 02 to July 01, 2009 then in stadiums from September 04 to 19, 2009. For stadium concerts, the song is the end of the show. Did you notice the choreography portraying the insect and there was also a giant bug at some point of the show, right? I bet it hints to the infamous cockroach from the clip – the one the guy just ate…
Arrangements for the stage: Yvan Cassar. Choreography: Mylène Farmer and Christophe Danchaud.
For the backdrop (digital screen images for the song) – do you see a shortest figure on the left – it is Lisa Gautier – Mylene’s niece. More about her HERE
TIMELESS 2013
TIMELESS 2013 (length 8 min 56 sec)
Did you notice bunch of digital spiders crawling on the background screen – arachnophobia reminder indeed! OR…Is it Mylene’s hidden hint to the modern world as a net? Some of us believe that its a hidden powerful infrastructure (The net) which is a real government of the World. Is it why we are perpetually Désenchantée?
Désenchantée is performed on all dates of the 2013 Timeless tour, from September 07 to December 06, 2013. Arrangements for the stage: Laurent Boutonnat. Choreography: Mylène Farmer and Christophe Danchaud.
Paris Défense Arena 2019
LIVE 2019 (length 9 min 50 sec) Very different. Very Marvel like with the dancer wearing metallic outfits. It started very slow and took very different arrangement all together. Very surprising, nostalgic and futuristic to make a good match with the entire concert theme. It has a lot of background effects like a howling or winds and somewhat somber Mylene is wearing superhero tux. The song immerges into the Rêver and Je te rende ton amour where she sits on the throne embellished with the volves’ heads – gorgeous presentation with the digital human head in teh background.
Mylène sings Désenchantée during the nine concerts at Paris La Défense Arena from June 07 to 22, 2019. Arrangements for the stage: Olivier Schultheis. Choreography: Aziz Baki and Mylène Farmer.
Since its very hard to find a good video of the 2019, here is a nice quality link. The song starts at 1 h 16 min point: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1EJ411t71F/?spm_id_from=333.788.videocard.11
“Désenchantée” has a melodious tune, and its lyrics have “unexpected hyphenate which dissect the phrases in small sections”. This song also has “a very dancing rhythmic color” thanks to the chords played on the piano in the introduction, the bright and chiseled percussion or vocals (performed by Debbie Davis and Carole Fredericks) which bring out the refrain. In the lyrics, the singer expresses her great lucidity on the absurdity of the world and discusses topics related to the existentialism.
One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that it is dangerous for others to speak about the meaning of an artist’s work. Be it a painting, sculpture, or song. Those presumptuous to regurgitate what others believe the work to be, denies any intention of the artist to allow us to each have their own personal interpretation of what something is/means. And after all, isn’t the meaning of something to someone personally all that truly matters to the artist? That they have taken a piece of work from the artist and made it have personal meaning to themselves and their lives. I don’t think any artist could have more honor bestowed on them by anyone than a work having meaning to someone other than themselves?
For those of us old enough to remember life in the 1980’s when the Soviet Union still existed and controlled parts of Central Europe and Eastern Europe this video brings back memories of things, we wish we could forget on both sides of the iron curtain. Gulags, hunger, needless suffering, Stazi (Stalin Nazi) turning automatic weapons on their own people to prevent them from escaping to the West and freedom.
For many of us who were in our late teens and early twenties at that time, the fall of the Berlin wall is the greatest single event that defines our generation. The Cold War has ended at that point.
The scene where Mylene leads the escape from inside the gulag/prison onto the sea ice is like the fall of the Berlin wall and German Reunification. Freedom at last. The scene on the sea ice is Eastern Europe’s coming to grips with what freedom is. That whole generation was lost for a time and disappointed with what life in the West was. Many were lost and pined for the Days of the Communists telling them what to do. Ask anyone from that period to watch this video and they will point out something that personally moves them or has meaning.as it was personally for me – my deep-down primal cry for Freedom (which I pursued and succeed but nearly cost me my life)
What Mylene Farmer personally was expressing as to what the songs meaning is, is unknown to me and perhaps while she still is alive, someone should ask her for posterity. All I know is that I have taken her songs to heart and this song has special meaning to me. Merci beaucoup Mylene! Gros Bisous!
For the first time, a TV crew (Laurent Boyer and some technicians) was invited to attend the filming of a clip of Mylène for two days, in this case that of the new single, Désenchantée .
The recording took place in February 1991 in Budapest, Hungary.
NEVERMORE
During Nevermore 2023, “Désenchantée” served as an epic climax, positioned almost at the end of the show, right after “XXL,” elevating the stadium’s energy to its zenith. It was so electrifying that, for me, it became somewhat of a blur. Singing along with Mylène felt like an out-of-body experience. The song, along with the sing-along part, must have been at least 10 minutes in duration, but it felt like a mere second, such was the captivating intensity of the moment.
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