Mitsou grabs the microphone – and the cowboy hat – for the powerful country rap song Cowgirl with Laurence Nerbonne and a delicious nod to his classic Bye, my cowboy 35 years after its publication. Make way for “CowGirlPower”!
When songwriter, director and beatmaker Laurence Nerbonne, 38, began writing the lyrics for Cowgirl, she immediately thought of her idol Mitsou, 53, for a collaboration. “To be honest, I’m still in shock,” says Laurence Nerbonne. I’m really glad Mitsou took part.”
“Laurence and I know each other a little. I told him that I had no real interest in singing other than to bring joy. One day she invited me to the studio. I got there on a Friday afternoon and she played me her demo. I couldn’t imagine that the song would be written and recorded six hours later! says the businesswoman, who was also involved in the lyrics to Cowgirl.
The feminism that has shaped both women’s careers can be found in every word of the upbeat song, presented as a “girl power anthem.”
Marie-Élaine Thibault
“Mitsou is an incredible boss,” says Laurence Nerbonne. For me she is the Queen of Pop in Quebec! While I was filming the music video, I was still that little girl watching her perform and still learning. It was natural that we became allies in our way of asserting ourselves and shaking up the consensus. We wanted to convey this to inspire other women who do the same thing every day, regardless of their profession.”
For Mitsou, an undeniable role model for many women in Quebec, this song is a beautiful reminder: “Get up,” she says to the cowgirls who will listen to the song. It’s important to remember this no matter the situation. This does not mean destroying others, but rather taking your place.”
Nice allusion Bye, my cowboy
“Bye bye / I don’t need a cowboy,” the two sing, obviously referring to the song Bye bye mon cowboy from Mitsou’s first album El Mundo from 1988, which made her famous.
“It’s funny that the cowboy character is 35 years old,” Mitsou reflects. This is one of the reasons why Quebecers adopted me when I was 17. There was something unifying about this character. But giving the cowgirl a name, which I had never done before, is a great sequel.”
Marie-Élaine Thibault
Mitsou puts it succinctly: She has turned down many offers to sing over the years. Why say yes to Laurence Nerbonne? “To reconnect with my essence. Finding myself. I wouldn’t have thrown a party for El Mundo myself. (Laughs…) Life allows me to experience this birthday differently, with nice surprises. I see it as a hint of life that gives me exactly that.”
Not to mention returning to music, Mitsou likes the idea of flirting. Whether you’re hitting the stage with Robert Charlebois this fall or singing with Pierre Lapointe during the Winter Songs tour, Mitsou wants to have fun.
“As long as it’s just about reminiscing, I’m not interested in it,” Mitsou admits. Creating something different is different.”
The song Cowgirl by Laurence Nerbonne and Mitsou is out now. Laurence Nerbonne’s new album will be available in 2024.