Their songs have denounced the deterioration of the world due to the climate and biodiversity crises for years, but Les Cowboys Fringants don’t just lament the decline of life on earth. Above all, since the beginning of their careers, they have chosen concrete measures to protect the environment, which are now praised and cited as examples.
“The environmental vision of cowboys Fringants and Karl Tremblay has always been anchored in their actions, but also in their songs,” summarizes Anthony Côté-Leduc from Équiterre.
“They succeeded in three things: developing a political and environmental discourse, communicating it effectively and ultimately managing to reach people with this discourse.” They have always understood how to convey strong and radical messages and achieve unanimity to reach the population and to speak to the world with head and heart. It’s a masterpiece,” he adds, citing the pieces The Cellar, America is Crying, 8 Seconds and Plus rien as examples.
“But all I saw was a desolate planet / lunar landscapes and oppressive heat / and all my friends died of thirst or hunger / like flying flies until there was nothing left,” sang Karl Tremblay in Plus rien, a piece that combines climate crisis and climate crisis They lament the crisis of biodiversity and at the same time criticize the rapid rush towards infinite growth in the name of enriching a minority.
“They were always realistic, never complacent, and they never took detours to tell the story of modern Quebec,” emphasizes Anthony Côté-Leduc. The group has also taken a stand on certain controversial issues, such as opposing the LNG Quebec natural gas export megaproject.
Their music and their commitment have also helped to raise environmental awareness, emphasizes the general director of Nature Québec, Alice-Anne Simard. “Karl and Les Cowboys Fringants have really contributed to raising awareness of environmental concerns among the people of Quebec, and especially our generation. We think about the themes of forests and climate, with songs like “Le Guy d’la Compagnie” and “Plus rien”. In fact, many people involved in Nature Québec today probably do so in part thanks to the Cowboys. »
“Karl’s beautifully sung messages about protecting our earth, its resources and the creatures that live on it definitely helped me [mener] where I am today,” adds Stéphanie Harnois, communications and public affairs specialist at the David Suzuki Foundation.
Corinne Gendron, a professor in the department of strategy, social and environmental responsibility at the University of Quebec in Montreal, is not surprised by the group’s influence. “Singing helps open the eyes of citizens and is an important tool for raising awareness, very different from natural voices, such as the media.” When we are in the register of emotions, we can touch people who otherwise would not be touched. »
“Liking music can make us listen to the lyrics more and become aware of things that were not part of our knowledge or our surroundings,” she adds.
Concrete gestures
Beyond their musical work, Les Cowboys Fringants have multiplied concrete actions for the environment, moving from words to deeds. “Music gives us a lot of freedom. People can be affected. But if there were no framework, if there were only words, we would find that it is not concrete enough,” the group’s violinist, Marie-Annick Lépine, rightly emphasized in an interview with Le Devoir in 2015.
That’s why they founded a foundation in 2006, the funds of which are used exclusively for initiatives to raise awareness and protect the environment. They also funded tree plantings, particularly to offset the greenhouse gas emissions of their tours, and invited other artists to get involved in the climate by helping to plant trees in Quebec.
The Cowboys Fringants, with the help of their audience, also managed to raise the necessary funds for the “adoption” of a St. Lawrence beluga, an initiative of the Marine Mammal Research and Education Group, which funds research on this endangered species. The beluga in question was named “Hector,” recalled the group’s president and scientific director, Robert Michaud, honoring the group’s commitment to protecting the St. Lawrence.
Anthony Côté-Leduc now wants this path taken by Les Cowboys Fringants to become more widespread. “If we were more inspired by their ideals and more politically coherent, we could build a future closer to what we collectively want, as much as we collectively like their songs.” »