''Formidable'' is the soundtrack to the show performed at the
Moulin Rouge
Moulin Rouge (, ; ) is a cabaret in Paris, on Boulevard de Clichy, at Place Blanche, the intersection of, and terminus of Rue Blanche.
In 1889, the Moulin Rouge was co-founded by Charles Zidler and Joseph Oller, who also owned the Olympia (Par ...
in Paris, France by American singer
La Toya Jackson
La Toya Yvonne Jackson (born May 29, 1956) is an American singer and television personality. The fifth child and middle daughter of the Jackson family, Jackson first gained recognition on the family's variety television series, ''The Jacksons (TV ...
. Only 3,000 copies were created and it has become one of the most sought-after albums by her fans.
To promote the show, Jackson paid homage to
La Goulue
La Goulue (, meaning ''The Glutton''), was the stage name of Louise Weber (12 July 1866 – 29 January 1929), a French can-can dancer who was a star of the Moulin Rouge, a popular cabaret in the Pigalle district of Paris, near Montmartre. Weber be ...
by visiting her grave in
Montmartre Cemetery
The Cemetery of Montmartre () is a cemetery in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, France, that dates to the early 19th century. Officially known as the Cimetière du Nord, it is the third largest necropolis in Paris, after the Père Lachaise Cemet ...
. Jackson also cited
Josephine Baker
Freda Josephine Baker (; June 3, 1906 – April 12, 1975), naturalized as Joséphine Baker, was an American and French dancer, singer, and actress. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in France. She was the first Black woman to s ...
as an influence. ''
L'Express
(, stylized in all caps) is a French weekly news magazine headquartered in Paris. The weekly stands at the political centre-right in the French media landscape, and has a lifestyle supplement, ''L'Express Styles'', and a job supplement, ''R ...
'' hailed Jackson as "the new Josephine Baker."
[Cohen, Roger]
'Paris Journal; Today's Lament: Where's Yesteryear's Gay Paree?'
''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', January 29, 1993. According to academic Bennetta Jules-Rosette, "Through careful planning, she was able to model a successful part of her career abroad on the master tropes of a Baker-like image. Jackson exemplifies
Baudrillard
Jean Baudrillard (, ; ; – 6 March 2007) was a French sociologist and philosopher with an interest in cultural studies. He is best known for his analyses of media, contemporary culture, and technological communication, as well as his formulat ...
's notion that neither the message nor the content count as much as the referentiality of the signifier in postmodern performative discourse."
Jackson was the main attraction at the Moulin Rouge for four months, at which point she broke her contract and was ordered by the French courts to pay $550,000 in damages to the owners of Moulin Rouge.
["Early exit from Paris show costs La Toya Jackson $500,000". '' Jet'' v.87 n.18, 13 March 1995: pg. 63(1). Gale Resource Database. Online. 10 January 2007.]
Track listing
#"Les Doriss Girls"
#"Les Touristes"
#"Formidable"*
#"Paris En Rose"
#"À Paris, Les Femmes Ressemblent A Des Fleurs"*
#"Les Garçons Du Désert"*
#"Le Marche"
#"Les Filles Aux Serpents"
#"Night Club"*
#"Les Crocodiles"
#"Les Tapis Volants"*
#"La Fontaine Lumineuse"*
#"Allons À L'Opera"
#"
Valses De Vienne"
#"
French Cancan
''French Cancan'' (also known as ''Only the French Can'') is a 1955 musical comedy-drama film written and directed by Jean Renoir and starring Jean Gabin, Francoise Arnoul and María Félix. It marked Renoir's return to France and to French cine ...
"
#"La Danse Nouvelle - Jeanne Avril Et Bruant"*
#"Une Pensée Pour Maurice"
#"Un Clin D'œil À Joséphine"
#"
Locomotion"*
#French Medley ("
Non je ne regrette rien Non, non or NON can refer to:
* ''Non'', a negatory word in French, Italian and Latin
People
*Non (given name)
*Non Boonjumnong (born 1982), Thai amateur boxer
* Rena Nōnen (born 1993), Japanese actress who uses the stage name "Non" since July ...
", "
La vie en rose
; ) is the signature song of popular French singer Édith Piaf, written in 1945, popularized in 1946, and released as a single in 1947. The song became very popular in the United States in 1950, when seven versions reached the ''Billboard'' cha ...
", "
Paris, je t'aime
''Paris, je t'aime'' (; ) is a 2006 anthology film starring an ensemble cast of actors of various nationalities. The two-hour film consists of eighteen short films set in different '' arrondissements'' (districts). The 22 directors include Guri ...
")*
#"Grand Final Blanc Et Rouge - Formidable"*
Note
*An asterisk (*) notates songs where La Toya performed.
References
{{Authority control
1992 albums
La Toya Jackson albums