Hailed by critics for her innovative sound and willingness to push boundaries, this singer-songwriter says her musical ear may have been forged by a childhood that demanded rapid language learning.
AmCham English News
June 12, 2025
If you were fortunate enough to be at the musical events for the 2025 Kaohsiung French Festival – an event organized brilliantly by Elias Kazi, Vice-President of the Association of French Nationals in Taiwan – you may one day find yourself telling people about the first time you heard the voice of the now-world-famous Estelle Perrault.
Born in France to a Taiwanese mother and a French father, Perrault began splitting her time at age six, spending summers and holidays in Taiwan and the rest of the year in Paris, the result of the breakup of her parents’ marriage.
Speaking to AmCham Kaohsiung English News, Estelle said she’s loved watching Kaohsiung grow into a “real city,” though she admitted that every return visit still brings flashes of nostalgia for the rural Kaohsiung she knew as a child. “But when the plane touches down at Kaohsiung Airport, yes, I definitely feel like I’m home,” she said.
Her connection to Taiwan runs deep. On the cover of her album Promises, she’s pictured beside a convenience store-style drink fridge, sipping a beverage that only true locals appreciate. No, not Wisbey.
Asparagus juice!
Her mother tongue is Chinese, and Estelle received little support when starting school in France. Nevertheless, she quickly picked up French, which is not exactly known for being an easy language to learn. She went on to master English as well. Modest about her abilities, she also has conversational fluency in Taiwanese, Spanish, and some Japanese.
The challenge of navigating multiple linguistic and cultural environments became a major “blessing in disguise,” as combined with her love of music, these experiences helped shape her as a vocalist.
“I do think my creativity stems from growing up in two very different worlds,” Estelle told AmCham Kaohsiung English News. “And yes, I think my ‘ear’ for music is definitely connected to being multilingual.” She credits her distinctive style to “the melodies shared by the women in my Taiwanese family, and later, exposure to Afro-Caribbean music in France, which happened quite late, when I was in university.”
Now 35, Perrault didn’t study at a conservatory or attend a prestigious art academy. She studied law. If fate had not intervened, she might have been practicing in a French courtroom rather than performing on international stages. Her soft, world-weary eyes reflect the path of an artist who didn’t have a Justin Bieber-style breakout. There was no viral YouTube video, no overnight record deal.
And, as those familiar with Taiwanese culture might not find surprising, her Kaohsiung family wasn’t exactly thrilled about her entering the music industry. After her father started a new life, their relationship became more distant. But she had one major advantage: Paris – a city famous for its jazz scene and its embrace of the arts.
Her big break came in 2019, when a jazz promoter encouraged her to enter an invite-only competition. She didn’t have an invitation. “Write at least five original songs,” the promoter told her, “and I’ll find a way to get you on that stage.” She did. And so did he. The judges—and the French press—responded with overwhelming enthusiasm. A star was born.
Jazz, a genre built on fusion and individuality, gave Estelle a space to break cultural molds and express her unique Taiwanese-French identity. In 2020, she released her debut album Lots of Love in collaboration with iconic French jazz pianist Alain Jean-Marie. Making up for lost time, she followed it with a second album just a year later. Dare That Dream, written during the global COVID-19 lockdown, dispelled any doubts about her staying power. Lauded by critics for its “balance between jazz tradition and melodic modernity,” the album cemented her place as not just a singer, but a gifted songwriter and composer.
Her next projects promise to push boundaries – moving toward R&B and, perhaps (gasp), even a little pop.
Estelle Perrault helped bring the 2025 Kaohsiung French Festival to a spectacular close, and she’ll return to an even larger stage this September for a solo concert at the Weiwuying Performing Arts Center. Good luck getting a ticket—her shows are already sold out.
Estelle says Kaohsiung is heading in the right direction with its “concert economy” and cultural promotion, but adds: “Lean into it harder!” AmCham Kaohsiung wholeheartedly agrees.
See links below to hear some of Estelle Perrault’s music.
The More I See You – Estelle Perrault 張婷雅