réinterprètes

Réinterprètes is a term used in French-language discourse to designate artists who reinterpret existing works rather than reproducing them in their original form. The verb réinterpréter combines re- with interpréter and signals presenting an existing work in a new light through changes in arrangement, genre, context, or performance practice. As a concept, it encompasses a range of practices from homage to critical reworking, and it can apply across various art forms.

In music, réinterprètes reimagine songs or instrumental pieces by altering tempo, harmony, rhythm, instrumentation, or vocal delivery. They may place a classical work in a contemporary genre, translate a traditional tune into a different cultural idiom, or develop new arrangements that preserve certain elements while transforming others. The aim is often to extend the work’s meaning and to provoke fresh listening experiences rather than to replicate the original exactly.

Beyond music, the term also applies to literature, theatre, and the visual arts, where réinterprètes engage in adaptations, retellings, or remixes of existing texts and images. These practices can refresh classics for modern audiences, offer new perspectives on familiar narratives, or explore the social and historical contexts surrounding the source material. Such approaches frequently raise questions about authorship, originality, and intellectual property, while underscoring the ongoing dialogue between past and present. See also: cover version, remix, adaptation, interpretation.