Some artists sing, and then some artists lift words into the air like lanterns—letting them glow, dance, and guide us through the darker corners of life. Bernard Côté belongs firmly to the latter. A prolific storyteller with eight albums to his name, Côté has carved out a reputation as one of Quebec’s most resonant voices. His artistry is not simply about crafting songs—it’s about creating rituals of emotion, little ceremonies in which listeners find themselves invited, welcomed, and embraced. With his latest radio single, “Trinquons à la vie” (A Toast to Life), taken from his eighth album Du sud vers l’ouest, Côté once again proves his gift for transforming vulnerability into something worth celebrating.
From the very first notes, the production—helmed by Marcus Quirion and polished with Luc Tellier’s mastering—sets the stage with warmth and clarity. The instrumentation feels like an open invitation: guitars shimmer like clinking glasses, subtle percussion keeps a steady heartbeat, and delicate arrangements weave a soundscape that supports without overshadowing. Every instrument is given just enough space to breathe, collectively lifting the song’s central message.
What truly shines, however, is Côté’s vocal performance. His voice is both tender and commanding, brimming with sincerity. There’s a natural, lived-in quality in the way he phrases each line, as though every word has been tested against real experience before being sung. The chorus—“Let’s raise our glasses, my brothers, let’s toast to life”—is delivered with such conviction that it feels less like a lyric and more like a communal call. It’s the kind of chorus that begs to be sung in unison, arms draped around friends, glasses raised high.
Thematically, “Trinquons à la vie” is a hymn to love and to the fragile beauty of existence. Côté acknowledges the gray moments—the shadows we all walk through—but his art lies in illuminating them with flickers of hope. He doesn’t dismiss pain; instead, he reframes it, showing us how even in the darker hues of life, there’s a possibility for light, laughter, and connection. It’s this balance of realism and optimism that makes his songwriting so poignant.
Performance and delivery tie it all together. There’s an undeniable charisma in how Côté communicates—his timing, the gentle rise and fall of his tone, the little inflections that make every verse personal. He doesn’t perform for his audience, but with them. That intimacy is the soul of the song and why it resonates so strongly.
With “Trinquons à la vie,” Bernard Côté reminds us that music at its best is not only heard but shared. It’s a collective toast, a moment where fragility and joy intertwine, and we’re reminded that despite the grays of life, there is always a reason to raise a glass.
Listen to “Trinquons à la vie” on Spotify
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