Born is Sherbrooke, QC, Clémence Desrochers moves to Montréal at 17 years old to study at the Conservatoire d’art dramatique in Montréal. Her early performances as a monologuist, comedian, and singer0-ongwriter were in cabarets such as Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Montréal and the Butte à Mathieu in Val-David, alongside other artists such as Louise Latraverse and Diane Dufresne.

Desrochers’ shows combine satire and caricature with candid contents. Her monologues and songs often address issues related to women’s life, including working conditions, homosexuality, and menopause, which inspired the Québec feminist movement which sought work equity, representation, and social justice.

A testimonial to her artistry and important in Québec culture is represented by the following tribute by Georges-Hébert Germain, a critic at La Presse:

 “Again, it was you who perfected the formula for the monologue   and the show. You remain the most brilliant portraitist of the   Quebec woman. You’re like a mirror in which she can see herself,   admire herself, or make herself beautiful once more as required.   The soul of Quebec is revealed in your monologues and   songs…our realities, our dreams, our emotions.”

Suggested Sources:

“La vie d’factrie, Clémence DesRochers,” Trame sonore du Québec, Bibliothèque national du Québec, https://www.banq.qc.ca/explorer/articles/la-vie-dfactrie-clemence-desrochers (Accessed January 6, 2025)