Keren Ann's participation in Le French May fulfilled the wishes of many fans who long for French romance. Between the two performances, Keren's showing on the first night was superior. On both nights, she was accompanied by two band members, playing the guitar herself and adding harmonica during "Chelsea Burns" and "Lay Your Head Down". For the encore, she covered Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi", a rare upbeat number in her repertoire. For the final song, "Manha De Carnaval", Keren requested that all stage lights be turned off to sing a cappella in the dark, demonstrating immense confidence in her voice. Keren Ann's songs tend to be slow and soothing; those unfamiliar with her work might find it plain, but during the faster tracks (like "Lay Your Head Down"), the audience clapped along enthusiastically. On the second night, Keren was more chatty, speaking more often and even asking the audience to teach her some local dialect so she could take what she learned to other countries on her tour.
Last year, Le French May invited Emilie Simon, and this year they brought Keren Ann. As both are renowned singers in the French music scene, comparisons are inevitable. Emilie Simon’s performance was more diverse, utilising more live sampling, whereas Keren Ann moved the fans through her songs; both have their own unique strengths. For Hong Kong fans, Keren Ann’s performance represents a sentimental attachment—an attachment to French romance.
For the Alliance Française, next year's Le French May presents a headache of a problem: after hosting diva-level acts for two consecutive years, who should they invite next?