Dee Dee Bridgewater is a star in France. With three Grammys and a Tony Award under her belt, she represents the quintessential American jazz singer in my country. This talented singer-songwriter and actress came over to my apartment on a Sunday afternoon––exhausted from rehearsals, though you never would have guessed it––with her fluffy dog Daisy. We talked about Marseille (27:15), her favorite French songs (24:20), feminism (14:56), and racism on both sides of the Atlantic (09:05).

The Thing About France is a podcast that takes you inside the minds of American cultural figures who stepped outside their country and came back wiser.

By hearing the personal stories of prominent artists and professionals who immersed themselves in France—whether intellectually or by living abroad—we’ll gain insight into how our countries are the same, and how they differ, on pressing topics including Me Too, climate change, and cultural appropriation—and much more.