History Main / TheChanteuse

* ''Literature/TheHanSoloTrilogy'': Bria once goes undercover as one in ''Rebel Dawn'' when traveling on a swanky passenger ship. Lando meets her since hes there (while [[TheGambler gambling of course]]) when she sings in a high class lounge, wearing a long dress and made up beautifully. He notes that she's far from the best singer of the type, but her passion and beauty make up for any lesser talent.

* ''Series/PeakyBlinders'': When Grace first comes from Northern Ireland to Birmingham, she gets hired at the Shelbys' pub because she's pretty and can sing Irish ballads and sentimental songs. [[spoiler:Of course, it turns out she's actually a spy working for Inspector Campbell and (indirectly) MI5]].

* In ''ComicBook/DCBombshells'', ComicBook/BlackCanary is a chanteuse in her civilian identity, and works the American troops in Honolulu, Hawaii.

[[quoteright:224:[[Film/DarkCity https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dark_city_singer_7997.jpg]]]]

* Emma in ''Film/DarkCity'', [[spoiler:which is later revealed to be an implanted identity.]]

-->'''Betty Boop:''' Yeah... what a lucky "goyul".

* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'': features a Chanteur example. After fending off an onslaught of animals created by Circe, Batman suggests making an exchange for returning Dianna, who was transformed into a pig, to normal. Circe agrees only in exchange for something incredibly precious from Batman — something he's concealed and can never be regained when gone. Something soul-shattering. He pays the price by revealing a suave singing voice in a performance of "Am I Blue?" so touching it moves both Zatanna and Circe to tears.

* The unnamed background version of this trope appears in the game ''VideoGame/AliceIsDead''. She sings a [[http://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/361366 a song]] that is a mixture of Wonderland surrealism and an attempt to seduce the listener.

* The unnamed background version of this trope appears in the game ''VideoGame/AliceIsDead''. She sings a [[http://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/361366 song that is a mixture of Wonderland surrealism and an attempt to seduce the listener]].

* Gina in ''Anime/PorcoRosso''. She is both the owner of her hotel and the singer in its bar, who in her opening scene sings a melancholy-sounding French song. It's later revealed that she's a widow three times over, with all of her husbands being pilots.

* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanMysteryOfTheBatwoman'' has an unnamed singer at the Penguin's club swaying from side to side and winking while singing a song with the lyrics "Betcha never thought we'd get this far. Betcha never, never ever, Betcha never you'd touch my heart." The unnamed singer who performs [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GoPZBYCHDd0 "Betcha Neva" in the Iceberg Lounge]] is actually an InkSuitActor of French pop star Cyndi Almouzni.

* Lucille is one in ''WesternAnimation/AMonsterInParis'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsXvXlK4CTs&t=11s here]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hFljpXz7co here]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZThmW0ZK4w&t=1s here]]. In fact, that's her actual JOB!
* Gina in ''Anime/PorcoRosso'' is a very clean and straight-laced example, but she does have the glamour (with lingering shots of her large earrings slowly turning as she sings), the loneliness, and the romantic melancholy.

* Years before meeting ComicBook/{{Diabolik}}, Eva Kant did it for a living-and as a cover for her actual job as an industrial spy.

She is always surrounded by [[BrokenBird an air of melancholy]]. This could be because she herself is [[FourTemperamentEnsemble melancholic]], or because the lonely male hero experiences a connection with her while she is singing but cannot have her. She tends to be out of the main hero's reach perhaps because she is a dangerous FemmeFatale, because she is already involved with someone else (usually a villain), or simply because she is so aloof. This character can be very useful for highlighting a feeling of loneliness, because her sultry songs will often create a feeling of a connection between the singer [[EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench (which it means in French)]] and the listener, but circumstances will prevent that feeling from becoming a true connection. For that reason, this trope is a favorite of FilmNoir, a genre that thrives on a feeling of melancholy and stoic loneliness.

* Venus in ''VideoGame/EarthBound''. It's a Super Nintendo game, so her voice is just a generic "human voice" synth, and unlike ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'''s opera scene, it's not captioned. During the performance, one of the men in the audience tries to get on stage with her and is dragged off by security.

* Sylvie from ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}''.

** In ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', Seven of Nine was made one in a holoprogram set in [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII German-occupied France]].
** In ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', Odo was coached in flirting by Vic Fontaine, who created for this purpose a holo-version of Kira, who fulfilled this trope. [[spoiler: She was in the end swapped for the ''real'' Kira.]]

* Mary Kate Wiles plays this character in ''Theatre/SpiesAreForever'', and again in The Case Of The Gilded Lily.

* Moira Rose on ''Series/SchittsCreek'' refers to herself as a trained chanteuse, but whether she actually is one is open to debate.

* Music/BillieHoliday

* Music/SarahVaughan

* Dutch singer Caro Emerald has this as her musical persona, often singing [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QUmPZmkr4I seductive]] and/or [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjl890_qwf4 mysterious]]-[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYNUg5j7tr0 sounding]] jazz songs that would not be out of place in a FilmNoir or a James Bond movie.
* Music/LanaDelRey constructed her entire musical and visual aesthetic from this trope.
* The video for [[https://youtu.be/zPonioDYnoY "Élan"]] by Music/{{Nightwish|Band}} depicts lead vocalist Floor Jansen performing in this manner in a working-class tavern.
* Music/PostmodernJukebox invokes this in many of their song covers, such as their version of [[Music/TaylorSwift "Blank Space"]] InTheStyleOf a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx_0LK1DfrE 1940's cabaret number.]]
* Music/{{Madonna}} in her [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bgNyaAz1jg "Sooner or Later"]] performance for the 1991 Oscars.

* In ''Theatre/{{Alivestage}}'' Episode 4: WYD, the main characters, two boy bands, star in a revival of a musical that features a main character of this type. However, the character is gender-bent and played by Growth's leader Koki in the revival. He wears [[https://youtu.be/c_vPw-eoa0U?t=10 something close to the original costume]], and wears it ''very well''.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Contrast}}'', Kat is a professional singer and a rising star. She gives a performance early in the game.

* Sapphire in ''VideoGame/DiscworldNoir'' is basically an {{Expy}} of Ruby in ''Moving Pictures'', with a song that includes the lines "The minute you walked through the wall, I could see you were a troll of destruction".
* Trixie Trotter from VideoGame/BackToTheFutureTheGame.
* Elsa Lichtmann in ''VideoGame/LANoire''.
* Magnolia in ''VideoGame/Fallout4''.
* Shante from ''VideoGame/ArcTheLad II''.
* In ''VideoGame/PaperMario64'' there's an [=NPC=] called Chanterelle who is a clear reference to this trope. A lengthy sidequest involves helping her recover her voice so she can sing again.

* ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'' features Jester's mother Marion Lavorre, who is a mix of this and HighClassCallGirl.

* Sasha from ''WesternAnimation/AllDogsGoToHeaven'' 2, though she was just doing it for a prize in order to feed a young boy named David.
* The "Queen Hornet" episode of ''WesternAnimation/DynomuttDogWonder'' features one, who sings the theme song from ''WesternAnimation/{{Jabberjaw}}''.
* Miss Kitty from ''WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTail: Fievel Goes West'' is this by profession, but is never actually shown singing. She makes Tanya her protege and Tanya is shown singing at a cat bar.
* In the episode "Love, American Dad Style" Hayley Smith on ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' becomes this when Roger hears her singing in the shower and asks her to sing at his bar. Hayley is voiced by [=Seth MacFarlane=]'s sister Rachel, and like her brother has a great voice that's well suited to old jazz standards. In the episode she sings "Someone to Watch Over Me", "Makin' Whoopie!" and "Potato Bread".

* The Martian Queen becomes this in the TalentContest episode of ''WesternAnimation/DuckDodgers''.
* One animated version of Charles Dickens' ''Cricket On The Hearth'' has a very... ''strange'' example of this trope, shown [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwqr6lK5DBU here]]. She appears, sings a catchy song, then leaves. [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment The movie continues on as if she never showed up in the first place]].

* In the ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'' episode "Operation: N.U.G.G.E.T" (which plays out like a Western goldmining story, only with ''chicken'' nuggets in place of gold ones), Numbuh 3, her sister Mushi and Numbuh 1's girlfriend Lizzie fill the role of the Saloon Singer variant.

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* Oruha from Outo Country in ''Manga/TsubasaChronicle'', and in her original series ''Manga/{{Clover}}''.

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* Gina in ''Anime/PorcoRosso'' is a very clean and straight-laced example, but she does have the glamour (with lingering shots of her large earrings slowly turning as she sings), the loneliness, and the romantic melancholy.

* {{WesternAnimation/Coco}}: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr1Vw63B1MI Imelda Rivera, during this song.]]
* In both of the Europa movies: WesternAnimation/JackAndTheCuckooClockHeart: Acacia is one [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2yWsBOCQ6M here]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19IWOFk8aLs here]].

* Lucille is one in WesternAnimation/AMonsterInParis [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsXvXlK4CTs&t=11s here]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hFljpXz7co here]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZThmW0ZK4w&t=1s here]]. In fact, that's her actual JOB!
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanMysteryOfTheBatwoman'' has an unnamed singer at the Penguin's club swaying from side to side and winking while singing a song with the lyrics "Betcha never thought we'd get this far. Betcha never, never ever, Betcha never you'd touch my heart." The unnamed singer who performs [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GoPZBYCHDd0 "Betcha Neva" in the Iceberg Lounge]] is actually an InkSuitActor of French pop star Cyndi Almouzni.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* In ''Film/ThisGunForHire'', Creator/VeronicaLake mixes it up by being a sexy chanteuse who sings sultry songs in tight dresses -- and does magic tricks.

* Jessica Rabbit in ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'' is introduced this way, working as a singer in the Ink & Paint Club. The entire (male) crowd is gobsmacked by her beauty and sensuality, and Eddie Valiant openly asks Betty Boop how ''that'' woman wound up married to a comedian like Roger.
-->'''Betty Boop:''' Yeah... what a lucky "goyul".
* Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe's characters in ''Film/GentlemenPreferBlondes''.

* Tina in ''Film/TheMask''. [[spoiler: Although she's not a FemmeFatale, but a DamselInDistress]].
* Lil Sheridan (Marilu Henner) in ''Film/JohnnyDangerously''.
* Uschi, the heroine of ''Film/DerSchuhDesManitu'', is introduced that way. The film doesn't have anything to do with the FilmNoir, though; it's just {{Troperiffic}}.
* ''Film/CastADeadlySpell''. When we first see Connie Stone (Creator/JulianneMoore), she's singing a song in Harry Bordon's nightclub. You can watch her performance [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCp2-fbsm2Y#t=6m55s here.]]

* The 1990 ''Film/DickTracy'' movie had Breathless Mahoney, classic nightclub FemmeFatale played by no less than Music/{{Madonna}}. Her performance of "Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)" actually won an Academy Award.
* ''Film/{{Eraserhead}}'''s Lady in the Radiator could be seen as a mutated example of this.
* Rebekah del Rio, as herself, in ''Film/MulhollandDrive'', with the twist that it's actually LoopingLines - "It is all a recording" -- and del Rio collapses toward the end of the song, which keeps playing. It's safe to say that Creator/DavidLynch loves this trope. And see below under Live Action TV for another example from his body of work.
* ''Film/TheRocketeer'': The South Seas Club singer has the PimpedOutDress and melancholic singing voice required for the role.

* The title character of ''Film/{{Gilda}}''.
* Joan in ''Film/ThePurchasePrice''.
* Creator/IdaLupino in ''Film/{{Road House|1948}}''.
* Dorothy Vallens from ''Film/BlueVelvet''.
* Tornado Lou from ''Film/LemonadeJoe'', a gorgeous HookerWithAHeartOfGold who dreams of becoming a better woman. She has two melancholy songs, one of which moves all gunmen in the Whisky Saloon to tears, and one extremely cheerful number which is accompanied by a dance routine from a posse of MsFanservice girls in skimpy outfits.
* A dark example: Lucia in ''Film/TheNightPorter''.
* Francesca in ''Film/GhostShip'' is the typical sultry lounge singer, but on a luxury Italian cruiseship. She participates in the massacre on the ship and [[TheVamp uses her wiles to seduce men to their deaths]], and as a ghost [[spoiler:is serving the primary villain to lure more men to their deaths.]]
* In ''Film/LastVegas'', Diana moonlights as this at a Vegas casino, her primary job being working as a tax attorney for the owner.
* ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'': When Picard creates the Dixon Hill night club, which is a direct reference to FilmNoir, on the holodeck it naturally includes on of these on stage.
* ''Film/DestryRidesAgain'': Frenchy is the singer in the saloon; Creator/MarleneDietrich sings a couple of songs. Beyond her sultriness, Frenchy helps Kent the bar owner cheat people at cards.
* ''Film/ShermansMarch'': "Joyous"--that's her name--bass guitarist and singer, first introduced singing with a band in a parking lot, and later shown singing in a nightclub. She hangs out with Ross for a little while before heading to New York to advance her music career.
* There's one in the magical speakeasy scene in ''Film/FantasticBeastsAndWhereToFindThem'', although considering the singer is a goblin and/or house-elf (it's hard to tell), it plays out more as FanDisservice than anything else.
* Creator/CaroleLombard is a sexy nightclub singer in ''Film/BriefMoment''.
* In ''Film/RanchoNotorious'', Altar was a saloon singer before coming into the money that allowed to found Chuck-a-Luck. This provides justification for Creator/MarleneDietrich to sing several sings during the film.
* Mae (Rebecca Ferguson) in ''Film/{{Reminiscence}}''. One of the characters even explicitly refers to her using the word ''chanteuse'', in a somewhat mocking way.

* Tornado Lou from ''Film/LemonadeJoe'', a gorgeous SoiledDove who dreams of becoming a better woman. She has two melancholy songs, one of which moves all gunmen in the Whisky Saloon to tears, and one extremely cheerful number which is accompanied by a dance routine from a posse of MsFanservice girls in skimpy outfits.

* Tina in ''Film/TheMask''. [[spoiler: Although she's not a FemmeFatale, but a DistressedDamsel]].