Let’s be honest, ladies. There are women out there who are just so cute that when you meet them, you sort of wish they would die. Lise Chemla is not one of those women. Lise Chemla is one of those women who is so cute, charming, and above all, talented — not to mention, so very French — that she transcends the instigation of jealousy and goes directly to creating new fans of her offbeat and highly engaging performance style.

Chemla prefers to leave her piano open, enabling her to strum and pick the strings for emphasis.

This style falls on the continuum between the sometimes-twittering, sometimes-throaty vocal stylings of Edith Piaf — complete with meandering asides in French and English — the rollicking full-body piano playing of Tori Amos in her concert heyday, and the childlike enthusiasm and discordant musicality of Joanna Newsom. In other words, deeply female, in a way that appeals to listeners of both genders, and kept the full house at Metal in Ann Arbor (220 Felch St., Ann Arbor; 800-613-6385; www.metaloffmain.com) on the edge of their seats during her performance on the evening of Saturday, January 6th.

Metal is a design and fabrication studio that doubles as an art gallery and performance space.

A packed crowd was there to welcome Chemla’s return performance.

Chemla is a playful performer, dividing her attention between the songs themselves and the process of forging a quick connection with her listeners. Her set was iced with charming stage patter and song breaks to occasionally translate her French lyrics, and during one song she elicited audience support in creating a gentle wave of jingling keys to underscore the chorus. In her original material Chemla’s beautiful voice, rapid-fire piano playing, and poignant lyrics create a spell that leaves her audience breathless, but equally engaging is her sense of humor, coming through in her cover of 50 Cent’s “P.I.M.P.” and her dead-on cover of the Pixie’s “Where is My Mind?” Oui, tres charmant.

Only once in her set did she revert to the age-old impenetrable defense of her people, “I’m sorry, I’m French.” Yes, Lise, we noticed. Encore.