(Brussels) First concert for seven years in fashion Unbeaten after his burn-out: carried by this new title, Stromae returned to the ring, as a champion, on Tuesday evening in Brussels, at the launch of a tour-event.
Posted at 4:34 p.m.
The 9,000 people (figure provided by his label Mosaert and his tour operator Auguri) at Palais 12, a performance complex in Brussels, exult when he presses the word “Undefeated”, in a halo of light, for the first title of his concert.
Unbeaten is therefore his hymn to life after his burnout, an extension of a marathon world tour which had drained him physically and mentally in 2015 (with the adverse effects of an antimalarial drug as an aggravating factor).
A depression, escorted by “suicidal thoughts”, narrated without disguise in hell, title already known. But Tuesday evening in Brussels, even if some texts are still dark, the swaying electro takes everything. And the mood is happy with the reunion between the artist (37 years old this year) and his audience.
“I’m a little stressed, I’m not going to hide it from you, but I’m very happy to be here”, he quickly says, all smiles, at the microphone, in his white frilled shirt.
This first show is called Preview, because the Belgian still doesn’t do anything like anyone else. The artist thus unveils unreleased tracks to the public, while his next album Multitudethe most anticipated French-language album of 2022, will not be released until March 4.
A great expectation felt among the general public as well as in showbiz. “This album is my expectation of the year, I am an absolute fan” confides to AFP Pierre de Maere, singer, new nugget of the Belgian scene, inspired by his elder.
Avatar, robot dog
The starting point for this new chapter in Stromae’s novel, which will then lead him on a world tour until 2023, could only be Brussels, his city.
“Well it’s okay, wasn’t it too bad? “, he launches to his audience twice when he unveils new songs. Delighted, accomplices, the spectators respond with a huge “noooon”. Stromae then has fun varying new and standard ones like Papaoutai.
The singer always takes as much pleasure in confronting points of view and putting on costumes in his songs. In a new song – of which he does not give the title – his voice changes to give voice to a child of a prostitute, a client, a pimp or a policeman.
Musically, Stromae is always hungry for sounds from around the world, a virus caught as a kid during trips with his mother around the world, particularly in South America.
Visually, his show opens with a mini-film, a mix of 2001 a space odyssey and Star Wars where his avatar, already seen at the Victoires de la Musique on February 11, stars.
A robot-dog, very real, also comes to play with him, at some point. While four musicians, lined up behind consoles, like even more futuristic Kraftwerk (but dressed like him), accompany him.
helltaken in chorus
But the heart of the show remains his songs, like greathis success, which he followed up with hellalready taken in chorus by the public. Healththe first single unveiled, also really stirs the public.
“It was great to find him, it was perhaps a stress for him, but the new songs are very good, it went perfectly”, rejoices with AFP Arthur, 33, from Namur.
There will be two other “previews”, Thursday in Paris and Sunday in Amsterdam before the landing of Multitude in tanks and on platforms.
Then the tour will resume, passing in April by Coachella, the biggest festival in the world in California, before returning alternately to Europe and North America (United States and Canada) until 2023. Because the international ambition is still there, as proven by his remarkable performance in early December on Jimmy Fallon’s American TV show.
” Then we dance ” ? In Brussels the public answered yes when this success resounded, at the end of this first show.