The passionate rock journalist Philippe Maneuver had the privilege of meeting Michel Polnareff in his American desert for an exceptional interview organized for Paris Match. In the United States for nearly forty years, the 78-year-old artist delivered his words, without filter, to accompany his big comeback. The singer with peroxidized hair and dark glasses indeed unveils a disc simply baptized Polnareff sings Polnareff, on which he performs his greatest hits accompanied by his only piano, an intimate and intense experience. This interview is an opportunity for him to give some news and to restore certain things…
Michel Polnareff intended to return to Paris soon – he arrived on Friday November 4 editor’s note – to get back on stage. The interpreter of Letter to France could even provide a tour, he who has a new manager and a new turner. Keeping the mystery of this project, he first confides in his album, which took him three months to make, not without pain because reinterpreting his cult songs brought out powerful, sometimes difficult feelings. A solitary work in any case, which he carried out in his own studio where he can follow his rules, that is to say those of not having any. An album to which he is very attached, after the disappointing reception of that of 2018, Finally ! which left him with bad memories with his record company at the time, Universal France. Of this period, he will not want to say much, preferring to be interested in the future.
A fantastic little man who lives in strange conditions
The future is also his son, Louka, now 11 years old. The boy, who looks more and more like his mother Danyellah, companion of Michel Polnareff – but whose biological father is not the singer, however, is a child full of life. However, he must grow up on a planet that is not doing very well, with the climate emergency looming: “I love Louka, he’s a fantastic little guy who lives in strange circumstances, but he’s strong and I have great confidence in him. Global warming is not very new to me. (…) It’s my visionary side. (…) The themes [de ses chansons] still remain relevant.“
Philippe Maneuver also asks him about his vision of the French music scene, he who is so far from France now. To those like Benjamin Biolay and Calogero who criticized him, he replied: “I think they have every reason to be jealous yes. You talk to me about people I don’t know well..” To the question of a song written by Pascal Obispo, the one who appreciates Orelsan, retorts bluntly: “But anyway, I’m not going to ask him to write me a song that I’ve already written! That said, I like Pascal… I can’t help loving someone who loves me so much! Obispo is a good guy.“
This new professional page allows Michel Polnareff to move forward and get away from difficult times like Covid-19. “Horrible. Don’t even want to talk about it. It was very hard for me. I don’t want to dwell on the subject, but I didn’t like the reasons for this confinement. The more time passes, the more everyone will wonder why we had to endure this“, he testifies before ending with a disillusioned, but private monologue.
Polnareff sings Polnareff, an album available on November 18
Find the full interview in the magazine Paris Match from November 10, 2022