Nelly and Laura, part one

Benjamin Illy tells you about “the life of Nelly”, 73 years old, modest retiree in Saint-Denis and absolute fan of Johnny Hallyday. But Nelly is much more than that. Through her, a piece of France takes shape, with laughter, tears, rock’n’roll and Laura Smet.

Laura Smet contacted me. One email was enough to convince her to meet Nelly. Johnny Hallyday’s daughter proposed to me on the morning of May 13. “Will two hours be enough?”. I tell him yes.

Nelly doesn’t know anything. It is a surprise. I just told him I was taking him “take a trip to Paris”. I pick her up at her senior residence in Saint-Denis. In the car, we shout about Desire from Johnny. The singer’s voice makes him “butterflies in your stomach, like when you’re in love.” We hit traffic jams at the Porte de Clichy. And we’re late. Arrived in Paris, Nelly told me that it had been a long time since she had followed “a guy like that with his eyes closed! Here he takes me to the hotel, the kid…” Laura is in a small, secluded living room.

This moment will remain engraved in my memory: Nelly clinging to my arm, who discovers a magnificent young woman, shy and a little stressed, there, waiting for her. Nelly turns to me, and lets out a “Good morning” stunned at this beautiful lady staring at her. I tell him : “Nelly, this is Laura Smet.” Nelly finally understands, and bursts into tears. Laura, very naturally, takes Nelly in her arms, the embrace is sincere, moving. Nelly’s first words are almost maternal, “you’re so pretty”. Nelly distributes the tissues, because there are three of us who have misty eyes.

We sit down in the beautiful armchairs. Nelly and Laura are going to talk. At length. We will laugh, we will cry – especially Nelly -, and I have the impression that my microphone becomes an intruder, come to capture an intimate moment, which resembles a reunion, between two women, the girl and the fan. They don’t know each other, but they have one essential thing in common: Johnny. “Odidn’t love the same person”, said Laura. Obviously, Nelly is familiar with Laura. And vice versa.

“I feel like we’re part of the same family.”

Very quickly, they seem like two friends, gathered to comfort each other by evoking the memory of Johnny Hallyday. Laura tells him that her father sang lullabies to her, “I never lacked Dad.” They show each other their tattoos, photos of the children. Laura shares her memories of watching horror movies with Johnny as a little girl. She has a certain talent for imitating him. There are also memories of concerts when Nelly was in the crowd. Crossed stories and the same admiration. Laura also speaks very well of the love and respect her dad has for his fans. But Nelly already knew that.