“there are other ways to continue doing this job”

Every day, a personality invites itself into the world of Élodie Suigo. Friday March 22, 2024: The author, composer and performer, Alain Chamfort. Today, he offers us his 15th and final album “Impermanence”. He will also be in concert on March 25 and 26 at the Théâtre de l’Œuvre in Paris.

Alain Chamfort is one of the most emblematic artists, authors, composers and performers of French song. From his first piano notes, he dreamed of this instrument, of what he could do with it and how he could make it sing. The public quickly responded with titles that became standards and hits like Manureva (1979), Bamboo (nineteen eighty one), Fever in the blood (1986) or even Clara wants the moon (1993).

His new album, the 15th and final, Impermanence, releases Friday March 22. Alain Chamfort will be in concert in Paris for a few dates.

franceinfo: Impermanence, these are 11 totally embodied titles, it is a laying bare of your feelings, of your emotions. What is impermanence then?

Alain Chamfort: Impermanence is a concept that can help us when we need to call on it. It’s a bit philosophical.

“Impermanence is an approach to life considering that nothing is fixed, nothing is stable, everything is evolving, in movement and in any field.”

Alain Chamfort

at franceinfo

It creates inspiration. You are almost completely naked on this album, you have completely given yourself over. What made you want to let go?

With age, simply and what happened previously. The human condition at any given moment brings you face to face. You arrive at a stage where you need to be as close as possible to your identity, your nature, your personality. We have a long journey before we find each other anyway. Afterwards, I’m not sure I had completely found myself yet, but I thought it was the time.

I also wanted to associate it with the idea that it was my last album, not my last recordings, my last songs, because there are other ways to continue practicing this profession. But the album, this kind of object on which we always engraved around ten songs and which seems to me today a little out of sync with the way people listen to music. So, I told myself that I was going to take advantage of this evolution of technology to consider that this is my last album, to think of it that way and to bring it to something that also has to do with my own life. It’s an album that closes something.

In the song By the yardstickyou say : “Hard to be after what we were, we only did what we could“, indeed this song is about death and I would like to know the tête-à-tête you have with it.

By the yardstickthis is the existential question that crosses us all at some point.

It’s like you’re face to face with death.

Yes, with his conscience. We are alone with ourselves. We could have done better. Have we been fair? Have we been honest and honest? All that. These are questions that are more and more frequent as time goes by and which leads to insomnia. That’s a little bit of what we’re trying to evoke in this song.

You have been with us for six decades. 60 years. What are you most proud of in this journey?

I would perhaps say of the repertoire that I have managed to build and it is nice to arrive at a certain point in your career, to be able to take on everything, to say to yourself: “I have nothing to hide, I had the freedom to do what I pleased“, it’s really nice to feel that.

You remain very positive. Everything works out in the end has become an adage, vou also sing about vanity while slamming, there is a little MC Solaar side. I have the impression that you also challenged yourself through this album.

Yes of course ! It’s not natural, you have to find the flow while still being… Me, I’m a musician, so I have a sense of rhythm, but the tone also has to be right in relation to what you’re saying .

“‘Everything Works Out in the End’ was a fun experience. I slam. I wanted to try that.”

Alain Chamfort

at franceinfo

There is also doubt. Do you still doubt today?

Yes all the time. Fortunately ! From what I am, from my real abilities, I have the impression that I have usurped things a little. It’s quite strange, but that’s a nature, it’s a fight all the time. At first, I was extremely shy. This kind of facade confidence which is the one that others give back to you because indeed when I come to do a show, you tell me all these lovely things, it makes me happy, so it reassures me a little about my state, but in At the same time, fundamentally, it doesn’t change much.

In In my eyes, you are talking about the future. What is important to you today?

I develop a certain form of contemplation. I found a space in the countryside and by the sea where there is a garden to be in the middle of nature and to have these smells, this feeling of the wind. There is something that I had not taken the time to welcome and appreciate. I discover this with a lot of openness. I am ready to appreciate these moments.

What does it mean to you Grace, a song that is timeless, which allows you to be in contemplation, to enjoy the moment. Here.

It’s like the song about doubt, it’s this questioning: Are we legitimate? Should we continue? Are we providing enough to people? That’s kind of the idea of ​​this song.

Alain Chamfort will be in concert at the Théâtre de l’oeuvre on March 25 and 26 and two other concerts are planned in Paris on June 6 and December 2.

Watch this interview on video: