This week, to promote his ongoing French tour, Stromae made the headlines, and once again created a big buzz in the media, when he appeared at a popular talk show. Personne ne sait comment on fait des papas.” “Tout le monde sait comment on fait des bébés The video clip is creative the tune catchy and no doubt rocking all dance floors in Europe! My favorite line: The son of a Belgian mother and a Rwandan father, who later died in the Rwanda genocide, Stromae only met his own dad a few times in his life. My favorite song: Papa Outai (“ Papa où t’es?” – Where are you, Daddy?) He draws on his personal experience to tell the story of a child with an absent father. The video clip went viral when leaked online, and the rest is history… He declines, and they let him go.īelgian cops are the most relaxed and understanding police force in the world! At some point, three policemen approach Stromae (they recognize him,) and offer to give him a ride home. The guy is drunk and mourns his failed relationship.Įven if Stromae is acting (he grins at the camera at the end of the clip,) the video was shot with a hidden camera in downtown Brussels on a rainy morning (there are a lot of rainy mornings in Brussels, Belgium…) Passers-by did not know they were being taped. The song tells the story of a painful breakup. (For those of you who study the French language, fort is often used in Belgium and the Northern part of France to translate très – very. “Tu es formidable, je suis fort minable…” Didn’t I tell you the kid had smarts?įormidable happens to be an amazing song, thanks to Stromae‘s acting skills and creativity. Yet I noticed English subtitles in his most popular video, Formidable. The fact that Stromae does not try to imitate other European artists by singing in English, might limit his appeal. The young Belgian Dandy is also compared to one of his homeland’s most shining star, the late Jacques Brel, and was recently featured in the New York Times in a flattering piece. Are the United States his next stop?
The Guardian nicknamed him: “The Morrissey of the Eurozone,” because of his realistic and gloomy lyrics. All of his video clips play like mini-movies. Stromae, it turns out, is a trained musician, an accomplished percussionist, a fan of poetry. Yet, the pace is upbeat, and one can’t help watching the short movie… Stromae sold three million copies of the first album. Some of Stromae‘s favorite themes are in the song: the rat race, divorce, loneliness, hopelessness. His first big hit was Alors on Danse, (Then you Dance,) a song he wrote about a friend going through a tough time. What’s not to like?įrench friends recommended I checked him out. He seems surprised, and humbled, by his success, but exudes self-confidence and controls all aspects of his career. He can discuss his origins, his career, and the issues confronting European youth articulately.
His public appearances are greeted with much anticipation. Two albums ( Racine Carrée, Square Root, came out last spring.) Awards up the wazoo. His most popular video to date, F ormidable, has received over 43 million hits on Youtube.
If the social media is any indicator of success, numbers are impressive: 2.6 million follow his Facebook page. Stromae – French slang for “Maestro” – has developed a cult following in most European countries. Meet Stromae the 28-year Belgian-born artist who is taking Europe (and French Canada) by storm. The smart, if mournful lyrics, both poetic and realistic, a sharp contrast to the catchy tunes, a blend of rap, hip hop, electronic music and Latin rhythms.