Four categories, no less. Stromae is the 38 nomination championes Victoires de la musique, unveiled on Monday January 9, a month before the competition, which will be held on February 10 and will be broadcast on France 2 and France Inter. The artist, back after a break imposed by a burn-out, is engaged for the trophies of male artist, album (Multitude), song (Hell) and audiovisual creation for the clip sons of joy.
A few years ago, in the wake of an exhausting world tour, depression had hampered the singer’s rise. At 37, he took off again. In January 2022, to launch the successor to his album Square root (2013), he created the event by interpreting in the 20 hour newspaper of TF1 Hella shocking title about depression and the suicidal thoughts that can accompany it.
Parenthesis
“So much the better if it allows some people to want to treat themselves, to put words to things that were not identified until then”, he told Agence France-Presse in March. He now begins his concerts with Unbeatena hymn to life after its slump.
He did well on the French market, finishing third in the best-selling albums in 2022 behind Orelsan and Ninho. For the Victories, Stromae is ahead of Orelsan (three nominations) and another Belgian, Angèle (also three nominations). We will hear about Belgium on February 10, since Pierre de Maere, another artist from this country, comes forward with two nominations, while Mentissa, also Belgian, is mentioned once.
Two nominations go to the trio formed by Ben Mazué, Grand Corps Malade and Gaël Faye for their project Short-lived. Often competitors in the Victoires, the three artists are true friends in life. They locked themselves in the south of France for a few days to write and sing. From this parenthesis was born this album, which contains a song with comic accents dedicated to Benjamin Biolay, absent from the nominations this year.
In 2022, the Victoires de la Musique had been crushed by Orelsan and Clara Luciani. The rapper had scored a hat-trick in the categories male artist, song (The smell of gasoline) and audiovisual creation for his documentary never show that to anyone. The singer had, meanwhile, achieved a double with the trophy of female artist and the price of the album (Heart).