After a complete and very successful concert at Les Etoiles on June 28th, we found Barbara Pravi the next day to learn more about her career and her future album. A great meeting!
It was at the end of the afternoon that we found Barbara Pravi in the Luxembourg Garden. A squeezed fruit juice at the Pavillon de la Fontaine, in the shade of plane trees, enjoying the rays of the waning sun: the ideal setting to meet after a long week, the perfect place to talk about her and her concert the day before.
You say you were raised in the middle of books. What does this mean to you?
My parents are "intellectuals". My father is a philosopher, he takes care of a foundation of ethics and human solidarity. As a result, he also published many books. My mother was a CP teacher: when I was little, she taught me to read very quickly. I've always liked it. At my parents' house, there is a very nice library and at home today, it's the same. I think when you go to someone's house and there's no book, it's very sad. It's very empty a house where there is no photo, no art… No artistic sensitivity. It makes me uncomfortable.
What book marked your adolescence for example?What are you reading today?
When I was younger, I remember that I loved the Horla. Otherwise, I'm an absolute fan of Romain Gary, I would have liked to meet him and spend my life with him (laughs). I read a lot of novels… I've never read detectives, it's not a genre that attracts me. I read a lot of classics, a lot of Maupassant. Zola, I couldn't stand it was too annoying. At the moment I read the girls to make my culture of woman: Georges Sand, Marguerite Duras … Simone de Beauvoir… I love Simone Veil.
And what place did music occupy?
We listened to a lot of classical music at home. I listened to the radio, I didn't have a particular musical genre. We had a lot of CDs of Celine Dion, Jean-Jacques Goldman, Yannick Noah… My parents didn't really make my musical culture. I knew my dad had listened to the Beatles, so I became interested in it at one point, but there wasn't really any transmission of art. I kind of made my culture on my own, listening to the radio and out of curiosity. When I heard Barbara for the first time I hated it, but the second time I was overwhelmed by La Solitude and suddenly I thought that a girl who had made a text like that, such a strong song, had surely made others. And you discover that everything is great!
How about you? How did you get into music?
Last night, during the concert, some friends told me that I was singing in the schoolyard… I don't remember it at all! For me, it must not have had a deep meaning at the time. Schooling has been hell for me. When I turned 20, I realized when I studied law that I really couldn't stand studying. I did this to please my parents, out of respect for them; They struggled with me so much. And then I thought, I'm no dumber than anyone. In the end, I realized that it's more a question of sensitivity: I didn't feel like I belonged. My best friend told me then that the only thing I loved doing and was good at was singing. I had to try! I gave myself until I was 25 years old to live from it; If I can pay my rent and groceries, then I would have achieved something.
You started as Solange in A Summer of '44. How were you spotted to be part of this show?
We knew Erick Benzi, who was the musical director of this show. He has written for Céline Dion, Garou, Florent Pagny… Worked with Jean-Jacques Goldman. For the 70th anniversary of the liberation, he had the idea of doing a show in Normandy. He received a song from Aznavour and called my father (who had to tell him that I wanted to sing) to offer me to record it. More news for 2 years. I had forgotten about the existence of this recording. And then one day, he calls me back to tell me that a producer would like to make his show, a musical, and offers me to be part of the adventure. I said yes!
The producer was Valery Zeintoun. We have a pretty strong thing, him and I. From the day we met, it's like we know each other. We knew it worked. He's a real character: whole, with a strong personality. Either you love it or you hate it, there is no middle ground. It's a story of alchemy of character.
When did you meet Jules Jaconelli with whom you work on your texts?
During the 2-year white period. I met him in a bar where I worked. We got along great. I was writing for myself and we wanted to work together. He asked me to show him my diary and poems… He was the first person I showed my handwriting to. Finally by doing this job, I gradually learned everything I was capable of. My relationship with words was very personal and intimate… I never thought I would be able to write texts that could touch people.
Almost 1 year since Pas Grandir came out. How do you feel about how far you've come?
That's huge! This song recently hit radio air; It took a while, but I'm very proud because this song has meaning and I didn't want it to be taken lightly. I am very happy with the team I work with, my press officers. They believed in the project and they fought for the title to be understood as I wrote it.
The message of your first EP seems to go well. Yesterday during the concert, the audience was very attentive. This EP was also a very nice discovery and surprise for us. It makes sense! And although you say "tell yourself", it's not just ego trip; It goes much further with more universal themes.Do you think that's something that's missing from French pop today?
I do not think that is the problem. We must give artists time to develop. I had 3 years with all that it implies of doubt, to go around in circles, not to know where you are going, to be lost … Today we think in singles, more in career. Too often we dissociate the image of the artist with whom he really is. Me, apart from my name that I have changed, I am the same person on stage and in life. I think that depth is missing. To get into radio and appeal to a wide audience in pop, you have to be smooth. But the history of music has proven in the last 5 years, that those who had more depth were the ones that the public demanded.
Are you thinking of any artists in particular?
Stromae
Louane is a girl who is not smooth, because she is so moving and touching; Her story is so meaningful that people have embraced her.
Christine & The Queens : she's a real artist. You can't say otherwise when you see how far she pushes her style and delirium. Whether you like it or not, the girl has class and assumes thoroughly.
Eddy de Pretto, Jain…
How do you write?
When I write my songs, I always start with the text, because I need to put words before putting a melody. I think when you're sincere, you're not smooth and when you're not smooth that's what really works.
Do you think you can be a standard-bearer for your generation?
I've always been very demanding. It's in my personality, it's sure and certain. I am a controversial girl with convictions that I like to defend. I have never asked myself the question of defending them on a large scale. And at the same time, I make music and I say things; the idea is that they are heard by an audience. Yesterday 250 people heard my songs. For now, it's my joy and I don't want to see much further. I have work waiting for me in September to start preparing the album, the cover… For me that's the most important thing and what's next. We'll talk about it again in 2 years (laughs).
We met Suzane at Solidays this year, who also has experience as a waitress. It seems that this job is inspiring. Was that the case for you too?
I understand very well what you mean and what may have inspired him. It is true that this profession is rich in inspiration. As soon as you have a creative and artistic soul everything can be a source of inspiration. I find her approach interesting and I see very well what she may have found interesting to take in the daily life of a waitress.
What I find inspiring to write is when you talk to someone. You have no idea what expressions and punchlines you can find just by listening to people talk. I have 3700 notes in my phone that are useless. But when you read them again, you don't remember who told you and in what context and it inspires you new things. Your imagination goes elsewhere!
Your skin-deep side touched us a lot during the concert. On several occasions, you give us chills and tears in our eyes. We feel that you are also very moved. How do you manage this emotion on stage?
In fact, I'm still on the edge. I don't let myself be overwhelmed by emotion because otherwise I cry, and then I can't stop. I'm 200% into the song, but it's something corporeal… I know the line not to cross so as not to collapse.
Le Malamour, you still have to take some distance to sing this song. It's something that's so present to me… I have images: when I say this word, I have this image that comes back to me… I force myself to think about this image to make the emotion more real for me, but I do not go to the end so as not to let myself be overwhelmed. Same for Louis and Deda. These are projections and I know where to stop them. But Malamour is the one I pay the most attention to. It's tricky for me.
For Kid it's different: for once it's a bit like the song carrying the flag. I think back to the state I was in when we wrote the song with Tomislav. We were full of demands.
You manage to sing such hard things but melodies or rhythms that are often light. How did you arrive at this contrast between themes and music?
I believe you can go through horrible things and not want to feel sorry for yourself. In music it's the same. I am a smiling and cheerful person overall. It's rare when I'm deeply sad. In my songs it's the same. At some point you have to move forward and that's how I see life. I do not think we should add drama to the drama.
It's also the feeling we had listening to your EP and your new tracks on stage. There is a Carpe Diem side very present in your texts. Whether in Sarah, in Oblivion… You talk about death and illness, but you manage to find meaning and a super positive message deep down.
You got it all figured out. Thank you! Yes, that's exactly it. I think it's important to be able to talk about things.
For L'Oubli, Alzheimer's disease is really a difficult disease for families. I live it with my grandmother. It's Deda my grandfather who takes care of her. It's monstrous for children because you remember nothing; It's hard for the people who take care of them, because you're reluctant to put them in a retirement home… But in moments of lucidity, you tell yourself that you can't do that. There are contradictions and ethical questions all the time. I have never known him without the disease… I never had a little girl relationship with her. I live vicariously the sadness of my father and grandfather. I try to have a distant look and in accordance with what I think deeply about all this.
For Sarah, she was the mother of one of my exes. I knew my ex when she passed away. He was remorseful for not saying what he had to say to her and spent his time making projections of his mother on me. At first I was compassionate and we women tend to play this game by the way. But in the end, I was living with the ghost of a woman I hadn't known. That's what this song is about and the regrets you can have when you don't tell yourself everything.
Malamour is dedicated to all Bertrand Cantat and Harvey Weinstein. Can a career be completely erased by an act like the one Bertrand Cantat did?
I think when you're a media persona not everything allowed yourself. You have to set an example a little. I can imagine that sometimes your brain can spin and you can be angry to the point of going crazy; I can also imagine the damage when you come back to yourself and see the consequences of what you have done… But I don't understand.
There, it is not an act on a stroke of madness. When you beat someone, there is not one gesture that causes death, but several blows that lead to death! What is super tricky is that Bertrand Cantat had a superb artistic career, but today it is no longer possible for him to return to the spotlight. He still has fans, he has a restaurant that works… It's even more about money. He could very well continue to write lyrics for other artists. The mistake he made was wanting to return to the light. The coverage of Les Inrocks was too much; There was a limit not to cross and there with what is happening … The freedom of speech… It's too late, it's over! It is always difficult to judge someone on an act, but this act is too serious. When you've done something like that, whoever you are, you have more right to be in the spotlight. You no longer have the credit to claim certain things.
This is even more true when you are in the media. You have a role, you can no longer afford to do anything. The excesses because you drank too much or you took drugs… I don't believe it! You have a responsibility for your image for yourself and for the people you work with too, for those you can inspire. Look at footballers: when you don't know how to line up three words, but you earn millions, imagine the image it gives to children!
In your setlist last night, we saw that there was a song crossed out. Which one was it and why?
Yes, indeed. It's called Je Mens and it's one of the first songs I did that I had to put on the album. Finally, I decided to remove it from the album and live to no longer sing it. It's very cool, but it's dated and it's a co-written song. The lyrics are not mine at the base, so it's not a song that touches me more than that. It's very well written, it's clever, but I can't get involved in it. All the songs I've sung so far are about three years old and none of them bore me, I love them all. The lyrics and melodies are still as current as ever. This one inspires me less.
Can you tell us a little more about Coeur Muet ?
It's about my best friend who went to army in Israel overnight. He was a party animal, a little dandy, a bit of a cursed artist. When he decided to leave, with my friends, we did not understand; It doesn't look so much like him. He was there last night during the concert; I watched him while I sang. This world is not ours, it is very delicate. He left to find himself, but in the army… I think he is deluding himself about the role of an army. An army never has a benefactor role. From the moment you have a gun in your hands, it is difficult to have a benevolent role. I am not sure he was in the army.
You ended your concert with a tap dance act. Do you miss the show? The musical?
Not especially. I would like to do theater, but for separate projects. There, I chose my whole team: my musicians, my sound engineer, my lighting engineer and I love that, because I know who I'm working with. In A Summer of '44, you find yourself projected into something already constituted; You are forced to get along with people you did not choose. Sometimes there are looks, jealousy. You have to be in a group spirit. I've always struggled with this state of mind. It was tricky for me in my relationships with others, but professionally, it taught me a lot. But I don't see myself repeating this experience. Tap, on the other hand, is because I've been dancing and I've loved it for a very long time. It's a kid's dream that I decided to realize. I wanted to do it in my music videos. I do a little in I serve with my tap dance teacher! It was a small challenge: I've been doing it for a little over a year, I told myself that I was going to do it on stage. It was the first time in my life that I had done it in front of an audience. It was pretty crazy and I loved it!
What do you plan to do this summer?
I'm going to work on some new tracks for the album. Many already exist, but I wanted to complete… At the beginning of the school year anyway, all my attention will be on the album.
And then maybe go spend a few days in Saint Raphaël 😉
Official website of Barbara Pravi
