Stromae describes in "L'enfer" his battle with suicidal ideation.
Stromae unveils new single and music video "L'enfer" from his upcoming album "Multitude", which will be released by Polydor Records / Universal Music on March 4.
"L'enfer" is an amulet to fight the darkest thoughts, where Stromae moves deftly in a wide range of emotions, exploring the most intimate topics. It is a depressing vortex that unfolds within a few meters, from daily boredom to the darkest forms of escape.
The song premiered live on the French news channel TF1 tonight, where Stromae created a live performance art moment and surprised viewers by answering the presenter's last question with the first lyrics of "L'enfer". . He then sang the entire song while sitting in the presenter's seat. See his appearance here.
"L'enfer" is another proof of Stromae's most ingenious and thoughtful abilities, not only as a producer and musician, but also as a lyricist. The characteristic dark sense of humor that characterizes him helps to enhance these very intense emotions, each of which is conveyed by strings and percussions that are set to emphasize the choruses.
A flood of echoes and haunted voices turn into elegies and when the vengeful synthesizer comes to the fore, the listener has no choice but to take part in the fight.
Is ‘L’enfer’ a complaint or a declaration of war? A simple interpretation on the piano or a hymn of invocation? A song to ponder, to smile with, to clench your fist or to sing it with all the strength of your lungs? "L'enfer" is all of the above.
"I HAVE THOUGHT SUICIDE SEVERAL TIMES AND I AM NOT PROUD OF IT / SOMETIMES YOU FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE THE ONLY WAY TO MUTE THEM"
The music video for "L'enfer", directed by Julien Soulier, Luc Van Haver, Coralie Barbier and Stromae himself, is a series of shots that start from Stromae's eyes.
As the camera moves away, he appears alone in a setting that is both sober and shocking in its vastness. This constant zoom out is interrupted by the dark thoughts of the singer who gradually take control. The music video ends with a return to the singer's eyes, like the endless loop that can sometimes represent pain and depression.
In 2015, after a sold out tour on all continents, which included his headline appearance at the famous "Madison Square Garden" in New York, and after becoming the undisputed highlight act of the "Coachella" festival of 2015, the acclaimed artist, writer, performer, producer, designer and director Stromae took an eight-year break.
During this time he focused on other creative endeavors through Mosaert's company with co-founders Coralie Barbier and Luc Van Haver, including the creation of award-winning music videos for names such as Dua Lipa ("IDGAF") and Billie Eilish ( "Hostage"), while he continued to publish high quality fashion collections.
In October 2021, Stromae returned abruptly to the discography, causing great joy and surprise with the single "Santé", which garnered 3.5 million streams in one week and became the fifth most popular song on Spotify when it was released. , while the music video for the song garnered over 18 million views on YouTube.
