Stromae

Musical career

2000–07: Early career

In 2000, he appeared as a rapper called Opmaestro, though he later changed his stage name to "Stromae", which is "Maestro" with the syllables reversed following the French slang practice, verlan.

At the age of 18, he founded a rap group called "Suspicion", along with rapper "J.E.D.I." in Eichhof. They produced the song and music video "Faut que t'arrête le Rap..." before J.E.D.I. decided to leave the rap duo. To finance his private school education, Van Haver worked part-time in the hospitality industry, but his academic performance wasn't up to standard.[citation needed] It was only later, when he registered at the Institut national de radioélectricité et cinématographie, that he released his first EP "Juste un cerveau, un flow, un fond et un mic..."

2007–08: Debut EP and record career

In 2007, during his studies at the film school of Brussels, Stromae decided to concentrate fully on his musical career. This resulted in his debut-EP "Juste un cerveau, un flow, un fond et un mic…". In 2008 he signed a 4-year record deal with "Because Music" and 'Kilomaître'.

2008–2012: Breakthrough and international success

In 2008, Stromae worked as a young trainee at the music radio station NRJ in Brussels. Vincent Verbelen, Music Manager, was impressed by the talent he perceived in Stromae's first single "Alors on danse" and decided to air it for the first time on NRJ. The response from listeners (including influential personalities ranging from Anna Wintour and Jean-Claude Van Damme, to the then-president of France Nicolas Sarkozy)[citation needed] was one of extreme enthusiasm and Stromae came to wider public attention. In a few weeks from that point, sales of the song established it as number one in Belgium.

2013–2017: Racine carrée

The first single "Papaoutai" from his second album Racine carrée (English: Square root) was digitally released on 13 May 2013. It went on to chart number 1 in Belgium and France, number 2 in the Netherlands, as well as number 7 in Germany and Switzerland.

On 22 May 2013, amateur-looking videos appeared on YouTube showing Stromae, apparently drunk and wandering at the Louiza tram station in Brussels at dawn.The videos went viral. A few days later,it was revealed that this was linked with the filming of a professional music video. This was confirmed during an appearance by Stromae on the French TV show Ce soir ou jamais in which he discussed and also performed his new single "Formidable", which is about the story of a drunk man just separated from his girlfriend. The music video was made from edited hidden-camera footage taken on 22 May. It also shows people taking pictures with their cellphones, people who are clearly irritated by his drunk actions, people helping him stand up, and three policemen asking if the artist was okay or if he needed some help.The policemen also got some critiques for not disciplining the drunk Stromae; however, they later claimed that the full story hadn't been shown. The part where they returned and Stromae had to explain his case was not broadcast.

2018 to present: New work

On 6 April 2018, Stromae released his first new single in more than three years, "Défiler", to accompany the release of "Capsule 5" a new fashion line.The song was co-composed with his brother, Luc Junior Tam.The song's lyrics play on the meanings in the French language of the words "défiler" ("to parade/pass by," often used to refer to models walking down a runway), "fil" (thread, line) and "filer" (to whiz by), evoking themes of modeling and superficiality; of life speeding by; and of toeing the line or hanging by a thread. In 2019, he co-produced and provided vocals, in French, for the song "Arabesque" of the band Coldplay, for their album Everyday Life.

Other ventures

Stromae as a Maestro

The name "Stromae" comes from switching the syllables in the word "maestro".[46] This inversion is a result of French slang[47] known as verlan.[48] True to the origins of his artistic identity, Van Haver has produced a number of videos described as leçons, or lessons, released on YouTube. Leçon 21 is entitled Silence,[49] leçon 24 is entitled les leçons c'est "tous les mêmes," and is delivered by Stromae on a gondola in Venice.[50] Leçon 28 is entitled "ta fête" (hymne red devils),[51] and features the National football team of Belgium.

Styling

Stromae is known for his distinctive physique and clothing style. He has used this image in launching a limited fashion line, Mosaert (an anagram of his stage name). The collection features bright colors and geometric patterns, and has been described as "hipster" and "retro kitsch". Stromae has said that he wanted to "create a bridge between British style and African aesthetic"

Personal life

In 2015 he had to cancel a tour through Africa because of anxiety caused by the malaria medicine Lariam (Mefloquine). Since then Stromae has avoided public appearances. In an interview in 2017, he stated that he still suffers from panic attacks and initially left open whether he would ever be able to make music professionally again.Since 2018 he has been showing himself in public again. On 12 December 2015, Van Haver was secretly married to Coralie Barbier by well-known Catholic priest Guy Gilbert, in a private ceremony held in Mechelen.His first son was born on 23 September 2018.

Musical style

Stromae's music is heavily influenced by electronic music especially Belgian New Beat music.He has been touted as the "face of the New Beat generation" He considers Congolese music to be a huge influence.[citation needed] Stromae has been compared to Jacques Brel, who in turn significantly influenced Stromae, with Stromae even covering several of his songs.