Interview

Zaz conquers the world

French singer Isabelle Geffroy, aka Zaz, during her international tour in Madrid on April 1, 2019. © Mariano Regidor / Redferns

04/24/2019

After almost 10 years of career, the singer Zaz is not ready to put down her suitcases. The author of the album Mirror Effect appeared in 2018 was on April 22 in New York, American stage of an international tour. Meeting on site a few hours before her concert in Town Hall with the one who intends to continue his musical adventure according to his convictions.

RFI Musique: Are we still nervous before going on stage, or on certain stages?
Zaz : Yes, it can happen, but it's especially when we start a tour, with a new album ... It's often the first dates that are stressful because you have to learn the show. After there are automatisms, even if every night are different. But in fact, it's mostly an excitement ... And then of course, tonight (Monday), in New York, I'm very curious to see! We just met people from Colorado, Chicago ...

When you are abroad, do you have time to discover places or spend time with your audience?
It's pretty rare, but it's great when it happens. In Argentina, super nice fans invited us to a ranch to ride horses. But even without that, you still feel the atmosphere. We have been shooting for a long time now, so we know the cities, the people ... And it's still date after date, but you do not have 50 hours in a day!

You went very fast to play on the international stages. It was by taste, by challenge, by opportunity?
When I am offered to go, I go! I went to the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan when I had not even released an album yet. A guy wrote to me in English, I did not understand. He offered me five concerts in three days. Russia, the same: I sang in a piano bar and the director of the French Alliance of Vladivostok offers me to come, simply accompanied by a soundtrack. I first said that I would not go alone. I did not know who he was, it was on the other side of the world ... But there was a pianist who was there, and he agreed to go with me. And then there was Chile, Peru, Morocco ... From the moment that there are opportunities, and that I feel it, I'm always ready if there are things to learn, to experiment .

How is it going against a non-francophone audience?
It's less intellectual, but there is a very animal side. We are in the emotion and energy, and I'm fine! Because suddenly, it's the music that lives, I do not need to think ... But I love playing in France too, it's just different.

Have you had any bad surprises?
During a festival in Switzerland, we received an egg, I just avoided it ... In fact, there are those who adore me and those who hate me. To hold alterglobalist remarks and have his mouth on TF1, there are some who found it incoherent. But I quickly realized that being against the system only reinforces it. I rather want to use the tools available to try to improve things.

You say that you have always wanted to be a singer, but especially that you always knew that you would be famous ...
I knew I was going to find people with whom we were going to change the world ... And it's starting to work very seriously, I'm realizing my childhood dreams. Although it was not even dreams, rather visions ... Things you know, visceral ... But it takes time, you doubt, and when it happens, it goes so fast, you do not even realize it at once. Me, I really realized all that when I stopped (singing on stage) last year, after eight years. But in fact, nothing has changed except the gaze of others on me.

It is essential to have success?
Success is doing what we love, it is being fulfilled. You can just make your garden, if it's your ambition, it's beautiful ... My first job was in an orchestra. And later, the conductor told me: "You did not give us the choice" . I was asocial, rebellious, pissed off, the group was first told that I was going to blow everything up, that I was not going to integrate ... But I had such energy! So you manage to convince, "you do not leave the choice" ... And they took me on the adventure.

Have you been forced to make concessions anyway?
In France, on TV, the musicians pretend to play on a soundtrack. I find it unbearable, so at first I refused to do it. But one day, there was something very important, so I proposed to record in the studio a live version, original for this moment. It was a concession, but at least I felt good. Otherwise, no one can tell me what to do. At first, I was exhausted thinking that everything was an opportunity, that people knew better than me. Now I do not go into the game anymore. It's me. I choose the promos, I can say no. Everyone does not have the same interests as yours. It's not white or black, but you have to learn to respect yourself. There is also my best friend who became my manager a few years ago, because we have the same values.

Music is also a way for you to get your messages across ...
I can not take the human from the artist ... I'm happy when there's a real impact, things that make people feel good. I sing to connect with the world, it's my way of communicating. That's also why I created Zazimut. My notoriety is used to publicize NGOs around the world. We now have a network of 150 associations. We get them on stage with me because we realized that's what worked the most. And they argue with the public, to see how to help, awaken consciences. All merchandising revenue is returned to the network.

And there is obviously, since three years, the Crussol Festival ...
It is first of all a free citizen village, with all the local actors and associations, experimental stands ... And then we go up to the castle for the concerts. You can not imagine the organizational brothel that's when you've never done that, but all the returns are incredible. So even if I lose money every year (130,000 euros), all that generates behind, it's crazy. There is a special aura, even those who just come for the show are often carried away. As a result, the same concept was developed in Moscow and St. Petersburg, in abandoned factories in August.

Can you imagine continuing this rhythm for a long time?
I am like this. I have the energy, I believe it, I feed on that. I am just extremely alive, I need to be in motion constantly. Of course, I must also ask myself, but not too long, because otherwise, it goes too fast in there (she shows her head). And when it's going too fast, it pumps me energy, I make bubbles in bubbles in bubbles. But it is also important to have a balance, I have taken things in hand in recent years.

Zaz Mirror Effect (Elektra / Warner music) 2018
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By: Grégoire Pourtier

Zaz

French song - France - concert

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Zaz exports the French song to the whole world

The interview with Zaz for his latest album "On the road".