"Some who had a priori about me have changed their mind," says Bilal

While the first extract from his next album will be released this Thursday evening, Bilal Hassani replied (by phone) to "20 Minutes"

Singer Bilal Hassani. - Elie Zinsou

"Make the void", the new single by Bilal Hassani will be available this Thursday evening.
"This is the kind of song that I want to listen to and say" I'm going to dance for three and a half minutes, forgetting the little daily worries and the big problems of life "", explains the singer to "20 Minutes".
France 2 will broadcast Bilal Hassani's concert at L'Olympia on Friday at 11.45 p.m. "I hope the audience will realize that I put a lot of work into this show," he says.

"Major in the air, a breath of fresh air, you trace as if there was only you." Make the void, do not listen to them, those who speak and who do not move forward, "sings Bilal Hassani in the chorus of Fais le vide , his new single which will be available this Thursday at 6.30 pm. Words that apply well to the 20-year-old artist who, despite the criticisms of his most virulent detractors, continues his musical career launched a year ago. After having, in the space of a few months, represented France at Eurovision, released a first album, Kingdom , and followed up with a tour, Bilal Hassani is preparing his new album for the end of the year.

Did you write "Empty" as a hymn to self-confidence?

I would say that it is rather a liberating piece. This is the kind of song that I want to listen to and say "I'm going to dance for three and a half minutes, forgetting the little daily worries and the big problems of life". Take advantage of a moment, jump everywhere and enjoy.

Last year, you were the victim of cyber harassment. Have things got better?

Oh, that hasn't changed too much, huh (he smiles). It is not something that disappears with a snap of the fingers. There will be new ones who will find it funny to attack me, but it may have become less fashionable to hate me. I especially noticed that many people who had negative assumptions about me, compared to what they could hear or to what I represented, have reviewed their opinion. I made an effort to meet them. I went to see the public almost everywhere in France and I realized for example that some parents who accompanied their children to a dedication were not necessarily very happy to be there. But in the end they realized that it was cool, that what I wanted to say with my music was nice. Besides, today I have a much better facility to protect myself from all of this [from cyberbullying] after the tornado that I was able to endure last year and which forged me well.

Last year, in the space of a few months, you chained Eurovision, promoting the album "Kingdom" and the concerts. What do you think of this period?

I am very grateful to have been able to experience all of this. I thank my fan community first because it is thanks to them. I can hardly even call them fans. I really consider them as my family, we talk every day. It's an audience that has followed me since I created my YouTube channel and who has agreed to support me in this musical adventure. They knew it was my dream. Thinking about it at the end of last year I realized everything they did for me: we won all the awards where I could be named [NRJ Music Awards, Olympia Awards], they succeeded to make me go to Eurovision, they came to my concerts. I realize how fortunate I am to have such a strong community that has so much love for me.

Does this new single, "Fais le vide" announce the tone of the second album or should we not trust it?

Where on the first album I went to look for various things in terms of influences, sounds, this time I wanted to do something a little more coherent. What we hear on Fais le vide , we will be able to find it on other titles of the album, obviously with different flavors and colors, but with the same aura. My influences are between the 1970s, 1980s and always with a hint of r'n'b from the 1990s. I wanted to take that retro turn that we really like in pop right now and put it to taste day for a French record.

When is the album scheduled for?

For the end of the year. It is not yet completely finished and completed. I take much longer than what I have been able to do on Kingdom . I spent more time on the music I wanted to do. In July, I wanted to take a break after a busy start to the year, and then the inspiration came on its own and I started to write things. So I worked in stride very naturally. I wanted to vary my collaborations, the people I work with. Fais le vide was designed with songwriter Matthieu Mendès, for example. This meeting took place naturally. We don't live very far from each other, he met me, we ended up talking and we decided to work together. I really believe in destiny.

What will this second album look like?

I think I find myself more and more, musically speaking. Beyond the fact that it is liberating, it is also deeper in the production or the taking of voices. A track like Fais le vide was conceived in three months while some tracks from my first album only took one or two days. There, we wrote the song very quickly, in forty minutes, but we took the time to let it rest, to refine the details, to go get some sounds, a good amplifier for the guitar, etc. I was more perfectionist and I was more interested in the creation of the piece at its source. In Kingdom , I really told my story, I introduced myself to the public. There, I am known enough that I can go further in my texts.

That is to say ?

Without saying too much, I will talk about love, success, the impact it may have had in my daily life, seeing my surroundings change. On several songs, I was inspired more by others than by myself. I don't necessarily speak in the first person and even when I do, it doesn't have to be about me. I watched a lot of the people I met, my friends and my fans. I know that when they listen, they hear their lives, their stories and I wanted to talk to them even more.

Friday, France 2 broadcasts at 11:45 p.m. your concert at L'Olympia captured last year, what does that do to you?

I am obviously very happy. It was the first concert of my career so having images of this Olympia is pretty crazy. I had spent the craziest day of my life, it had passed so quickly that I hadn't really been able to enjoy everything. To be able to see it again is rather magical. I am glad that it can be accessible to all. I hope that some of the viewers will realize that I put a lot of work into this concert that I wrote thoroughly and that we did a beautiful show.

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