In his new album "Haute Fidélité", Raphaël decided, with the title "Norma Jeane", to pay tribute to Christophe, who died of Covid-19 on April 16, 2020. The singer and musician was an idol and a friend of Raphael.
The latter explains in "Culture Médias" how his memory hovered over the making of the album.
INTERVIEW
Norma Jeane.
It was the civil name of Marilyn Monroe, a name later given to a variety of white roses.
It is also now the name of a song by singer Raphaël.
A song on his latest album
Haute Fidélité
, but above all a tribute to his friend and idol, singer Christophe, who died of Covid-19 at 74 years old, in April 2020. Singer Raphaël explains Monday at the microphone of Philippe Vandel, in
Culture Media,
why he decided to pay tribute to him with this song.
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For Raphaël, Christophe was as much a friend as an artistic influence.
"He was really a great musician, a pioneer of sound. And then, Christophe made heavenly songs", details the singer.
"Everyone loved Christophe."
"We, we stay, we hold the city"
To pay tribute to him, Raphaël chose to write a song in the name of "Norma Jeane", in reference to a moment that the two artists shared, just before a concert.
"Here are Norma Jeane. Do you know?" Christophe asked Raphael, handing him white roses.
"He made me wear them because they were the flowers he was supposed to give. They were really beautiful white roses that had to come, I guess, from his florist."
Christophe died of Covid-19 during the first confinement, on April 16, 2021. But the two artists exchanged until the first days of confinement.
"Christophe wrote to me to ask me if I was staying in town. I said yes", Raphaël remembers.
"We, we stay, we hold the city", had fun Christophe then.
Falling ill, he would finally be transferred to Brest.
"He died, far from home, in a city that had nothing to do with him," regrets Raphael.
An album designed "under the wing" of Christophe
Very touched, Raphaël was not able to listen to songs other than those of Christophe for a month.
"His delicacy hovered above us all the time, I went back to all these records, the recent ones, the last 3, 4, 5", specifies the singer.
Very touched, Raphaël was not able to listen to songs other than those of Christophe for a month.
"I find it hard to listen to other things. It's so precious. It's wonderful."
Christophe's influence on Raphaël is felt when listening to his album.
She also played in its production.
"I had nevertheless met Arthur de Feu! Chatterton by Christophe. Same with Benjamin Lebeau of the group The Shoes", he explains, citing two artists who participated in the production of
High Fidelity
.
"So, it is a little under his wings that these collaborations are made. Christophe is a little in the loop."