Dear America

You know, in the introduction to my record, I quote Martin Luther King. He said: "It is the silence of men of good will that will lead us to the abyss, more than the cacophony of those who fight us". Unfortunately, this is an absolute truth. Martin Luther King fully understood human nature and his teachings continue to resonate in our daily lives. My father was, like many of us, overwhelmed by the irresistible rise of certain politicians and certain ideas harmful to our country. He has spent his entire life campaigning for civil rights, teaching in schools, traveling the world. He was particularly sad to see that his efforts did not always bear fruit. However, he persevered and the flame of his commitment never wavered.He also passed the torch on to me. He never said to me: "It is hopeless! All this is useless!". No, he never gave up when his frustration was great ". 

Dear America

Emmett's Ghost

I try, through this song, to tell the appalling drama of this kid that many Americans still ignore today. We have tried to erase certain events linked to institutionalized racism from collective memory for so long that I had to write this song. In addition, I wanted to stress the fact that this assassination had multiple consequences. Take, for example, my little person. The murder of Emmett Till deeply affected the 10 year old kid I was at the time. It was approximately at this age that I heard of his tragic death. On the other hand, it caused collateral damage. Some parents were reluctant to send their children to the southern United States to visit their uncles, aunts or grandparents.Many of them forbade their children to travel because it was becoming too dangerous. Emmett Till's story broke families. It was becoming very difficult to stay in touch with relatives too far away in the country. Emmett Till's death was not an isolated event, it had repercussions within the black American community. I think it is vital to bring up these subjects. It is essential, for me, to reflect on the reasons why we are always faced with confrontational relations between American citizens. The only way forward is to know the whole history of our people, of which we have deleted, for convenience, so many chapters. That's why I write songs. I try to tell everyone who listens to me where I come from and where we come from as a nation.It is clear that there is a therapeutic dimension in my desire to express my anxieties through my songs. The most important thing is to be able to share my feelings because it instantly creates discussion and we have a visceral need to converse, to exchange, to know each other, as human beings. The real problem in the United States is the lack of communication between different communities. You never try to befriend someone who is not like you. This is how you create a distorted image of reality. We invent a totally fantasized image of the Muslim, the American black, the homosexual. Obviously, this can only lead to dangerous and violent situations. We absolutely must learn to accept our differences and, for that, we must meet our neighbor, converse with him,encourage diversity ". 

I believe that music and creative ideas, animated by a feeling of love, can change the attitude of every human being on this planet. You have to believe it. Obviously some listeners will be annoyed by my words. songs because they evoke subjects that annoy them. It is often very difficult to face your own faults. However, I am convinced that the younger generation is now ready to go to the front. Young people no longer hesitate to approach in their conversation thorny subjects and will ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated. The fact that young white Americans are participating in the "Black Lives Matter" movement has given me hope.