Belgian hip-hop artist Paul Van Haver, widely known as Stromae, performed at Manhattan’s terminal 5 on September 20th. The exhilarating performer attracted a full audience of fans–American, French, Belgian and even German! Since most of his lyrics are in French, many Americans could find the show quite unusual, although exciting indeed! Stromae’s music is profound and passionate– sentimental lyrics about cancer, society today, and mostly Stromae’s harsh childhood. With his astonishing talent, he is able to incorporate his gloomy and meaningful lyrics with an uplifting and rhythmic African beat.
In the background of each of his performances, there projected an animated portrayal of the lyrics in the song. Sometimes there were even simulations of multiple Stromae characters, dancing in synchronization with the live performer. Stromae is not only a dancer and singer, but also an actor. With his spindly body movements, exaggerated gestures and facial expressions, Stromae was mesmerizing to watch on stage. He had specific personas and costumes for certain songs, including acting drunk in Formidable, and playing the role of both the man and woman fighting during “Tous les memes”(all the same). His movements flowed with the music, and with them he recreated the scenes from his music videos.
In “Papaoutai”(papa where are you), Stromae’s most renown hit, he dressed up as a boy (just as he did in the music video) to represent loss of his father, who died in the Rwandan genocide, during his childhood and how it impacted him. It is a really powerful pop song compared to what is usually played on the radio, and the whole album Racine Carrée (Square Root), is certainly unique.
The energy at the concert was ecstatic. The vibe was dynamic and clap-friendly. Stromae’s music was able to speak the voice of the frustrated teenager generation. Although, most of his songs incorporated topics such as love, sex, money and party culture, he communicates through beats, a way for everyone (ages 6 and up!) to understand and become a part of.
Personally, the highlight was at the end of the show when Stromae was able to silence the audience of 3,000 fans completely and perform a spectacular acappella piece of his song Tous les Mêmes. Stromae is definitely one of my favorite artists at the moment, and after this unforgettable show I am convinced that he will become successful in the United States throughout his tour of North America.