He grew up listening to the soundtracks of Ghost Dog and the Coen brothers, then they wanted to make him the Justin Bieber of French cinema. He said no. While waiting for his Tarantino, he's composing his soundtrack – an autobiographical album born from grief, transformed into a journey to an imaginary island. An interview with an artist who has always put life before comfort, and the silence of Corsica before the noise of Paris.
What connection do you see between music and cinema?
Music and film are what I grew up with. All the great films that have marked me since childhood have a memorable score, a memorable soundtrack. Ghost Dog with RZA's soundtrack, Dead Man with Neil Young, The Big Lebowski by the Coen brothers with a whole soundtrack of classics…
Were these the films that made you want to make music?
Yeah, I think it's also been a passion for the arts since I was very young. Originally, I wanted to be a cartoonist. I drew a lot, I was passionate about comics – Corto Maltese, Lanfeust, Garfield, Calvin and Hobbes . And when I was 12, a friend put a guitar in my hands. At the same time, I was really into poetry. I've always had an artistic mindset. I grew up in the 13th arrondissement, near Place d'Italie. There was Le Grand Écran cinema, and I had five movie theaters right near my place. I went to the movies all the time. It was a time when box office numbers were insane. I lived there from 1990 to 2005.
How did you end up doing auditions?
It wasn't even a casting call, it was a classified ad in a magazine: "Musician wanted for a film." I was looking for a part-time job to earn some pocket money. I already had a band at the time, Kaponz & Spinoza, in the vein of "BB Brunes." They called me, offered me a lead role, and it completely changed my life overnight.
How many tickets did this film sell?
At its release, it grossed 4 million. But above all, it's been passed down from generation to generation. Kids of 11 or 15 years old still recognize me today. It's a film that has become part of our cultural heritage.
Why did you do number 2?
It was just a cameo. Christa didn't want to do the second one—it's her life, I don't want to speak for her. It's not my thing at all, not my culture. But over time, I realized it was a great opportunity. Ukrainians, Brazilians, Moroccans… people from all over have told me that this role helped them become more comfortable in their own skin, because I radiated such free-spirited energy. It's a gift from life. But now I've hung up my hat. LOL. It's a role I played when I was 17, I'm 35 now. I'm not going to talk about it my whole life.
Are you trying to do that with music too?
Music is all I do. Sending love, sending light. I conceived the current album in two parts; the second will be released next year. It's an album about the loss of a loved one: meeting and then dying in a car accident. It's autobiographical, but I've transformed it into a journey to an imaginary island where I lose myself and find myself again. It's the story of a man facing his destiny.
Is it necessary to suffer in order to write?
I think you have to live. Life is full of suffering and joy, that's normal. I've always preferred travel, meeting new people, life itself, to comfort. I find it hard to work in Paris. Too much noise, too many distractions. My mother lives in Calvi, I live in Patrimonio, near Bastia. I need silence, space, nature. I found some amazing musicians in Corsica—passionate about sound, fantastic musicians. I brought them on board for this project, which was anything but traditional, and they loved it. On stage, I only have people from there.
What you want is music?
What's holding me back in film is that I can't find roles I truly enjoy. But I'm hopeful. If I manage to make two or three more films in my life where people say, "Damn, that role is amazing!", I'd rather do that than 15 crappy movies. I'm not just an actor, I'm an artist. That means I have my own world. As Gabin said, you just need a good chair, patience, and to stand tall. Eventually, it'll happen. You're waiting for your Tarantino. I know it'll happen. I entered this industry so young. At 17, everyone wanted me to be in everything. They wanted to mold me into some kind of Justin Bieber. Never in a million years. I took the gamble of staying true to myself and writing my own story over the long term. For me, being an artist is a journey that unfolds over a lifetime.
PHOTOGRAPHER: DA: FRANÇOIS BERTHIER
CO DA FLORA DI CARLO
MAKE UP/HAIR: ESTELLE VANDEVELDE
