(Content Warning // suicidal thoughts)
Stromae, a Belgian singer-songwriter who sings in French, released his latest song “L’enfer” (= hell). It contains deeply moving lyrics where he speaks very honestly about his struggles with mental health.
After big hits such as “Alors on danse” ( = So we dance), Stromae took a break and came back last October, after 7 years of absence. Although he didn’t release any solo work during that time, he was still collaborating with other artists, including French rapper Orelsan or English singer Dua Lipa.
You can check the video clip of ‘L’enfer” above, and his first TV interview in years at the link here, where he talks about his time away from the spotlight, his struggles, and sings live his new single at the end of the video (at 7:20). People are clearly touched by his candid and poignant lyrics.
You can hear the song on Spotify too here.
Here is an excerpt of his lyrics (beginning of the song):
« J’suis pas tout seul à être tout seul
Ça fait d’jà ça d’moins dans la tête
Et si j’comptais combien on est
Beaucoup
Tout ce à quoi j’ai d’jà pensé
Dire que plein d’autres y ont d’jà pensé
Mais, malgré tout, je m’sens tout seul
Du coup
J’ai parfois eu des pensées suicidaires, et j’en suis peu fier
On croit parfois que c’est la seule manière de les faire taire
Ces pensées qui me font vivre un enfer »
–Meaning:
I’m not alone to be completely alone
That’s already a bit less in my head
And if I counted how many we are
Many
All that I’ve already thought about
Others have already thought about
But, despite all, I feel completely alone
And so
I’ve had sometimes suicidal thoughts
And I’m not very proud of it
Sometimes we think it’s the only way to silence them
These thoughts which make me live in hell