Stromae Returns

The Belgian star’s long-awaited new album tackles mental health, fatherhood and misogyny while sidestepping the culture wars

- DANYA HAJJAJI

FAMED BELGIAN SINGER-SONG writer Stromae is about to drop his third album Multitude, making his homecoming to the international music scene following an eight-year hiatus. The album is due March 4.

Known for hits such as “Alors on danse,” “Papaoutai” and “Formidable,” Stromae (real name Paul Van Haver; the stage name is a spin on “Maestro”) is among the most influential contemporary francophone artists. His proclivity for writing bleak lyrics to upbeat electro music has earned him much praise since his debut album Cheese in 2010.

“If it's an uptempo track, like, a really happy song, I don't want to sing really happy words on it, I want to twist it, the 36-year-old singer tells Newsweek. “I think it's possible to dance on difficulties. I think it's possible to celebrate hard life.”

Naturally, the world is not as it was in 2013, the year Stromae's critically acclaimed last album Racine carrée was released. Why did it take him so long?

I just needed to live,” he says. “I had the chance to have a beautiful baby, to get married, I've experienced some cool things. And to meet people, to discuss, to listen....And in the end, all of this provides material.”

In the midst of a taxing world tour, Stromae announced his indefinite retirement from music in 2014, but he was hardly dormant over the years. He collaborated with household names like Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa and Coldplay, and also launched five clothing lines under his creative label Mosaert.