Stromae facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stromae
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Stromae at the 2011 NRJ Music Award
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Paul van Haver |
| Born | 12 March 1985 Etterbeek, Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium |
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| Years active | 2000–present |
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Paul van Haver (born 12 March 1985), known by his stage name Stromae, is a Belgian singer, rapper, songwriter, and producer. He is famous for his unique music style. It mixes hip-hop with electronic music sounds.
Stromae became well-known in 2009 with his song "Alors on danse". This song was from his album Cheese. It quickly became a number one hit in many European countries. In 2013, his second album, Racine carrée, was a huge success. It sold millions of copies and included popular songs like "Papaoutai" and "Formidable".
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Where Was Stromae Born?
Paul van Haver was born in Brussels, Belgium. He grew up in the city's Laken area. His father was from Rwanda, and his mother was Flemish. Sadly, his father passed away during a terrible event in Rwanda in 1994. Stromae and his siblings were raised by their mother.
How Did Stromae Start Making Music?
Stromae went to different schools, including a Jesuit school. When he was 16, he formed a small rap group with his friends. He was inspired by Belgian singer Jacques Brel and music from Congo. To pay for his private school, he worked part-time jobs. Later, he focused on music and released his first collection of songs, called an EP.
Stromae's Music Career
Early Career (2000–2007)
In 2000, Stromae started rapping under the name Opsmaestro. He later changed it to "Stromae". This name is "Maestro" with the syllables switched around, a type of French slang called verlan. At 18, he started a rap group called "Suspicion". They made a song and music video, but his partner later left the group.
First EP and Record Deal (2007–2008)
While studying film in Brussels in 2007, Stromae decided to focus completely on music. This led to his first EP, "Juste un cerveau, un flow, un fond et un mic…". In 2008, he signed a four-year record deal with "Because Music" and "Kilomaître".
Breakthrough Success (2008–2012)
In 2008, Stromae worked at a radio station in Brussels. A music manager there, Vincent Verbelen, was very impressed by Stromae's song "Alors on danse". He decided to play it on the radio for the first time. Soon after, a record label called Vertigo Records signed him.
By May 2010, "Alors on danse" became a number one hit in many countries. These included Belgium, France, Germany, and Switzerland. In September 2010, Stromae worked with Kanye West on a remix of "Alors on danse". He was also nominated for an award at the 2010 MTV Europe Music Awards. In 2011, his album Cheese won an award for Best Dance Album. He even performed with the Black Eyed Peas and opened for their concerts in Paris.
Racine carrée Album and Tours (2013–2017)
The first song from his second album, Racine carrée (which means Square Root), was "Papaoutai". It was released in May 2013 and quickly topped the charts in Belgium and France.
Stromae announced his album Racine carrée would be released on 16 August 2013. He performed "Papaoutai" at the Rock en Seine festival in France. In November 2013, he won the Best Belgian Act award at the 2013 MTV Europe Music Awards.
In 2014, Stromae performed "Formidable" at a music festival in Italy. His song "Ta fête" was chosen as the official song for the Belgian national football team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Stromae also toured the United States in 2014. He performed in New York City and appeared on a TV show. In October 2014, singer Lorde invited Stromae to work on the soundtrack for the movie The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1. He contributed to the song "Meltdown". In March 2015, Stromae released a music video for his song "Carmen". This video warned people about how social media can be addictive.
He continued touring in the US and Africa in 2015. He performed at Madison Square Garden in New York, selling out the venue. In September 2015, Stromae released "Quand c'est?", a song about cancer. The title sounds similar to the French word for cancer.
New Music and Multitude (2018–Present)
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On 6 April 2018, Stromae released "Défiler," his first new song in over three years. It came out with his new fashion line, "Capsule 5." The song's lyrics play on different meanings of French words related to fashion and life passing by.
In 2019, he worked with the band Coldplay. He co-produced and sang in French on their song "Arabesque" from their album Everyday Life.
Stromae announced he was working on new music in 2020. On 15 October 2021, he released "Santé". He explained that the song is about celebrating people who work hard while others are having fun. He even created a special dance for the song's music video. On 8 December 2021, he announced his third album, Multitude, would be released on 4 March 2022.
In January 2022, he performed another new song from the album, "L'enfer", live on French TV. In April 2023, he had to cancel some tour dates due to health issues. He later cancelled the rest of his tour for the same reasons. In 2024, Stromae contributed to the soundtrack of the TV series Arcane with the song "Ma meilleure ennemie".
Collaborations with Other Artists
Stromae has worked with many other artists.
- In 2009, he collaborated with Kery James on the song "Ghetto."
- He also worked with DJ Psar on a French version of Queen's "We Will Rock You," called "We Will Strock You."
- In 2010, Kanye West remixed Stromae's hit "Alors on danse."
- For The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 soundtrack, Stromae worked with Lorde, Haim, Pusha T, and Q-Tip on "Meltdown."
- He directed the music video for Dua Lipa's song "IDGAF" in 2018.
- Stromae provided vocals for Coldplay's song "Arabesque" in 2019.
- He also collaborated with French rapper Orelsan on a song called "La pluie."
- In 2022, he worked with Camila Cabello on the music video for "Mon amour."
- In 2024, he collaborated with Pomme for the song "Ma meilleure ennemie" for the TV series Arcane.
Other Projects
Mosaert Fashion Line
Stromae also has his own fashion line called Mosaert. This name is an anagram of his stage name. He describes the style as "hipster" and "retro kitsch." Stromae wanted to mix British and African fashion styles. His first collection was very popular and sold out quickly.
Mosaert has released several collections, each with unique designs. In 2018, Mosaert held a fashion show in Paris for their "Capsule n°5" collection. This event was also when Stromae released his song "Défiler." In 2020, Mosaert worked with Repetto, a French ballet shoe company. Stromae even created an instrumental song called "Repetto x Mosaert" for this collaboration.
Personal Life
In 2015, Stromae had to cancel a tour in Africa because of health issues. He had anxiety from malaria medicine. He stayed out of the public eye for several years. In 2022, he released his album Multitude and gave some interviews. He has since avoided public appearances. Stromae speaks French, Dutch, and English fluently.
On 12 December 2015, Paul van Haver married Coralie Barbier in a private ceremony. Their first child was born in 2018.
Musical Style
Stromae's music is strongly influenced by electronic music, especially a Belgian style called New Beat. He is sometimes called the "face of the New Beat generation." He also says that Congolese music has greatly influenced him. Many people compare Stromae to Jacques Brel, a famous Belgian singer. Stromae sees Brel as a big influence and has covered some of his songs.
Awards and Nominations
Discography
Studio albums
- Cheese (2010)
- Racine carrée (2013)
- Multitude (2022)
Images for kids
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Stromae performing in 2014
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Stromae headlining the 2022 Rock en Seine festival
See also
In Spanish: Stromae para niños
