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A NETFLIX ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY
Please…
Careful.
-Careful, right? -Careful.
Angèle!
Angèle…
It happened so fast.
And it was so intense.
Angèle, will you marry me?
It feels good to put it into words.
DIARY
I'M SUFFOCATING
FAKE
SUCCESS?
To be able to tell the story the way I experienced it.
Damn. I always look terrible whenever I use this camera.
And no one will ever be able to tell it better than I can.
No one's ever ready for this.
When I ended up being on every show overnight,
I was super happy…
LIFE IS COOL!!
…but I also thought, "Why am I here?"
"Why me?!"
I created this girl.
An improved version of myself. A combination of my fantasies.
The Little Mermaid.
A princess.
Hélène Ségara.
Priscilla. Ariana Grande.
All those I secretly wished I looked like.
Here's the thing,
I have lost the real Angèle.
LOST
I don't know who I am.
WHO I AM
1. WHO IS ANGÈLE?
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
Citizens are to stay at home
in order to avoid any kind of physical contact
outside their close family circle.
All gatherings are forbidden.
Lockdown, day one.
Today is March 14, 2020.
Not sure what the weeks to come will look like.
We're under lockdown
Since I have nothing to do, I'm experimenting.
Lockdown, day five.
I feel like it's been two years since I last wrote something.
Today is March 19. This is going to feel like forever.
I'm sick of being
under… lock… down…
At first, I didn't want to make music.
"I shouldn't be working. I'm on a break."
I've built a kind of shelter for myself.
With a hi-fi system and everything. The DIY way.
And that's when I wrote a lot of stuff.
Why does it sound like this?
Why is it so saturated?
Brussels, I love you
APRIL 20, 2020
You're the most beautiful
And you gave back to me
Paris…
I started thinking about another album during lockdown.
I hadn't before. I was busy touring, promoting myself.
I had no other choice but to tell myself,
"What do we do now?"
I was lucky that my first album became a success.
But I was 20 when I wrote it. Now I'm 25.
My life has changed a lot in five years. I've experienced a lot.
I can't keep singing about the same things.
I don't like it. It's annoying.
I'm expected to be as successful.
It's natural to feel pressure,
but I think I'll go someplace else and try something more personal.
I don't know where this will take me.
WHO IS ANGÈLE?
I forgot what it was like to be on my own with my piano.
Asking myself questions like,
"What do I want to talk about, sing about?"
LOCKDOWN - DAY 36
One time
Never give it up
Two times
For all the love I got
Three for you
Where are you?
If the pandemic hadn't happened,
I probably would have been traveling, partying…
I wouldn't have confronted these fears
in such a direct way
had I been able to avoid them.
Pepette.
The chamber of secrets.
I have so much brol.
BROL - MASCULINE (BELGIUM) MESS, CHAOS
I mean, real brol.
There may be the notebook of secrets.
I don't have my notebook?
Pepette is stuck.
Why did you write
Everything down in notebooks
Of secrets
One notebook of secrets.
ONE LIFE
WHO IS ANGÈLE?
I write a lot because I need to… write.
That's why I write songs.
I've always written in diaries. I have so many of them.
This is really the beginning.
I didn't have any songs yet.
It's crazy how much lousy stuff I wrote.
I used to write awful lyrics.
"Online and connected, but not to me. Waiting for a sign."
The first lyrics to "Je veux tes yeux."
The top-line was different.
Online and connected, but not to me Waiting for a sign, there's none
Online and connected, but not to me
Waiting for a sign, there's none
Good thing I changed the top-line.
WRITTEN AT 23
"It's late. I'm in my Paris apartment. I feel like reading old notes."
"Don't know who I am anymore."
WHO I AM
"I work more than I breathe."
"I'm suffocating."
"What makes me happy? Success?"
"THE 350,000 FOLLOWERS?"
ANGELE_VL 3M FOLLOWERS
"The 10 millions views
on "La loi de Murphy?"
"What makes me happy is fake."
"Me, my image. Nailing it."
"Me, myself and the singer Angèle."
"Everything else is pointless. I'm ashamed of it."
"I feel a void when I get home
because I realize that this is all pointless,
fake, impalpable."
"I used to be alive. Full of doubts, questions, desires."
"Now success is my only desire."
"I run away from everything else. I used to be free."
There you go. Crazy.
I USED TO BE FREE
I wouldn't trade my life for the one I used to have.
Even if I could.
What's happening to me is beautiful.
I worked hard for it. It's what I've always wanted.
2. REAL LIFE
I'll be one of those other women
Those who give you pleasure
Your games will be ours
If that's what you wish for
I'll shine brighter
To rekindle the flame
I'll turn into gold
To make you love me…
-Hello? -Yes, hello.
Hi, Mom.
We could meet on Sunday night.
Yes, I'll be there.
We'll have fries, for a change.
-Take care. See you on Sunday. -I love you, Mom.
-I love you, dear. Bye. -Yeah. Bye.
Look. When I was a kid, this was a tower.
That was like the World Trade Center to me.
I never knew what it was for.
That was my elementary school.
We're going back to see my school.
It's amazing
to be here.
To find myself here.
Crocodiles!
I must've spent five years of my life waiting for the bus here.
My parents used to be a bit late.
97-98
So we're arriving
in Linkebeek.
I put a sweater on Pepette so that she'll match my outfit.
She's so cute.
It's so beautiful here.
You get bored very quickly though.
We're literally in the middle of nowhere. That's home.
Let's go see Grandma.
Pepette! My little darling.
Hey, there.
I'm filming.
Hello, you cutie.
Hey.
Have you seen the stuff there?
Yo! She's Laurence Bibot and you are Angèle Van Laeken. Yeah!
How are you?
Yes, very well.
-Is that Spritz? -No, that's grenadine.
Angèle?
-What? -How are you?
Yes, I'm fine.
WRITTEN AT 13
"I'm young. I have amazing friends."
"I love my school. My parents, my brother are great."
"I love music, I love parties."
"I love piano."
"I love candy."
"Playing, screaming, dancing. Dancing like no one's watching."
"I love singing. Old American movies. I love Audrey Hepburn."
"If I were to keep explaining why I'm happy today, for no reason
I'm going to start crying."
"That's real life."
-All the shows. -That's funny.
The good old days.
"Bravo, Martine."
October 26, 1996. I was one year old.
Less than that.
She was on stage when I was ten months old.
That's the time you had…
-When I fainted? -You had breath-holding attack.
Right.
That was you asserting your shitty temper.
Exactly.
But look at me today.
Look at that, honey.
Baby.
You're the newborn, miss, aren't you?
Who's that, Roméo? Your little sister, what's her name?
-Angelo. -No, Angèle.
-Yes, Angèle. -She's not a boy.
Names have a story for us.
With Roméo, we went quite far already.
We picked Roméo… Johnny. Always a good thing.
Elvis. And Kiki.
When I fell pregnant,
I didn't know the gender.
Though I believed it'd be a girl. That's what I wanted.
So, yes, I wanted to go for legendary names again.
I was thinking about the women that made history.
Cleopatra was a little too much.
Joséphine would've been the middle name because of Joséphine Baker.
We decided… I mean, I decided.
That'd be more honest. I went for Angèle.
She was an amazing toddler. A gorgeous little girl.
She never had an awkward phase.
I did some modeling.
I saw some very beautiful girls.
And I saw how sad they were.
I thought, "That's strange. Isn't beauty more of a curse?"
So I told Angèle,
when she was four or five,
"Listen. You're very pretty."
We were in the car.
"You're very pretty."
"But that won't be enough."
"You're pretty. We know. But work on something else."
THE MOTHER
You seen your mother?
It goes out the other way.
Know what he said?
"Go wash your butt, you slut."
Laurence Bibot.
Also known as Marinette.
I grew up with famous parents.
My mother is an actress.
My father is a singer.
So fame, to me,
has always been something I knew about.
It wasn't new.
Both my parents were artists. They were very creative.
They were on stage, in the spotlights.
They were inspiring, funny.
They knew how to take up space.
Maybe too much sometimes.
My brother and I were lucky to experience this.
Even though they were only popular in Belgium,
this was quite unpretentious,
we still felt like we grew up in their shadow.
DIARY
CAUTION NARCISSISTIC PERSON
DON'T TAKE THIS BIG FLAW INTO CONSIDERATION
Look at that.
That's interesting. Bit sad.
"Every time I mention my parents, people can't help but mention their job."
"You listen to him on the radio? Is your mom still funny?"
"Do your parents record themselves? I saw your mom on TV. She rocks."
"I don't care."
"I'm… currently… saying… they're impossible."
"People don't see me. I'm just their daughter."
Crazy. May 1, 2011.
I'M JUST THEIR DAUGHTER
Go play out there.
The kids suffered from our fame. We didn't realize that.
They were "the son and daughter of."
When we were running errands at the supermarket,
people would come to us.
For the kids, I…
They once told us it wasn't always easy. We didn't realize it.
We do now.
Now that it's the other way around.
We aren't…
Sometimes, I…
I'm just "the father of."
THE FATHER OF
Brussels is coming!
It must have been something for my father.
A "wow" feeling.
Just like me when I saw my sister nailing it
while I was in it too, making a name for myself.
Imagine what it's like for my dad. He's almost 60.
And his kids…
Let's start with me. I was doing my thing.
He was like… It blew his mind.
"How many views this week?"
I said, "10,000 views."
"That's crazy." He was shocked.
THE RAPPER BROTHER
SISTER OF
DAUGHTER OF
They became "the parents of." That's crazy.
They became the parents of.
I still spend time apologizing for being here.
But…
I was just looking for recognition.
As a person.
As an individual,
independently of my parents.
Good. Hold on, I'm not sure.
When I was playing music,
I could feel I was worth something. I had something to say.
Fortunately, Ania, my piano teacher, saw that I had something right away.
So she encouraged me.
People would ask who was playing the piano. "Angèle is."
I could feel I was worthy again.
That made me feel valuable.
But I couldn't play in my room by myself.
If people were too busy, I couldn't play too loud.
I couldn't sing too loud.
I didn't want to draw attention.
So I also learned how to play softly.
And sing very softly.
That's good.
My father was demanding since that was his job.
If I played piano,
he'd often say,
"You need to work on it more."
He would think I wasn't diligent enough.
A…
D…
Let's do it together.
We couldn't play just like that… It wasn't just a hobby.
"Why is my father so…
first, annoying…"
"Then, why does he want me to be a professional musician?"
"It's his job. That doesn't mean it should be mine."
Go on.
"Music requires way more work."
"I'm sorry, Marka."
"I don't like music as much as you do."
"I love piano. I do."
"But it'll never be my job."
"I love piano. I do."
"But it'll never be my job."
You read that right. "It'll never be my job."
Crazy.
3. MY PLACE
BRUSSELS 2 FIRST VERSE OKAY
I owe my name to you
Brussels, I love you Brussels, I love you
I missed you
Dammit.
That's it.
It's not that hard.
BRUSSELS ILY
The lockdown wasn't easy.
Not for anyone.
I lived in different places.
I was stuck in Paris for a while.
Fuck.
Two.
Is it interesting?
Hold on.
I love Paris. It's beautiful. There's everything you need.
But it's not home.
I wanted to write a love letter to the city in which I grew up.
Brussels, I love you
You're my favorite
Brussels, I love you Brussels, I love you
It's those little things, simple and personal things,
that governed the second album.
It might not be as universal as the first one.
It's not going to change the world, but it's as sincere and close to who I am.
I think.
15
I think that making music for me,
since it was my dad's job,
couldn't be just a pastime.
At the same time, I didn't want it to become professional.
I was stuck in-between.
I could tell I was talented and that I liked it,
but I didn't want to push it further. I didn't want to do my dad's job.
I thought it was a difficult job.
Even harmful to his mental health.
That's how I'd sum it up.
TAKE THE A TRAIN
I was against smartphones.
I had a Nokia.
I didn't have Snapchat, Instagram.
Just Facebook.
A good friend of mine told me,
"You're going to love Instagram." I was like, "Me, love it?"
I said, "No, thanks. I'm not interested in drawing that attention."
I signed up to Instagram.
Since I was studying music,
I thought I could use it to make music.
There's just one thing That's getting in the way
You know I hate sleeping alone
Killing me softly with his song
Killing me softly
Then I started singing
and recording videos.
To avoid criticism,
I was making jokes.
It was easier to laugh about it and put costumes on.
To just make funny faces.
It let people know I wasn't taking myself seriously.
Thanks, bye.
I'm not confident, but I have no followers.
There's nothing at stake.
Only my friend who signed me up. A few friends.
Some of them find out I sing. They're surprised.
My childhood friends find out I sing.
But that was it at first.
I remember very well
a few of the first reactions I got.
I remember Sylvie's.
I CALL SHOTGUN ON THE MANAGER POSITION!
I know Angèle well, yes.
I have known her for 21 years. Yeah.
We attended the same school. We lived close to each other.
I used to look after Angèle's class in kindergarten.
When I was 16, I babysat her.
When I wasn't old enough, her parents would drop her at mine when on tour.
I first saw Angèle on Instagram
in her first video.
I posted a comment as a joke.
I said, "Shotgun on the manager position." That's it.
At that time, I knew she was just having fun.
But she could sing. She had personality. There was something.
It wasn't my job, but why not give it a try.
I was thirsty for projects back then. I wanted to do lots of things.
I felt that Angèle had a huge potential.
I did make her leave her room
to perform in bars.
She was quite hesitant.
"What are we doing?"
I'd say, "Close your eyes. Trust me."
We started off like this.
Give me the tape.
I'm sending the video to myself.
What is it like to hang out with a kid?
I makes me feel so mature.
I'm always on my knees.
Angèle nicknamed me "Daring Sylvie."
It does suit me well.
Angèle is the scared one. She doesn't dare to do things.
I want to smash doors open.
"Daring Sylvie" it is then. Nice to meet you.
THE MANAGER
MARCH 7, 2016
Tonight, I sing your song
I was where I was supposed to be. I felt good.
I thought, "Music is my place."
I was so scared of failure.
With a singer as a father, an actress as a mother,
I felt the need to prove that I wasn't the little girl.
I didn't talk about it…
I didn't want their help or draw their interest.
I'd have been ashamed if I failed.
Sylvie believed in it.
She'd say, "It'll be amazing." I didn't believe in it.
Sylvie was thinking about shows at the Archiduc,
a famous jazz bar in Brussels.
I was studying jazz music. I was having a hard time fitting in.
Asking myself if I deserved it. I was still learning.
I did that show, and it was sold out.
I met Nicolas, my second manager, there.
It happened thanks to Sylvie.
Sylvie got me out of my room.
She got me out of my family home.
I FUCKING LOVE MY LIFE FUCK
ARCHIDUC
EXCITEMENT OF THE DAY
Nicolas got a call.
Damso's team were looking for someone to play keyboards.
And…
Not sure how come my name
was miraculously mentioned.
I don't know how come
it came to me opening the show.
I got a call
from Damso's tour producer,
asking if Angèle was interested in playing keyboards on Damso's tour.
That was a surprising request.
"That would be cool, but can't she open the show too?"
I didn't realize what I was saying as I said it.
I wasn't visualizing
what it'd be like to have her open for Damso.
With his audience.
Damso didn't want a rapper to open the show.
He didn't know my songs. They hadn't been released.
He hadn't heard any of my songs.
He'd only heard my piano cover of "Bruxelles."
Brussels, my beautiful
I'll meet you soon
As soon as Paris…
He thought that cover was great.
He thought, "All right. It's going to work out."
At the time, Damso…
He had a huge influence.
And everything he touched could potentially turn to gold.
When she asked me, no matter how much I loved Damso,
I said, "No, you're insane."
"His audience isn't ready. They won't give you a chance."
DRESSING ROOM - ANGÈLE
I'm offered this improbable thing,
even though at the time I wasn't into rap music.
I was into the whole jazz thing.
I was starting music, but I wasn't into that.
"Why me? What does it have to do with me?"
"What do I have to lose?"
It was a real debate.
My mother said, "Go for it. Nothing to lose."
That was true. At that time, I didn't.
STRASBOURG OCTOBER 5, 2017
FIRST SHOW
Come on!
I'm backstage. I hear that the crowd is already psyched up.
The lights go off.
Back on and I walk on stage.
I get booed straight away.
2,000 people booing.
They're booing me as if I wasn't welcome there at all.
I remember I took my phone out
to film.
I can hear people starting to scream.
We realize that people are not enjoying themselves.
They're booing. Like…
They're calling her names. We were like, "Fuck."
Nico and I looked at each other and said, "What were we thinking?"
"Why did we do that?"
"We're going to destroy her. Her confidence will be crushed."
Damso walks in.
He didn't see anything.
People start cheering him. I'm playing like…
Thinking, "What the hell was that?"
I think… it was tough.
I didn't realize.
I was doing my thing.
Later on, I learned that it had been touchy.
Give it up for Angèle.
They thought I was crazy for doing this…
If I like someone, I go for it.
It came naturally.
I didn't think I would break the codes… I'm not.
I'm just going for someone whose soul and energy I like.
So let's just do it. You know?
I posted something on Instagram, asking people to support her.
Because it's hard indeed.
YOU CAN'T SEE HER WELL BUT SHE'S GOING TO NAIL IT
We're headed home.
The mood is quite low.
Sylvie falls asleep.
I'm in bed, staring at the ceiling. I can still hear people shouting.
"Is it going to be like this for three months?"
I start thinking,
"How am I going to handle it?"
I don't want to see it as a failure.
That would be the worst for me.
At the same time, I don't know how to avoid
having to face such vehemence.
To face an audience who doesn't want me there.
SECOND SHOW
How do you feel?
The usual. I'm nervous. But it needs to be done.
-What did you do before? -I pooped.
She's a bit tired.
Where's Angèle?
She's here.
I get on stage.
Not sure what was going through my head then,
but I started to feel determined.
At least, it felt like it.
Deep down, I wasn't confident at all.
I thought, "Let's do it another way."
I don't want to give people the chance to let me know they're unhappy.
Let's go.
Good evening! How are you?
Are you ready?
Yeah!
My name's Angèle. I'm glad to be here tonight.
Thank you, Damso, for inviting me.
They're happy.
Angèle!
One time
Two times
Three for you
Against all odds, people just started saying my name.
Just shouting my name.
Angèle! Go Angèle!
It was a bit of a joke too.
People didn't expect to see me on stage, so it needed to become a joke.
We were complete opposites, so it was just funny to do that.
I think I managed to make the most of this absurdity.
He had nothing to gain from supporting me, giving me visibility.
He did it for the love of music.
Because he loved what I was doing.
What's crazy is that it continued later on.
We're working on new projects.
It's great that we've made this thing last.
I've learned a lot with him. It helped me afterwards.
I was more driven after that.
I also felt like I've always had to prove something when I was on stage.
Suddenly, I couldn't do anything but just own up to it. No cheating.
And no seeking to please.
One time, never give it up
Two times, for all the love I got
Three for you
I started writing on my own.
From then on, I started to feel
more fulfilled with my music because it felt like me.
I'd think of something and I knew how to make it.
This young woman is going viral
both in French-speaking and Dutch-speaking regions.
Her name is Angèle. Her song's called "La loi de Murphy."
Angèle, "La loi de Murphy."
Yeah!
A crazy live set.
My God.
One time, never give it up
What happened was great.
I couldn't have imagined
it would work out this fast.
We knew nothing about how to promote an album.
We didn't plan anything.
We weren't ready at all.
We published the video.
I had no record label.
I didn't have a lot of resources. We were independent.
And millions of people reacted to it.
I saw this happen
from my small Brussels apartment.
I don't know what's going on. I see the comments.
I can feel it becoming a thing.
I think to myself, "I may have made a huge mistake."
"It may be getting out of hand."
4. HAPPY?
I'm very scared, because emails… At what time did I sent this?
Okay. 5:20 p.m.
"Hi. Sylvie, I'd like to apologize for my crisis."
"I know you're working hard. I don't want to blame you for my fears."
I could send this anytime…
"You both need to know
who I really am."
"On stage, I try to put on a front."
"I'm doing it because this is a huge opportunity."
"It opens doors."
"All of this is amazing."
"But this is for the ANGÈLE project."
ANGÈLE
"When I say I can't complain, it's true."
"It wouldn't make sense to do so when we couldn't have hoped for better."
"But how come I haven't been able to sleep for a month
and that I've been having panic attacks and crying five times a day?"
"I'm just sensitive and anxious."
"I can't separate the personal from the professional."
"The project's called Angèle. I need to face the consequences."
ANGÈLE
"What's happening scares me."
"I think no one knows because it's too amazing to be scary."
"But since last Monday,
my real face is on YouTube."
"It's really me. I wanted that too."
"I'm starting to look back on what's been happening."
"I'm starting to get messages and offers."
"I have to face that alone."
"If it doesn't work out, that would've been my failure."
"I don't want to be a diva,
saying no one can understand me,
but I mean what I'm saying."
"I'm freaking out. I'm having panic attacks again."
"I know it's not going to change and might get even worse,
but if you could understand where this is coming from, it'd be great."
"I want to thank you for what you're doing."
"I don't say it enough. I mean it."
That's crazy.
Well…
That's crazy because I could have written this a week ago.
Well, that's reassuring. I'm true to myself.
At the same time, it's reminiscent of a strange period.
It's true, when "La loi de Murphy" came out,
I wasn't having a good time. Yet, it was the beginning of everything.
There was this moment when I was being very carefree.
I was doing music, but I could go out.
I could party with my friends, while still doing music.
I was having a blast.
But then, suddenly, the song is released.
People react to it. I get the first messages and reviews.
So, all of a sudden, I have to face something violent.
You get direct feedback from millions of people.
At home, by myself wearing pajamas. Greasy hair.
Uncleaned teeth.
You're facing your screen, and you see thousands of views,
and thousands of people all around you.
You're paranoid.
The day "La loi de Murphy" came out, I was feeling paranoid.
I felt like everyone was watching me.
Even though no one cared.
I just kept crying after that. I'd cry all day at that time.
I was scared.
I thought, "What am I getting into?"
Maybe I was that scared
because deep down I knew
that I wouldn't let this go.
That it was what I had wished for.
I wanted this to happen.
But there was a part of me that was like,
"What's going to happen?"
ANGÈLE, HEAVEN-SENT ANTI-MUSE
Playboy gets in touch. They want to improve their image.
I know about the magazine.
They want to feature a portrait of me.
The next issue will be
focusing on feminism,
on women's voices.
And it won't be sexual.
I'm having second thoughts, but I agree.
It could be interesting to talk about my music.
It's at odds with what they do.
And things may change.
The interview went well.
The day I saw the magazine,
I was surprised at first.
I thought what they said
was unfaithful.
What's more, the photo that they chose…
We had shot it a few months earlier.
We had decided not to publish it
because I was young, blonde with red lips,
and I was pouting.
We thought it was too seductive.
I was scared at that time to be sexualized against my will.
I wasn't comfortable with that picture.
They were interested in this picture.
I had forbidden them to use it. I knew it'd be misinterpreted.
I discover when I open the magazine
that they used it even though I had said no.
The real trauma was the day after.
Belgian tabloids publish this picture too
with the title…
"Laurence and Marka's daughter naked for Playboy."
All my fears combined.
That is to say, being "the daughter of, the sister of"
and in a sexual context.
My worst nightmare.
I felt humiliated.
At that time, I was just starting to get confident.
I had started my own record label, my publishing company.
I was independent. No longer living with my family.
I had managed to do it on my own. Write and play songs…
I was starting to tell myself
I could do it on my own.
With that first article,
it came down to me just being a girl.
A pretty blonde, who takes her clothes off for men
as the only way to get noticed.
VOICE MESSAGE SEPTEMBER 30, 2017
I'm sorry, yesterday…
in one of those magazines, they wrote the worst things about me.
"Laurence Bibot's and Marka's daughter naked for Playboy magazine."
I cried all day. I can't get over it. Looks like there's nothing I can do.
The world is an awful place where people want to sell me
and they use my image…
I'm 21.
I spend my life
trying to send good messages to people, write beautiful love songs…
I'm very careful about what I do, what I show,
and I want to be natural.
I hate this superficial world
where girls are sexual objects.
Now it's getting out of hand. I get caught in it.
The worst headlines
with my parents involved.
It's a public humiliation.
I don't feel well. I don't want to play. I don't want to do anything anymore.
After that came months of
controlling everything people would see.
I was very affected by this event.
I also felt determined afterwards.
I thought I would never be "the sister of," "the daughter of" again.
That's not who I am. I'm someone.
I work too hard to be associated to this.
What affected me
was to realize that even today,
even if it wasn't the image I wanted but that could've been the case,
a girl posing like that was seen as a negative.
That she should be ashamed. That it deserved to be in the papers.
Everyone only wants dough
That's the only thing that makes them hard
Everyone only wants fame
That's the only thing that moves them
What's the point then?
You're so lonely behind your screen
Thinking about what people will think
But they don't seem to care
It feels so weird to think that all these cars
are for me.
Like those guys… They're coming to my show. So weird.
Them too.
That man peeing over there… He's going to see me perform.
They know who I am
and their Saturday night
is devoted to my show.
Ten, nine, eight, seven,
five, four, three, two, one…
Happy new "Brol"!
That's it. "Brol" is out, friends.
Hey!
It's all for me
I'm very happy
We've been waiting for this album for a year.
It's finally out. It's already a success.
The tickets for the Olympia sold out in two hours.
Are you happy?
I am, but I don't realize.
Unlike everyone else.
AM I HAPPY?
-Are we there? -Yes.
Fuck.
Holy shit. No way.
We'll drive like…
Is it crowded?
This won't be possible.
No way.
No…
It never stops.
She's here!
It's hard to understand.
I need the people who listen to me.
At the same time, I find it unfair
that people love me that much but that I can't reciprocate.
Especially for someone who likes interactions.
I realize I can't really reciprocate
the love the audience sends my way.
I can reciprocate by doing a show,
by writing songs, but that's it.
I can't see every one of them
the way they see me.
It's unequal and frustrating.
Marry me!
I'm so sorry.
We have a train to catch.
We couldn't let you all in.
So I'm really sorry. But…
Angèle, will you marry me?
You're beautiful!
Angèle!
I'm so sorry. Thank you.
Angèle!
When will you be back?
No one behaves normally with me.
No relationship is normal anymore.
I remember this one festival.
We got off stage.
Lots of people wanted to take a picture with me.
It wasn't the right time. Unfortunately, I can't really lie.
I'm spontaneous.
If I'm sad, angry or not feeling well,
I can't pretend and put on a fake smile.
I said to the girls,
"I can't go and see them."
People started to call me names.
They completely lost it.
I remember one woman with her kids,
who shouted,
"Come on, grab her hair!"
The kids started pulling my hair.
I looked down,
and someone else said,
"You're a shitty star."
I do remember
not understanding how we got to this point.
Thinking, "What I am for them?"
"Am I just a star?"
Yes, I am. They don't know me.
They don't know I am a human being.
After that show, I'm going to poo like everyone else.
To them, I'm just a star.
So if they don't get a picture with me, it's disrespectful.
And in a way,
when you do music
and you become famous, there's something tacit about it.
Now you belong to people.
LOST
EMPTY
FREE
WHO I AM
I'M IN A PROPER SHITTY SITUATION
…the party
Brussels, I love you
BRUSSELS, I LOVE U
Let's do the whole chorus.
It sounds great, right?
Small detail with "Brussels, I love you…"
Brussels, I…
Right.
Brussels, I love you
It's as you wish, but you need to choose.
Brussels, I love you
Is that sound better?
Brussels, I love you
And now it's like…
Brussels, I love you
-That part… -Yeah.
Try…
Brussels, I love you
Yeah. That one is more natural.
It's all good.
23
Do it like this.
I'm attending the Cannes opening next week.
I have armpit hair.
I want to keep it. Just like that.
It's very long.
Actually,
I want to do it, but what's hard
is that people don't support it.
People tell me I can't do that.
I'm like… I can.
In real life, I wouldn't have shaved it.
Why would I do it for Cannes?
I'm all dressed up, but I don't want to have to do that.
I don't feel the need to shave.
Why would I do it?
I know I'll be lashed out at.
I don't want that either.
I don't want it to be about that.
I want people to talk about my performance.
Not about my outfit or my armpit hair.
Angèle! Down here!
Angèle!
I dream of freedom,
of setting myself free before I can be free on stage.
Of being confident, not paying attention to people's comments.
I dream of sunshine, showing my curves through my dress
without the redneck comments on the internet.
I dream of a man looking at me without judging or worrying.
Without wanting to possess me.
I dream of feeling pretty without Instagram to prove it.
I dream of dreaming.
They all talk like animals
Badmouth every pussy
It's 2018, not sure what you're thinking But I am more than an animal
I see that rap is all the rage The dirtier it is, the more success it has
Hey, it's time we break the codes
A girl should speak her mind
So let me sing to you
Go f… yourself
I won't be on the radio
Her song "Balance ton quoi," a reference to #MeToo,
has become a feminist anthem in just a few months.
So let me sing to you
Go fuck yourself
I wrote "Balance ton quoi" spontaneously after a guy bothered me in Brussels.
Women's voices were starting to be heard
and artists were committed to changing things.
I didn't think I had the legitimacy
to say anything about it,
but I understood that I had a voice.
People recognized themselves in this.
FROM BEYONCÉ TO ANGÈLE FEMINISM GOES POP
FEMINIST AND POP ICON IN THE NY TIMES
POST-#METOO FEMINIST ANTHEM
HOW DID IT BECOME A FEMINIST ANTHEM?
Is it clear?
When a girl says no…
I feel like most of the time, it means…
No.
No. Okay.
It's great if the song made some realize that there were issues to tackle.
But it spun out of control.
Even though I completely agreed with the claims
and I'm still committed today, I'm not sure that this was what I wanted.
Being that exposed.
Some people might see me as a know-it-all.
People would come up with things to blame me for.
Focus on Roméo Elvis.
He's involved in a case of sexual assault.
The singer was accused on Instagram
and he apologized.
He said he used his hands
in an inappropriate way.
He thought he was replying to an invitation.
As for the singer Angèle, his sister,
she was asked to snitch on her brother on social media.
RAT YOUR BROTHER OUT
#SNITCHONYOURDISGUSTINGBROTHER
ANGÈLE PARTNER IN CRIME SILENCE MEANS CONSENT
YOU DAMN FEMINIST GO HANG OUT WITH YOUR BROTHER
I barely left my house for three months.
It was an explosion in my heart, in my family.
Because just like anyone else,
I condemn what my brother did, of course.
It was so violent and saddening
to realize how much some people rejoiced over it.
Me, a feminist who spoke out.
As if I was responsible.
As if I had to pay too.
As if it wasn't hard enough already to hear about this.
To see my brother in this situation.
No.
On Twitter, people were asking me to react right away.
Or the battle I had been fighting wouldn't be meaningful.
I CONDEMN
IT'S ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT SINCE HE'S A RELATIVE
THERE NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE OF MINDSET
Sexist and sexual violence is so omnipresent
that sometimes I feel like we'll never make it.
Then I look around
and I realize that people can slowly evolve.
People can realize all this.
My song isn't going to change things,
but people growing more aware and speaking out will.
Be it my brother, my best friend, my colleague…
I'll always condemn what goes against my beliefs.
The way women are being treated
and the way we teach men how to behave with them
must change.
5. SHE
Good Lord…
She's great there too.
Besides, I never would have thought…
that she would have done…
-Is it modeling? -Yes.
My darling…
If your grandpa was still here,
he'd be proud.
Wonderful…
What a beautiful kid.
She's a real model.
You're the first person to see these.
-Really? -Yeah.
Grandma Pilou is not just anyone.
For sure.
GRANDMA PILOU
THE GRANDMOTHER
Grandma Pilou is my grandma. I'm very close to her.
She lives in a different world from mine.
She brings me back down to Earth
because she thinks my job is amazing, but she doesn't understand it.
Even though I did these things, I'll always stay her granddaughter.
It allows her to stay simple. Most importantly, honest with me.
What's new?
Tell me, Grandma, which do you prefer?
Lemon or sugar?
Lemon or sugar tart?
-Sugar. -All right. Yes.
No.
This won't do here, honey.
-Yes. -Put the cans away.
What do you think of my style?
It's a little special.
I don't really like it.
At least you're being honest.
-Yes. You're honest. -You asked what I think.
It's hard.
Dating back to the war…
24 YEARS OLD
I really want to write.
I'm getting used to not understanding my life,
but this time, that was unexpected.
Even though I had thought about it before. Several times.
SHE
IN LOVE
Angèle is the new big star.
Her new relationship will be disclosed.
You'll see in the video.
Look at it closely. We can't show just the picture.
Okay? So, look closely. Tomorrow's cover.
PARIS, NOVEMBER 18, 2019 ARM IN ARM - ISN'T LIFE GREAT?
She…
She said, "Don't tell Grandma."
"I'll tell her."
One night, she called me.
I knew already.
And, well, I was a little bit…
abrupt in the way I talked, probably.
-She said, "Grandma, how are you doing?" -"I'm fine."
Well, I'm starting to…
She said, "What's going on?"
"Nothing," I said.
-"I need to tell you something." -I said, "No. You don't."
"I know."
That's it.
The guy actually outed me.
He was the first person to say on the air that I was with a woman
even though it was complicated for me
to grasp it, to consider it.
It was intimate.
He did it,
even though… I mean, it could have…
caused problems in my family.
She would have liked
to give me more…
How should I put it?
More of an explanation about it.
I've always asked, "Why a woman?"
"Why a man?" she replied.
It may be because of my age.
There are so few LGBT role models
that I realized quite late that I was bi.
I was 23.
I couldn't keep lying to myself.
With my situation,
I didn't just have to face my family, their questions,
the fear of being rejected,
I also had to face people's opinion.
SHIT SHE'S A LESBIAN
I REALLY THINK THIS IS A DISEASE
EAT YOUR FUCKING RAINBOW
YUCK I'LL UNFOLLOW
The issue is my coming out was stolen from me.
It's great that young people can relate to gay public figures,
I would have liked to decide on the time and the way to do it.
There's a reason why people are scared of coming out.
Consequences can be brutal.
All that matters to me now
is for falling in love to be normalized.
No matter the gender.
A public figure's sexual orientation shouldn't be headline news.
It should be a fact.
When I was 15 or 16, I would've liked to have more LGBT role models.
That way, I wouldn't have lied to myself.
Thinking of this calms me down.
YOUR QUEEN
If she only knew how you look at her
She would be scared
If she only knew how you think of her
She could harm you
But give her some time
It could allow you
To be together again
She's going to need time for sure
To forget about her bias
You would like her To be your queen tonight
But two queens together Is not really a thing
You would like her To be your queen tonight
You don't really care about kings It's not for you
You would like her To be your queen tonight
But two queens together Is not really a thing
You would like her To be your queen tonight
You don't really care about kings It's not for you
"I'm writing today because you helped me."
"'Brol' had just come out."
"We talked about it with friends."
"They loved 'Ta reine.'"
"I hadn't listened to it. I stayed quiet. The day went by."
"I listened to it once home. It's as though you talked to me."
"'Ta reine' had been written for me. It's narcissistic, but it felt amazing."
"For the first time in my life, I was attracted to someone."
"A girl in my class."
"If she knew how I looked at her,
she would have been scared."
"A physical, emotional roller coaster."
"The first time I felt something for someone."
"I knew it was happening, but I didn't get it."
"Honestly, I don't know who I am,
but I feel understood before I get to understand myself."
"For that, thank you."
6. THE NEW ERA
I always look terrible whenever I use this camera.
Maybe the hair.
So the other day,
I made…
I'm making tea. It's noisy.
I made Laetitia listen to the songs.
She's a friend. My press secretary in Belgium.
I made her listen to the songs. All good, and she's like…
"Not sure about the lyrics."
"Compared to 'Brol,' I feel excluded."
"I feel like this isn't as good."
That's not what she said, but she felt frustrated
because on "Brol,"
all the subjects that I tackled
were much more universal.
It spoke to anyone. This is more introspective.
That's true.
I've experienced other things since "Brol" came out.
Not necessarily music-related.
Well, I've grown up. I'm more of an adult.
I'm more…
I'm more ready to talk about serious matters.
I don't know. I'm getting worked up.
Plus, I think I'm going round in circles music-wise.
It's annoying me
because I feel like I can't do anything.
This video is useless. I'm sorry.
This is what happens when I make music. I never finish my sentences.
I'm talking to myself like an old hag. And…
I'm going back and forth to make tea.
I have doubts about everything I write or create.
I feel like a loser. That's what happens.
LONDON NOVEMBER 28 2020
Petit filou!
-Yeah! -How are you?
It's good to see you. How are you?
-Fine. -Hi, my dear.
How are you? I'm good.
Good.
I ended up being part of a pop star's project.
I was able to observe, like a fly on the wall,
how it worked from the inside.
On the one hand, I was impressed
to see this absolutely amazing woman.
She was talented and she was approachable. Much more than I thought.
It was reassuring because I realized you could be a big pop star
and be approachable.
No!
Maybe with time
It will go away
And yet somehow
I don't see it happening
Just like a medicine
I am nothing without you
I know that I try
And waste time in your arms
I've got a fever
So can you check?
Hand on my forehead
Kiss my neck
And when you touch me, baby
I turn red
I've got a fever
So can you check?
I felt pressure
because it had been months since I had last performed.
Because this is next level.
I thought to myself, "What am I actually doing here?"
I asked myself that.
Honestly.
Really. The girl sings, dances…
I mean, she's a beast.
I just thought, "I'm not as good at all."
"I'm going to head home."
Where's Linkebeek?
So excited.
I'm not sure this is what I want for me.
Something that big.
But the energy, the ambition,
the craziness even…
Not being afraid…
It's inspired me.
For what comes next.
BRUSSELS, I LOVE YOU FINAL
One, two, three! Yes!
Brussels, I love you Brussels, I love you
I missed you Brussels, I love you
You're my favorite
Brussels, I love you Brussels, I love you
I missed you
You're the loveliest
Yes, you are
Paris is calling me
Well, Angèle?
-Hard at work. -How do you feel about the album?
I'm actually quite superstitious.
I didn't have any expectations with the first one.
I'm trying not to have any.
It's hard.
They keep on going
Even though she said It's not like it used to be
They keep on going
Music-wise,
I'm very happy with what we've done.
I'm more satisfied with the lyrics, but I know it won't be as popular.
It's more personal.
Maybe less unifying.
Though we didn't plan for the first one to be unifying.
It was just very naive.
The goal is to keep doing what I do. Yeah, keep living and…
Take my place, more than ever.
That's what I did with this album. I took my place.
The first album did happen this way,
but luck is everywhere.
I would need to be as lucky with the second album.
But I should also take that place and own up to it.
Now I'm here. I need to give it my all.
THE NEW ERA
IT'S OKAY TO REST
MAKE LOVE
LEARN HOW TO SAY NO
LISTEN TO MYSELF!
People often ask if I have dreams.
And actually,
as much as anyone else.
I think my dream now
is more of a personal quest.
Not so much the professional one.
It never has been.
I dream of being relaxed.
Of having the right people around.
Of growing up, learning from my mistakes.
Of being someone
who is good to people.
At the same time, who gets goodness back.
If my parents had had more normal jobs,
I think I would have a more normal job.
Maybe I would be very happy.
But actually,
I'm having an amazing time.
I love my life.
I just had to adapt to it
because it happened fast.
And
deep down, I wanted it to work out so bad.
I just didn't want to fail.
I wouldn't have said, "I want to nail it" to someone out loud.
I would write it down.
I couldn't say it because…
I'm sure it brought me luck not to say it. I'm superstitious.
I think I didn't say it
to avoid unpleasant surprises.
If it didn't work out, nobody knew I wanted it to.
Though it wasn't true.
Well, I wish her…
the best.
The best for her.
For everything to be okay.
Now, I can feel her becoming a woman.
She's starting to stand up or her beliefs, her desires.
She talks about it.
She used to be
way quieter.
I think.
I thought to myself,
"Would it be possible
for my granddaughter to become a star?"
I didn't dare say that to people.
I would say, "She makes music."
"Yes, but…"
They would say, "I saw Angèle on TV!"
"She's become someone."
-Did you know she's an actress now too? -No.
-You didn't know? -No.
She never tells me anything.
She's unbelievable.
Since she got that dog…
Okay, recording.
AUGUST 24, 2021
Pepete, did you pee?
You peed! Where did you pee?
It's just to say that the album is finished.
I think.
That scares me to death.
As usual.
I don't know how it'll be perceived.
How the audience will listen to it.
But that's not…
really up to me anymore.
This album is me at 25.
My quarter of a century.
It appeared to me that I wanted to keep it real.
Not try to be what I'm not.
I hope I'll never forget that.
I'll always be the girl from Linkebeek who writes simple songs.
Even if life changes,
that will stay with me.
Because all this…
is me.
Let's stop here.
Have a good journey.
THE END
Are you kidding me?
That's how you thank me.
Right in front of…
my success.