"don’t be ridiculous" : Zazie recounts when she said no to Johnny Hallyday after a pretty crazy proposal

A great French singer, Zazie has composed many works for other singers throughout her career. One of his greatest achievements is undoubtedly in Johnny Hallyday’s repertoire. In 1998, the rocker is making full preparations for an album and especially for her planned first concert at the Stade de France. Johnny Hallyday is searching for an event-worthy song that will let him kick off this XXL show.

Pascal Obispo, with whom he later worked for the album, then returned to Zazie. The latter will then write the now legendary lyrics of the title light the fire. Completely conquered, Johnny Hallyday will open the Stade de France and the song will become one of the most iconic titles of his career. On Thursday, December 15, Zazie was the guest of the program. as a party, broadcast on Canal+. When asked by Nathalie Levy, she went back to the birth of this thread and took the opportunity to discuss a pretty crazy proposal from Johnny Hallyday. “He had offered to sing for the Stade de France. I said to him, ‘Johnny, don’t be silly, or you should be in another room three miles back in terms of sound power’. He’s back, stubborn. He said to me: ‘Make Nathalie Baye, the prequel to Something from Tennessee, if you want’. I love this song (…) But when I try to write a text to people, in this case ‘Allumer le feu’, I don’t see myself on stage with them.‘, he explained.

Zazie later recalled when she wrote the song. “I’m starting my big excitement, big pressure and gladiator text”, he is telling. Zazie was able to discover the final result of her work when Johnny Halliday interpreted it on stage. light the fire. It’s obviously a special moment for him: “I came alone with the head of an 8 and a half year old boy. I was looking at people and saying, ‘I made the text. I wasn’t sure, it happened too fastadds Zazie.

Aurelien Gaucher