On the occasion of the release of “Gospel & Soul, the voice and the soul”, the singer Chimène Badi gave a straightforward interview to the “Journal des Femmes” and it feels good!
13 years after the release of a first album of soul covers of American and French standards, Chimène Badi releases a new opus dedicated to this American music, called Gospel & Soul, voice and soul. In this album composed of previously unreleased tracks, the 42-year-old singer once again shows the extent of her immense talent. Exclusive interview for the Women’s Journal.
How is this album different from the one released in 2011?
Chimene Badi. I wanted to perform songs that you wouldn’t imagine in gospel or soul at all. This is the case with the title The ballet, by Celine Dion, which is truly the antithesis of black American music but which I sang as a teenager in my room at the top of my lungs. I also love Stevie Wonder since I was a kid and I opted for I Wish which is super sunny and which I really like. As for Black, it’s black, It’s a song that we listened to every time we went on vacation with my parents. So I chose songs related to my life, my story and my journey.
You have always been immersed in black American music but also French song: how do you manage this difference in culture?
Chimene Badi. I don’t want to make a choice, even if I have indeed been put in a box which is that of French song with inaccessible notes to reach. Except it’s not my DNA! I love performing, that’s for sure. But my DNA is French song and black American music that transport me. I think that an artist must please himself to please the public, so I won’t make a choice. I will continue to combine these universes that I like and which have always transcended me. This is the basis because otherwise it means that I am betraying myself, that I am not honest with myself and with others. This means that I am not authentic and that I am fake. And that’s out of the question.
You are going on tour to present your album: is it important for you to find your audience?
Chimene Badi This is essential. After the show, I chat with them. They give me their opinions and their feelings and that’s the ultimate reward! Before, the stage took up all the space. That was all that mattered and only my career. But I realized that what was also important was my life as a woman. From now on, when I do shows, I take them like gifts, like an enchanted parenthesis but when they end I am happy to become Chimène again, the darling of my lover, the big sister of my little brothers and sisters, the aunt of my nephews and to return to a normal life.
You are 42 years old and it seems that age poses no problem for you. Is this really the case?
Chimene Badi. It is. I have no problem with age and getting older. On the other hand, seeing my parents age affects me because I hope that they will stay with me as long as possible. But I am very comfortable with my age. I have never felt better than now. I don’t at all want to go back to 20 years old with everything I endured and everything I didn’t know. There is nothing more beautiful than getting older, because you let go of negative things and you understand things so much better. Of course I have wrinkles and I mark more easily than I used to, but my face tells a story, it has things to say.
Could you still let yourself be tempted by little subterfuges to appear younger?
Chimene Badi. I have a beautician friend called Emmanuelle who takes very good care of me. But I only do facials like microneedling or Jet Peel (anti-aging treatments) and I don’t want to do botox or hyaluronic acid injections or facelifts. I am a religious and practicing person and, in my religion, we don’t have fun doing this kind of thing. We don’t need it and that’s not what should take precedence. This is truly part of my values and principles.
What is your opinion on these women who resort to a lot of cosmetic surgery?
Chimene Badi. Women feel like they have an expiration date, which is terrible because men don’t face the same problem. But it’s also up to us women to show what we’re made of! We can refuse to enter into this form of infernal spiral of cosmetic surgery. However, some have real complexes and I can understand why they resort to these operations. Now, if it’s just trying to get something in our profession, that’s sad. The most important thing is to accept who we are, to assume that we are different. Monica Bellucci is getting older, but I find her absolutely beautiful.
Do you define yourself as a feminist?
Chimene Badi. I am a feminist in the militant sense. But I adhere to a feminism that is a little older than that of today and less violent. I don’t want to wage war on men and I just want there to be real equality between them and me and above all respect. When I started, men behaved towards me that I would no longer allow. Today, men don’t have fun doing this kind of thing with me, because they know that they will get backlash very quickly! (laughs) At some point, we women have to assert ourselves. We must not be afraid to send off men who tend to get a little too comfortable with us. I want women to be respected and to be on an equal footing with men.
“When I started, I could have sunk”
You have more than 20 years of career. What is your opinion of the early Chimène?
Chimene Badi. I’m a little sad because I was a little lost. But I’m also proud of myself because I could have fallen into dramatic situations because I didn’t have confidence in myself. I was surrounded by people who were not all healthy and I could have collapsed. I’m quite happy with myself because I didn’t do too badly.
You had a little tear in The Voice Kids when you were invited by Slimane. Could you become a member of the jury for The Voice?
Chimene Badi. I did it in Belgium a few years ago but I was much younger and perhaps a little too empathetic. That being said, I always will be because I was diagnosed as hypersensitive two years ago and I understood why all these emotions took up so much space and why I was so particular. But when I was a coach in Belgium, my talents were very young and I felt a lot of pain for them. Would I be able to not have any anymore? I don’t know. I like the idea of passing on my knowledge and supporting talents but being on a seat to buzz and do TV, I don’t know. It’s a special role nonetheless.
Some artists repeat that it was better before. Do you think so too?
Chimene Badi. I think the most important thing is to have no regrets and I don’t have any. Was it better before? I can’t say it. When I started, there was still magic in the music business. The new generation is launching at a time when music is consumed completely differently, but it has the codes for this new era. So you have to have hope.
Exclusive interview which cannot be repeated without mention of the Journal des Femmes.
