Stromae has released his latest single “Mon Amour,” a blissed-out baile-funk summer-pop collaboration with Multi-GRAMMY nominated Cuban born singer-songwriter Camila Cabello.
Together, they bring an entirely new dimension to the track (originally featured on Stromae’s critically acclaimed third studio album Multitude), with Camila’s sultry vocals marrying perfectly alongside the Belgian superstar’s signature French baritone voice, creating an undeniable soundtrack staple for the summer. The track was produced by Stromae’s younger brother Luc Van Haver.
Stromae also revealed a hilarious official music video accompanying “Mon Amour,” directed by Julien & Quentin. Set in Villa Mon Amour, a fictional reality TV show where participants double down on their strategy, charisma, and seducing charms to become a finalist. The 10 participants (including characters played by Stromae and Camila) do not hesitate to use all their assets to win. Friendship, seduction, and betrayal are inevitable. “Far from disliking or mocking reality TV,” Luc Van Haver explains, “it serves as a perfect prism to sublimate the human comedy that is played out in Stromae’s lyrics, because in these candidates there is a bit of each of us.”
It was at the Met Gala in New York City earlier this year that Paul Van Haver, better known as Stromae, met Camila Cabello. The two artists quickly hit it off. To Stromae’s surprise, Camila confessed her love of his latest album Multitude, especially “Mon amour.” Without batting an eyelid, Stromae suggested they try working on something together, and Stromae and Camila Cabello’s “Mon Amour” was born.
In other news, this week it was announced that the music video for “Fils De Joie” was nominated for a VMA Award in the “Video For Good” category. The video is a national tribute from a fictional country to a missing sex worker, “raised to the rank of heroine,” Stromae elaborates.
“The idea for ‘Fils de Joie’ came from watching Faustine Bollaert’s (French) talk show Ca Commence Aujourd’hui. One of her shows was dedicated to the children of sex workers. I was struck because I discovered a world that I did not know at all.
A child testified by explaining that a client of his mother had come to tell him, “Ah well, yesterday I banged your mother.” He continues, “I found the phrase and the attitude most out of place. How can you afford to say such things to a child? I wanted to take everyone’s point of view since everyone has an opinion on her, but unfortunately we don’t often ask her for hers. I therefore speak in place of the son, the client, the pimp, and the policeman. ‘Fils De Joie’ is in a way, a tribute to these women who do this very difficult work, very little recognized, but which exists and which will exist, whether we like it or not.”