Despite a disrupted summer marked by the Covid-19 epidemic, culture has continued to live and punctuate the daily lives of the French. Whether on radio, television, cinema or literature, certain programs, artists and works have caught our attention and are part of our selection of tops and flops for summer 2020.
TOPS
Wejdene, the one that no one saw coming. Nothing seems to stop Wejdene. Unknown only three months ago, the young singer of 16 years held up the musical summer. His song "Anissa", evoking a deception in love certified gold single with 50 million views on YouTube, took everything in its path. On TikTok, even Jean-Luc Mélenchon used it to get started on the platform tackling Emmanuel Macron with the now famous formula "you out of my sight". As if the 52 million views of this tube were not enough, his new track "Coco" recorded 5 million views in 24 hours, thus offering itself the second best clip start in France behind PNL. Dubbed by rapper Booba who congratulated him on social networks, his first album was released on September 25.
Hatik and Bosh, validated like never before. The two rappers highlighted by Franck Gastambide's “Validé” series took advantage of the series' historic record, which recorded 25 million views on Canal. The handsome Hatik with his stratospheric title "Angela", and Bosh with his "Djomb" (which gave itself an unexpected buzz with the dance number improvised by Patrick Balkany at the Fête de la Musique) squatted the head of the rankings singles this summer.
Also on YouTube, the two rappers recorded 69 and 50 million views respectively. The icing on the cake: the soundtrack of season 1 of "Validé" was certified gold.
Festivals all the same. We could have lived a summer without festivals. Fortunately, a handful of events, often medium in size and with Francophone programming, have managed to reinvent themselves and exist. We obviously think of the small but clever edition of the Francofolies in La Rochelle in July, but also of the prestigious piano festival of La Roque d'Antheron, at the Mas des Escaravatiers in the Var, at La Folie Pas du Tout at the royal monastery of Brou in the Ain, at the Escales de Saint-Nazaire or at the 1001 Voix en Limousin. They were often the first opportunity for artists and technicians to rework since March and for the public a chance to finally revive at a concert ... And in complete safety. Not only did the public respond, but there were no examples of mass contamination.
The summer dance comes from South Africa. Nothing predestined “Jérusalema”, an electro track by a South African DJ carried by the deep voice of singer Nomcebo, to become one of the most listened to in France and around the world. Released on the sly at the beginning of the year, the song with gospel tunes on a heady electro rhythm has turned into a phenomenon after being covered by millions of users of the TikTok social network inventing choreographies on the song. Conclusion: the tube is the most broadcast on radio in France but also in Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal.
It's good for "Good Singers". By surprisingly drawing “Good Singer” at the beginning of the summer instead of “Ninja Warrior”, TF1 broke M 6, which had been working on a similar concept for several months. Presented by comedian Jarry, this singing entertainment seduced a rejuvenated audience with scores of around 30% on the commercial target of women responsible for purchases under 50, very popular with advertisers. According to our information, La Une decided to recommend four other issues.
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"Fort Boyard", timeless. The faithful of "Fort Boyard" awaited it this 31st season! Postponed for several weeks because of the health crisis, the launch of the France 2 adventure game presented by Olivier Minne attracted 3.5 million viewers on July 11, or 20.4% of audience share.
This upgraded version then continued to make the public service shine: 3.3 million fans (replay included) on average attended each week, almost as many as the previous record dating from 2013!
"Simply black" brings a smile back to French cinema. In a particularly heavy context for the 7th art, Jean-Pascal Zadi has succeeded in a funny bet. With nearly 700,000 admissions, this unknown to the general public, originally from Bondy (Seine-Saint-Denis), gave back some color at the box office with “Tout Simply Noir”, his first film co-directed with John Wax and in which he stars. The story? JP, whose acting career has so far not been very successful, has decided to organize a march for the cause of blacks and seeks to raise awareness among leading figures in the community. But his clumsiness does little to help him. High-end credits (Fabrice Eboué, Eric Judor, Fary, Claudia Tagbo…) serve this irresistible comedy of relentless lucidity.
Dicker superstar of booksellers. Before the literary re-entry, it was he who won the summer. At 34, Joël Dicker does better than confirm the scores of his previous bestsellers like "The Truth about Harry Québert".
"The Enigma of the room 622", his fifth novel of a formidable efficiency released at the end of May, has paid the luxury of getting ahead of King Musso in July. And it cannot be denied: in mid-August, he was still leading the way, only preceded by the release of Amélie Nothomb's latest novel.
And one, and two, and three successes for Rufin. Prix Goncourt in 2001 for “Rouge Brazil”, member of the French Academy, Jean-Christophe Rufin, when he is relaxing, continues to write. In 2018, he created the quirky character of the consul Aurel Timescu who, in every corner of the world where he is named, is called upon to solve a police enigma. The success was immediate and, after "The suspended from Conakry" and "The three women of the consul", was not denied with "The Flambeur de la Caspienne" which takes place in Azerbaijan. 120,000 copies sold.
The facelift of comics. The heroes of children and teenagers boosted sales of comics this summer, by regularly settling at the top of the rankings. In this fall, it is moreover a manga, "The promised Neverland, tome 15", published on August 19, which occupies the first place of sales of books in France, all kinds combined in the Book Hebdo-GFK ranking. Outside of manga, the summer hit is called "Mortelle Adèle", unbeatable at the top for two months and which ranks several of her albums in the top 20. Not far behind, "Les cahiers d'Ester, volume 5" by Riad Sattouf also conquered the public by still appearing in the Top 10. Another youth title which has proved its worth: “Alone, volume 12”, is also one of the summer's successes.
THE FLOPS
The bad buzz of The Avener. The line between a top and a flop is sometimes quite subtle. By bringing together a little less than 5,000 fans (the maximum level) in a (too?) Hot atmosphere on the Promenade des Anglais on July 11, DJ The Avener had largely fulfilled his mission, he, the native of Nice who played home. But that was without counting the bad buzz the next day and the controversy over the relaxation of the French concerning the wearing of the mask.
VIDEO. Lack of distance and masks: the Avener concert is controversial in Nice
Dubosc, a historical gadget on TF1. Not enough people, on the other hand, at Franck Dubosc. The comedian "offered" to TF1 on August 8 his lowest prime time audience. His one-man-show “Fifty / Fifty”, already broadcast in January on TMC, barely exceeded the one-million-viewer mark and garnered less than 7% audience share. A historical gadget.
"Five men at home", express deprogramming. M 6 also had a summer flop, deprogramming "Five men at home" after two weeks. The reality show ran from July 27 to August 7, with an average audience of 800,000 viewers, declining day by day. The contenders for great love were urgently replaced by the reruns of “Tous en cuisine” with Cyril Lignac, a box of confinement.
Adrien and Mallory missed their shot. Kitchen department, precisely, after bursting the screen in "Top Chef", the ex-candidates of M 6 Adrien Cachot and Mallory Gabsi sank with their Parisian barge. Five days after the opening of their ephemeral floating chip shop, quai de la Tournelle (Ve), the finalist of the culinary competition and his companion closed shop on July 21. Their 140 ° Street restaurant, supposed to open until August 1, has repacked its fryers in the face of the tide of customers who are visibly not cooled by the health situation.
VIDEO. Top Chef: Adrien and Mallory overwhelmed by the success of their ephemeral chip shop
Renaud embarrassing. A context that Renaud "crunched" in "Corona song", a song that the artist put online in early July, arousing the embarrassment of some fans and the mockery of many Internet users. Example lyrics? “You landed one day from China. Go back there and be confined there. In this country where we eat dogs, bats, pangolin ”…
The "Mulan" controversy. And since we take a look at China, moviegoers can long wait for news of "Mulan", the live-action version of an Asian legend, already adapted in cartoon in the past. Will come out, not come out? Long-awaited, the Disney production will have played on the nerves of fans all summer. Before, finally, making the decision to be broadcast directly on the platform of the American giant, without going through the cinema box. And not only will you have to be a Disney + subscriber to see the film, but spectators will have to pay an additional 29.99 euros…
