David Hallyday: "If we harm the image of my father, I will put a stop to it"

David Hallyday sets foot in Paris for the first time since January.

And he returns with a new record under his arm, written, composed and recorded during confinement.

“Imagine a world”, his fourteenth album, will be released on November 27 and will feature eleven songs, the first of which was unveiled on Wednesday, “Together and now”, a hymn to solidarity and action to get out of the old world.

“Imagine un monde”, which we listened to exclusively, digs without repeating the electro-pop groove of his previous album, “I have something to tell you”, which was a success with 200,000 copies sold.

From "Heaven and Earth" to "Nobody", from "Live Your Dreams" to "Superstar", sung with her son Cameron, 15, the power of machines and guitars is written by Lionel Florence and François Welgryn, two lyricists masters in the art of leaving the personnel to touch the universal.

It is also the first time that David Hallyday speaks on the end, this summer, of the legal battle around the inheritance of his father and his decision to give up his financial succession as patrimonial.

At 54 years old, Johnny's son affirms what he is and thinks with modesty and gentleness.

And said to himself "relieved to move on".

Your previous album was from two years ago.

Why release a new one so quickly?

DAVID HALLYDAY.

I wanted to open a new chapter.

I wrote a first song last winter, "Together and Now", and the confinement gave me time to write the sequel.

It's the first time I've done everything at home, all by myself.

It is artisanal.

I composed and recorded 80% of the album in my room, because the children occupied the other rooms

I did the vocals at night.

Sometimes it woke my wife (

).

It is also the first time that I co-direct and co-arrange remotely with Fabrice Ordioni, whom I met through Instagram.

I was told it was not the right time but I wanted to.

He talks about this period.

Releasing it next year wouldn't have made any sense.

This album is about commitment, staying positive, transmission ...

The confinement allowed me to drive the nail of my convictions on the old world and on the new that must be built.

Like all my records, this one is based on my feelings, my questions and my ideas to move forward and see the light at the end of the tunnel.

It's a difficult period but also interesting because we have to reinvent ourselves, me first.

The crisis, the volatile public, we cannot rest on our achievements.

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Especially since the future of concerts is uncertain.

You have eight in November.

Are you going to maintain them?

I do not know.

These are the last dates of the tour of my previous album.

If we do them, I'll put new songs in them.

And if we postpone them, it will be in a new tour.

We're preparing a new show, I can't wait.

But I will not start anything before the start of the 2021 school year.

VIDEO.

David Hallyday on Johnny's legacy: "It was a very painful period"

The lyrics of this new album are much more positive than those of the previous one, which spoke of the pain of mourning, settled scores ...

It was out of the question to do the same thing twice.

It is in my nature and in the nature of human beings to try to rebuild after going through difficult things.

The important thing is the future.

Have you been in mourning?

No.

It is very difficult because there are very, very painful ordeals that cannot be erased like that.

But I have the music, my family, the life which is still beautiful.

And I'm relieved to move on ...

By abandoning, like your sister Laura Smet, the legal proceedings against Læticia Hallyday?

I gave up everything because in life, at some point, you have to move on.

It was a very complicated time for me and my family and I don't want to be brought back to this always.

I prefer to be in the positive, in the reconstruction.

And then people have other concerns than always hearing these family stories.

I dare to hope that we can speak in a positive way about my father, about his more than 50 years of career, about all the happiness he has given to people.

And moral rights are used for that.

"I always thought that it was up to me to watch over my father's work and to ensure that we talk about music about him", explains David Hallyday./LP/Philippe Lavieille  

You have indeed, along with his three other children (Laura Smet and Jade and Joy, Johnny's two youngest daughters), your say in the use of his work.

Fortunately I have it.

It's the law.

And we do the same job.

You know, my speech hasn't changed for three years.

I did all of this to support my sister.

Once Laura had what she wanted, I quit.

And I feel lighter today.

Why are you not claiming anything financially on your father's discography?

I'm lucky.

Since 1987, I have not stopped working, despite everything, I have sold nearly ten million albums, I earn a good living, I have not invested too badly.

All that matters to me is what I will leave for my children.

So why always dwell on the past?

It was my father who fought, these are his albums, he was the one who went on tour, this legacy is his decision ... I always thought that it was not for me to take everything it.

On the other hand, I have always thought that it was up to me to watch over his work and ensure that we talk about music about him, that we stop associating him with certain brands.

PODCAST.

Johnny and David Hallyday: which father, which son?

How will you be?

I will be vigilant.

I'll take it down if something damages my father's image, if it's not classy.

In my opinion, you have to be careful about overselling, overbidding, not to trivialize your work ... Re-orchestrate songs that you know well (

), this does not is not bad but it is not enough.

We have to think, invent, build for the long term.

I have a few ideas, but all in good time.

There is a Johnny Hallyday esplanade project in front of the Accor Arena in Paris.

Could you inaugurate it?

I heard about it.

I find that good, my father is one of the greatest artists, Bercy is his emblematic venue.

And then, it's between the stage and the taxes, that suits him well

Do you have any unreleased tracks from your father?

Yes.

Lots of models made together.

Since the first song by me he sang, "Mirador", in 1989, which had allowed him to become number of sales again.

We hear him singing in yogurt, laughing, funny things.

All these memories are more important than money… And then I have objects of him, great guitars, things related to our common passion for music.

Despite the agreement she signed with Læticia Hallyday, Laura said this summer that there was no possible peace between them.

Do you think so too?

I have no response.

Everyone manages their suffering in their own way.

Laura has a magnificent career, she relies on her talent, she needs to move forward.

As far as I am concerned, what was irreparable remains irreparable, things are gone forever because we have exceeded the tolerance threshold.

But I hope that other things will work out, with the children (

).

They don't have to be scapegoats.