Nominated for the NRJ Music Awards in the “French-speaking male artist of the year” category, the artist puts an end to rumors about his presence or not and appears on the red carpet in Cannes on October 31. He will even perform his song “Mon amour” but will not respond to any interviews.
It was during the award ceremony that the singer broke down live on TF1. In tears, he addresses his audience but also his family and, more particularly, his daughter: “Daughter, I hope you will be proud of your dad when you grow up.” A speech which provokes varied reactions on social networks, where some show their support for the artist, who has always remained very discreet about his private life.
“I told him to stop”: Slimane targeted by two new complaints
A forced coming out
And although he has always refused to publicly discuss his private life, whether with the media or on stage, this first accusation revealed his sexual orientation, thus leading to a forced coming out for the man who wrote for the greatest , such as Florent Pagny, Amel Bent, Jenifer, the Enfoirés troupe or even more recently for Lara Fabian. The latter had also confided to the DH a few days ago: “I created something beautiful with him and I'm focusing on that. He's an incredible artist.“
Three weeks after the first accusation, on November 18, 2024, a second complaint was filed against the singer, this time for sexual assault and attempted sexual assault. A complaint which echoes the first, since the facts denounced would have occurred on the same night, that of December 17 to 18, 2023, in the middle of Slimane's tour, entitled “Cupid Tour”.
The complainant, a lighting technician, explains having been accosted by the singer during a party planned before the Christmas break. According to him, Slimane placed his erect penis between his buttocks while he was dancing.
Facts which, according to the plaintiff's lawyer, were filmed by several witnesses present on site. However, the artist's brother reportedly asked the witnesses to immediately delete the videos from their cell phones.
An investigation for “sexual harassment” opened against singer Slimane
Vitaa, collateral damage
While Slimane faces these accusations, his friend and long-time collaborator, Vitaa, plans to invite him on stage during her concert at the Accor Arena this Wednesday, December 4, to perform two tracks from their famous album VersuS.
If the announcement of the singer's presence was made internally on November 17 to the technical team, they decided to inform the press in order to denounce the pressure put on them to accept this situation.
They first threatened not to work if the singer, targeted by these two accusations, was present. “We do not want to put on a pedestal someone targeted by two complaints for sexual assault and sexual harassment. These complaints come from colleagues who worked on his tour, sometimes even friends. Of course, Slimane benefits from the presumption of innocence but we know the artist and the atmosphere on his tours“, explained one of the technicians to our colleagues at Le Parisien.
Following this, they say they are subject to strong pressure behind the scenes: “Charlotte (Vitaa’s real first name; Editor’s note) makes us feel guilty. She doesn't understand why someone is doing this to her when she has nothing to do with it. She sees it as a betrayal. She says that Slimane is like her brother and that, like in any family, we remain united even if we don't condone all the bullshit”entrusts the technician to our colleagues from Le Parisien before adding “The most scathing is Hicham (Vitaa's husband; Editor’s note) who asks us to defend Slimane: 'Who has never sent a photo of their dick?' We all raised our hands.”
A Show maintained despite everything
Despite their right of withdrawal and internal tensions, the technicians finally agreed to put on the show at the Accor Arena: “We did it so as not to penalize the most vulnerable among us“, he explains. “But we feel guilty towards our friends who are victims of Slimane, with whom we stand in solidarity.”
Let us remember, however, that Slimane benefits from the presumption of innocence until the case is closed.
