But that’s not all, in less than a year, the young artist notably won the trophy for “Belgian Revelation of the Year” at the NRJ Music Awards, and entered the prestigious “30 Under” ranking. 30″ from Forbes, highlighting the most influential Belgian personalities under 30.
And if Héléna is gradually establishing herself as an essential figure in French-speaking music, it is also thanks to her human and sincere relationship with her audience. She knew how to remain accessible, true to herself, and this is undoubtedly what gives her strength and authenticity. Through her songs and her commitments, she shows us that she is above all an artist who wants to share her story, her emotions, and her vision of the world.
It is therefore quite natural that the editorial staff of La Dernier Heure elected her DH people of the year.
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You are traveling between Brussels and Paris, are you going to take a little rest for the end of year celebrations?
“After Friday (December 20, Editor’s note), it’s the holidays for two weeks. I don’t do anything (laughs). But honestly, I’m a little afraid of doing nothing, because I don’t know how to keep busy when I don’t have a busy schedule. Now I need to have things to do every day to stimulate me. Even if I’m tired, it helps me sleep better. is going to do me good, and I absolutely must take advantage of this time to rest.”
What do the end-of-year holidays mean to you?
“In Belgium, when you are a student, you are in lockdown during the holidays. And like many, I didn’t leave my room before 8 p.m. I went down to dinner, then went straight back up to sleep early. And last year, Christmas , it was at the castle (of the Star Academy, Editor’s note. So, it’s been four years since I had a “normal” Christmas with my family, a Christmas where I can really enjoy, without thinking about my exams). or something else. year, I’m really happy at the idea of spending time with my loved ones, for me it’s one of my favorite holidays. I love these moments with my family, especially when there are so many of us. There’s a part of my family that we almost only see at parties. I can’t wait to meet these people that I haven’t seen in a long time.”
You have chosen to surround yourself with your family professionally. Did this strengthen your bonds?
“Yes, I think so. I definitely feel like it’s brought me a lot closer to my brother and sister-in-law. Before, I didn’t feel that close to them. We’re together all the time, so it creates bonds. Sometimes we talk about things other than work, and I perhaps confide in them more easily now, which I didn’t necessarily do before. And then, there’s my mom, who. always wants to know everything (laughs). see each other often, and we try to take advantage of these moments to not only talk about work. There are times when we have to know how to put a boundary between the professional and the personal. I find that we manage this balance quite well. “
You released four songs this year, each one conveys messages. Is this important to you?
“Sending messages, yes, it’s important. But I wouldn’t say that it’s essential. In fact, when I write, it always starts from me, from my life, from what I want to sometimes, I have an idea for a theme or a text, but it remains very personal. That said, there is one thing that I find really essential: the notion of hope. Even when a song is sad or melancholic. I always try to slip in something positive. for example, in “Bad Boy”, the verses and choruses tell something quite sad, it’s true But despite everything, there is the bridge, which says: ‘Now I have found the love of. Me.’ There is always this moment where I show that I got through it, or that, if we try to be differently, maybe things will go better, it’s something that I like. do, especially because I see the impact it can have on people, and it’s very rewarding. But it’s not necessarily voluntary. For the moment, I write mainly to tell pieces of my life. .”
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“Summer Body” became an anthem for many women, which helped liberate some. Is this the case for you too?
“I said to myself: if I carry this kind of message, I have to believe it myself. Otherwise, who will believe it? So, yes, honestly, there are moments when I say to myself: ‘Come on, It’s okay, Summer Body Too bad.’ Really. Then, of course, there are limits, I mean, it’s not about letting yourself go completely, it’s about staying healthy, eating fruits and vegetables. vegetables. Not to advocate ‘we don’t care’ No, we don’t care. Staying healthy is essential. I think we have to be careful about the messages we send. And that they have an impact. It’s true that I don’t really mention this aspect in “Summer Body”. But for me, it’s important to remember it.”
You have just released “Mauvais Garçon”, a title for which you had to fight for it to be released as a single…
“It was part of the album, no matter what. But, yes, there was discussion around it, as with other songs on the album. For some people, certain tracks seemed more ” logical” than others to be put forward. In reality, all of that is very subjective. It’s just a question of taste: ‘I prefer that one.’ ‘And I prefer the other.’ Finally, I had the last word! (Laughs)
How did you come up with the idea of this gesture, with the finger, in “Mauvais Garçon”?
“We have to give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar: it’s not my idea, but that of my brother’s agency. It’s a real team that’s behind all of this. We wanted to create a gesture that symbolizes the ‘toxic love.’
You are one of the rare artists to fill Zénith and Forest National even though you have not yet released an album…
“Yes, and at the same time, I tell myself that it can be nice for some people to come to a concert and discover lots of new things. They don’t know everything, but normally, they will already have four songs in mind. And if they don’t know them yet, that doesn’t matter either, it will be a discovery Afterwards, I admit that I’m not a big fan of the idea of touring without an album, because I like it. that people sing my songs and that it becomes a real moment of sharing. But I think there needs to be a balance between songs they know and moments of newness and for now, the album will still be released before the tour, so they may not have much. time to listen to it, but it can also create a sort of “second listening”. Discovering the pieces on stage means rediscovering them in another way, more intensely, more deeply. Ultimately, I find that it can be. a good thing.”
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Did you expect the site to crash when tickets for the tour were released?
“Not at all (laughs). I would have preferred that it didn’t happen, but looking back, I realize that it was a good thing, actually. If the site was buggy, it’s because a lot of people wanted to buy tickets, so in the end, it’s positive But at the time, I really didn’t expect it. When you’re planning a tour, you’re so excited to be able to announce it and you want that. everything goes well, everyone can easily book their tickets and be happy. There was tension, because I was receiving thousands of messages. It made this announcement a little more stressful for me. Now, I laugh about it, because it was just crazy. . And actually, this madness is great. It shows that people were there.”
⇒ The photos of Héléna Bailly were taken at Bubble Planet : Av. du Port 86C, 1000 Brussels. Information here.
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