The appointment was made at 8 a.m. sharp. “Thank you for your punctuality. I’m a mentally ill scheduler. My father passed this on to me“, France Brel immediately confides to us. The singer’s daughter has an infectious energy. “Jacques also gave me a legacy of a sense of work and the desire to enjoy life and the present moment.she assures. He had no strategy. I was born with my father’s lack of ambition and I’m glad for it.” France recalls that Brel had experienced failure very early, by being kicked out of high school at the age of 17 and that he never forgot it. He analyzed his frenzy of action by saying: “We spend part of our lives trying to realize the dreams we had between 10 and 15 years old..” Left his native Belgium for Paris to escape boredom, the young man did not dream of being a star. Above all, he wanted to be an author.. Above all, the singer loved telling stories. “And I like to tell his“, her daughter bounces back today. At the head of the Jacques Brel foundation, she tries to discover the different facets of the person she is comparing.”to a diamond with so many reflections“.
France Brel happily participated in the show A day with Jacques Brel. It will be broadcast on December 27, in prime time, on France 3. Alain Souchon, Thomas Dutronc, Dave, Abd al Malik, Kad Merad and Louane talk about how, without Brel, they would not be the artists they are Today. Under the direction of Gaëtan Roussel, everyone also performs some of their cult pieces in places that were dear to them. Some of his friends, like Adamo or Enrico Macias, also testify. “He only had one word and if he could help, he would.“, remembers the latter. France confirms that friendship was a cardinal value for his father. “He could have periods of melancholyshe says, but as soon as someone arrived at the house, he tried hard to make them laugh. He was, however, very modest.” Her daughter quickly realized that she was dealing with an extraordinary being. “He didn’t care about fatherhood. I adapted to his “extraordinary” side. Observing him with his friends and seeing his charisma manifest was a pleasure.”she remembers.
“Jacques gave me a legacy of a sense of work and the desire to enjoy life and the present moment”
Deprivation of liberty was the worst thing for this man who enjoyed life to the fullest. His wife, Thérèse Michielsen, say “Miche“, mother of her three daughters, had also admitted this. France demonstrates this, with supporting correspondence, in her book, A Troubadour, Jacques Brel, chronicle of a life. She talks at length about the meeting and the love story between her parents. In one of his letters, “Miche” reassures Jacques, who went on vacation with friends, shortly after their engagement. “I never want to be a burden in your life. You will always do what you want“, she wrote to him. Nothing could stand in the way of this marching force.”His thing was to livesummarizes her daughter. Behind his energy, there was immense sensitivity. He didn’t stop because of the weight of fame. What he didn’t like was being seen as a brand of jam. He was amazed to see that this profession which he had started as an artisan was becoming an industry.” The public approved it. When people learn that she is Jacques Brel’s daughter, they usually immediately share with her their intimate memories of her songs.. “Everyone also tells me that I was lucky to be one of his daughters. That they love him very much.” France accepts this shared love. With a smile on her lips, she inevitably responds: “Me too”.
This article could be found in Gala N°1593, available on newsstands on December 21. The new issue of Gala comes out this Thursday, December 28, 2023. Enjoy reading.
Photo credits: DALMAS / Sipa Press