Son of the famous French rocker Johnny Hallyday (died in December 2017), David Hallyday had not really decided follow his father’s footsteps, when he was younger. In his autobiography titled Best albumavailable since November 23 in bookstores, the 57-year-old singer highlighted the role played by his father-in-law Tony Scotti in building his professional career.
He notably specified that it was thanks to him that he had moved towards the profession of singer. Indeed, in his work, we can read: “If this providential man had not taken charge of me, subjected me to discipline and taught some fundamental rules; if he had not encouraged me (…) I would not have had the career I did. Without him, I would have been a drummer, without a doubt, and I would have been content with that”. He added : “In a pinch, I might have produced film scores. Anyway, I would never have been a singer, that’s for sure”.
>>Photos – David Hallyday: his most beautiful photos with Johnny Hallyday and Sylvie Vartan
A mentor for the artist
In this extract, which evokes the period covering the end of his adolescence (and in particular the year 1983, when he was 17 years old), David Hallyday clarifies that he didn’t really have any plans for his future. He also mentioned that he was too young to dwell on it. While playing in an amateur band, his stepfather saw his potential. He also directed and guided him towards success. “My performing side, I owe it to Tony : it was he alone who saw that I was capable of going on stage, without stepping back into the light, to bravely face public judgment”, he wrote, on this subject. He added that after he took voice lessons for several years with Seth Riggs, his stepfather felt he was ready.
Article written in collaboration with 6Medias
Photo credits: Perusseau-Gaffiot/Bestimage