Theater, concert, a new album, Amir’s news is intense. Recently passing by Dijon to promote his November 30 concert at the Zénith, the singer spoke to us about his album, “Ressources”, his “magical and very accomplished” show and the Burgundian ban he adores.
Before talking about the concert scheduled for Wednesday 30 November 2022 at the Zénith de Dijon by singer Amir, the one who represented France at Eurovision in 2016, we wanted to retrace his first steps in the theater in the spring of 2022. Indeed, Amir Haddad revived Alfred Nakache, a Jewish champion swimmer who survived the death camps.
Amir Haddad : “It’s a creation and a first for me. It was an exciting project where I had the chance to discover a new discipline and above all to embody, in my eyes, a hero. This is Alfred Nakache. The greatest swimmer of his generation of him who finds himself in 1943 deported to Auschwitz when he is at the peak of his career. He will try to survive and return with one goal, to find his wife and daughter. Unfortunately on his return from the war he learns that they were killed in a concentration camp. From that moment on, these friends from the swimming club will decide to put him back in the pools so that he can recover the humanity that was taken from him in the fields. For me it is a symbol of resilience.”
The only one on stage in Dijon?
“I think when I accepted the challenge, I wasn’t aware of the difficulty. But by dint of hard work and taking time out for months on end, I prepared well for the role. But it’s true that I owe a lot to Steve Suissa, the director, for believing in me. Come and get me, me a singer for one on stage, I had to live up to it. Today I am very very happy to say that I had the opportunity to have this experience at the Edouard VII theater in Paris with extensions. I don’t know yet if I will come and play it in Dijon, but one thing is certain, we will soon be touring the whole province.
A new album came out a few weeks ago in which you tackle new themes, ultimately very personal and very intimate themes.
Amir “I’m talking about everything that I didn’t have the courage to say before. I slowly walked into this new life with modesty to gain self-confidence. I think the public has also reassured me a lot throughout my career. What I allows now, to dare to go further in what I evoke intimate and personal. I speak in a song of my uncle who died prematurely at the beginning of the pandemic, of my love difficulties or even of my complexes. In this album it is a little less stylish, we love each other and party. This is another aspect of my personality that I face with confidence and serenity. Furthermore, my audience is, according to the feedback I have, very impressed by my approach which I have done gradually. I still waited three albums for discuss these topics.
An album with duets
“I get the chance to collaborate with famous artists like Sia. But in reality there is no parameter of notoriety. Above all there is a coherent artistic mix that gives me satisfaction, gives me the feeling of realizing myself and creating new things for my audience. All my duets make sense and I hope I can continue. And even there the public follows me, it’s open to discovery just like me and I’m very happy about it»
The concert in Dijon
“There will be many surprises for this concert, but above all there will be the same team on stage again and again, which is now my second family, and I am very proud of that. On the other hand, we had almost a year and a half delay on the planned start date of the tour due to the health crisis. And that prompted us to stage things that we ultimately didn’t think we’d create. We searched for what we could imagine. I don’t want to say anything else, but rest assured that it is magical and very successful”
The famous Burgundian prohibition
“I am happy to come to Dijon. I know your city for having already given concerts there. Arriving the day before allows you to meet people. And I love the warmth of the Dijon people here. So you’ll tell me that’s something I can say in every city I pass, but here it’s special. There is a feeling that I don’t get anywhere else. And then in no city we have a local anthem, the famous Burgundian ban that everyone sings during the concert, I love it. It already distinguishes. And then Dijon is humble and welcoming, I say it, but I mean it seriously”
Norbert Banket
Photo : N.Banchet
Amir at the Zénith de Dijon – Wednesday 30 November 2022 – 8.00pm
Price from 32 euros
Info and reservations: Usual points of sale
