A successful documentary series, a gold record before its release, concert dates that are already sold out … One thing is certain, the rapper from Caen (Calvados) was able to create the event for the release of his fourth album “Civilization”, unveiled this Friday, November 19, 2021.
“I made an album that only talks about my girl and the company.” This is how Orelsan sums up his new album as a preamble to its title “Infinity Flowters Breakers”, in duet with Gringe, his lifelong friend. The Norman rapper’s fourth opus, released this Friday, November 19, 2021, was eagerly awaited. It must be said that at the end of “Never show that to anyone”, the documentary series produced by his brother who is a hit on Amazon Prime, we see Orelsan “prepare a new album while the world is on its way to ruin“All illustrated by an image of Emmanuel Macron’s first speech in 2020 before the announcement of confinement.
And his new album, it is there, even if the rapper of 39 years left the doubt in the few interviews granted to the press for the promotion of the documentary. On the cover of “Civilization”, Orelsan poses with an enigmatic flag, perhaps in the image of his own fictional civilization?
“When I called the album ‘Civilization’ I was primarily thinking of science fiction, of Isaac Asimov’s ‘Foundation’ (cult book), the flag on the cover, it was the idea of post-apocalyptic reconstruction ” , he said in an interview with Agence France Presse.
For this fourth album, Orelsan was able to create the event since even before its release, and without any tracks being unveiled, the album was already certified gold record thanks to the 50,000 pre-orders.
And to be gold even before its release, nothing has been left to chance. It must be said that the bar was set very high after the success of his last album, “The party is over”, released in 2018 and sold over a million copies.
For the release of the fourth, everything has been carefully prepared. It all started on September 28, 2021, when he announced on his Facebook page the release of the documentary filmed and directed by his brother Corentin, “Never show that to anyone” on the Amazon Prime platform on October 15th. “20 years of our lives in 6 episodes! “, announces the rapper.
On October 5, ten days before the documentary’s release, rapper Caennais surprised by announcing an event tour but without revealing the release of a new album. A clue, however, we can see on the poster the famous flag on the cover of “Civilization”.
On October 26, 2021 the news finally falls: his fourth album will be released on November 19 and it will be available for pre-order three days later. And to create the event, Orelsan once again wields the art of surprise and the opposite.
It is not one, but fifteen versions of the album that will be released, each in limited edition, even very limited (between 500 and 5,000 copies per disc). “We worked on 15 different designs like the 15 tracks on the album”, explains the artist in a video published on social networks.
The CD “The quest”, autographed by Orelsan himself, is for example only available in 500 copies. What attract fans who would like to embark on a collection.
A well-run marketing, which allowed to sell 50,000 copies in pre-order, making the album a gold record while no song had been unveiled.
And the date of November 19 for the release of the album was not chosen at random, since it is the deadline to be part of the selected for the next Victoires de la musique.
Two days before the album’s release, Orelsan unveiled his new music video directed byr David Tomaszewski : “The smell of gasoline”, the first single from his new album. Here again, the success is there: 2 million views in 24 hours. A comeback with very engaged, very political piece, which tackles a lot of subjects which agitated France lately: immigration, ecology and even the yellow vests.
The game is over, all of our leaders have failed. They will be destroyed by the beast they created. Confidence is dead along with respect, What governs us? Fear and anxiety.
Orelsan, “The smell of gasoline”
In each of his albums, Orelsan never forgets to mention Normandy, the region of his childhood. that he left to go and live in Paris for a while. The rapper is no exception to the rule in “Civilization”. Thus, we learn in the title “Alone with the world around” that the rapper bought a house near Caen.
I lived in a shitty city with the Eiffel Tower in it. Where people are sad and in a hurry, where people cry as they walk. But I have just taken a house near Caen where my family spends Sundays (…) I live right by the sea, we never bathe because it is cold. I’m happy just to see her, before, I only saw the building opposite.
Orelsan, “Alone with people around”
Other references also to the city of Caen as in “Du proper” where he speaks of the magic sauce of the kebab “Magic Beau Gosse” or in “Casseurs Flowters Infinity” featuring with Gringe: “I am the most famous of my city with the Conqueror”, in reference to the Duke of Normandy.
As with each of his tours, it is in Caen then in Rouen, that Orelsan will start his marathon in 2022. The artist will perform at the zenith in Caen on January 15, then at the zenith in Rouen on January 19. The dates were already full before the album was released.
Orelsan will also perform five nights in a row in the legendary Paris Bercy venue, the AccorHotels Arena, from March 16 to 19, 2022. The rapper will once again achieve a feat since 4 dates are already sold out. Namely that a full hall represents 20,300 spectators.
In the meantime, it is in Caen that the rapper will celebrate the release of his new album on Saturday night at the Ornano stadium during the match against Paris FC.
–
