Genre: Variété Française
Date acquired: a few years before the pandemic
Gift: Yes (A. & F.)
This compilation holds a very special place in my collection. It was a Christmas gift from A. and F., a few years before the pandemic—an unexpected and deeply thoughtful surprise. Daniel Balavoine was actually the first variété française singer I ever truly loved. I still vividly remember the first time I heard "Je ne suis pas un héros"—what a moment! That song hit me in a way few others ever have. I had already come across a couple of his tracks before receiving this album and immediately connected with his voice, his energy, and that unmistakable emotional power in his music. That’s why A. and F. thought of giving me this—because they knew how much it would mean. And they were right.