\u201cBonsoir ! Vous allez bien ?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Those were the first words Belgian singer, rapper, and songwriter Paul van Haver, better known by his stage name Stromae, said to greet his fans in Boston\u2019s Agganis Arena on the night of Dec. 7. The multi-hyphenate artist stopped by Boston University for the last date of the U.S. leg of his \u201cMultitude\u201d tour, named after his latest genre-bending album.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The audience answered Stromae\u2019s question \u2014 translated as \u201cAre you doing well?\u201d \u2014 with resounding cheers. While addressing the crowd conversationally, Stromae alternated between English and French, but of course performed his entirely French discography in his native language. Whether or not audience members were fluent in the language was ultimately a nonissue \u2014 they were still hanging on his every word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stromae appeared in person after an animated version of himself was shown on screen wearing a lab coat and making music alongside robots. This lighthearted, imaginative intro set the tone for the rest of the night \u2014 it was a creative, playful, and completely original concert experience thanks to Stromae\u2019s magnetic stage presence and uniquely mesmerizing visuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s difficult to define Stromae by genre \u2014 it would be reductive to say he is just an EDM artist, or just a rapper. He has the unique ability to amalgamate many genres into a sound that\u2019s all his own; \u201cMultitude,\u201d released earlier this year, is more reflective of this than ever. His supporting band also reflected his dynamic sound, with musicians from all over the world playing alongside him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stromae kicked off the concert with \u201cInvaincu,\u201d the first track off \u201cMultitude.\u201d \u201cInvaincu,\u201d which translates to \u201cunbeaten,\u201d has a soaring chorus fit for an arena, which hyped up the crowd to an even higher excitement level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stromae explicitly acknowledged that he would be switching between his new and old tracks. Within the first few songs, he performed \u201cTous les m\u00eames,\u201d one of his most popular songs to date, off his 2013 album \u201cRacine Carr\u00e9e.\u201d The minor-key, upbeat EDM track brought the audience to their feet as the synth horns of the chorus swelled and Stromae danced across the stage. \u201cTous les m\u00eames,\u201d French for \u201cyou\u2019re all the same\u201d shares contrasting male and female perspectives of an arguing couple. Stromae brought all the satire and whimsicality of this energetic chart-topper to life on stage. Throughout the concert, he infused both his vocals and his movements with his highly animated performing style, embodying the varying emotions of each song with his signature vibrato and lively dancing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stromae\u2019s hit song \u201cPapaoutai\u201d \u2014 translated to \u201cDad, where are you?\u201d \u2014 was one of the biggest crowd pleasers of the night. The profound lyrics, which meditate on his father\u2019s absence from his life, are juxtaposed with the lively synth-heavy track. The lighting and stage design, including several moving screens with shifting geometric patterns, aligned with the increasingly heavy dance beat and further enlivened the performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n