They All Want to Sing for Him

Published in Le Monde
(France) on 10 January 2009
by Veronique Mortaigne (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Rami Assadi. Edited by Louis Standish.
Barack Obama has become, reluctantly, the arm of a marketing musical. The multitude of organized events surrounding the inauguration ceremony of the American president (Le Monde-Jan. 9)-to be held on January 20 was opened to the managers of artists in entertainment areas.

Elated by Mr. Obama’s victory, various cultural circles, who were often brought in by the message and cause of the first black president of the United States, have right away wanted to be [there]. Taken in by the wave, Barack Obama’s entourage had at one point imagined a very R&B ceremony with America’s star couple of 2008-the singer Beyonce and the rapper JayZ. But, very quickly, the president’s advisors came to recognize reality: the glamour and bling-bling (shown off) would not go well with the current economic depression.

The musical program for the inauguration, reserved only for American artists and citizens, was thus reduced to the essential: military bands, soul singer Aretha Franklin, the violoncellist Yo-Yo Ma as interpreted by the composer John Williams. In revenge, and away from the official ceremony, the city of Washington has welcomed a mass of private musical events. It’s this, as well as the dozens of singers appearing in the newspapers supposedly chosen by President Obama, or those close to him, to show themselves during the inauguration.

The Unites States has avoided confusion: the balls, charity concerts currently have much support. But elsewhere, this is not the case. British internet sites announced in December 2008 that the singer Elvis Costello would head the concert bill for the inauguration. Then this information [was shown to be untrue] but little matter.

Same thing in France, where the record company Because Music saw an excellent opportunity to glorify Amadou Malians and Mariam by suggesting that the African duo would “sing at the inauguration.” The “blind couple of Mali” became the supposed darling of Michelle Obama said the magazine headlines. And like their album, “Sabaly, “which is about to come out, this [idea] fell quickly.


Barack Obama est devenu, à son corps défendant, le bras armé du marketing musical. La multitude des événements organisés autour de la cérémonie d'investiture du président américain (Le Monde du 9 janvier) - qui aura lieu le 20 janvier - a ouvert aux manageurs d'artistes des espaces de communication.

Euphorisés par la victoire de M. Obama, les milieux culturels, souvent acquis à la cause du métissage et du premier président noir des Etats-Unis, ont tout de suite eu envie d'en être. Emporté par la vague, l'entourage même de Barack Obama a un temps imaginé une cérémonie très RnB, avec en stars le couple vedette de l'Amérique de 2008, la chanteuse Beyoncé et le rappeur Jay Z. Mais, très vite, les conseillers du président sont revenus à la dure réalité : le glamour et le bling-bling se conjuguent très mal avec la dépression économique, aussi récente que brutale.

Le programme musical de la cérémonie d'investiture, réservé à des artistes et citoyens de nationalité américaine, se réduit donc à l'essentiel : des ensembles militaires, la chanteuse soul Aretha Franklin, le violoncelliste Yo-Yo Ma interprétant le compositeur John Williams. En revanche, en marge de la cérémonie officielle, la ville de Washington accueille une flopée d'événements musicaux privés. C'est ainsi que des dizaines de stars de la chanson sont apparues dans les gazettes, prétendument choisies par le président Obama ou ses proches, pour se produire lors de l'investiture.

Les Etats-Unis ont évité la confusion : les bals, concerts de charité ou de soutien y sont courants. Mais ailleurs ce n'est pas le cas. Des sites Internet britanniques annonçaient, en décembre 2008, que le chanteur Elvis Costello "sera la tête d'affiche du concert de l'investiture d'Obama". Puis l'information se dégonfle mais peu importe.

Même chose en France où la maison de disques Because Music voit une excellente opportunité de pousser la gloire des Maliens Amadou et Mariam en suggérant que le duo africain irait "chanter à l'investiture". Le "couple aveugle du Mali" devient le chouchou supposé de Michelle Obama, fait des titres et des pages de magazine. Et comme leur album Sabaly vient de sortir, ça tombe bien.


This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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