Julien Clerc, whose real name is Paul-Alain Leclerc, celebrated his 77th birthday in May 2025 with a new musical creation: Une vie. This album is the 28th in a career that began more than half a century ago. Indeed, it is part of an introspective and melancholic approach. Under the artistic direction of Benjamin Biolay, it explores the great themes of existence without artifice: love, grief, memory, the passage of time. Each song acts like a page from a diary. Thus, it reveals the vulnerability of a man looking back without bitterness. However, he does so with great intensity.
The track Saint-Nazaire is one of the album’s highlights. Written by Paul École, this piece pays a moving tribute to Gérard Leclerc, a journalist and the singer’s half-brother, who tragically passed away in 2023. The lyrics evoke the image of two brothers. One is alive, while the other has disappeared. Nevertheless, they are united by music and memory. "One at the piano, the other in the sky": this simple metaphor sums up the depth of the album, between simplicity and tenderness.
A national tour to embody the emotion
To accompany the release of Une vie, Julien Clerc will embark on a tour spanning two years, from 2026 to 2027. Named after the album, this series of concerts will travel across France, with dates scheduled in Paris, Lille, Lyon, Nantes, Toulouse, Strasbourg, Nice, and Boulogne-sur-Mer. On October 9, 2027, he will perform at the Accor Arena. This legendary venue will host the celebration of nearly 60 years of career and almost his 80th birthday.
His approach to the stage remains demanding. He compares his vocal maintenance to a sports discipline. For several years, he has been taking daily singing lessons. This rigor allows him to preserve the integrity of his voice while adapting the tones to his age. He describes this practice as a "sound yoga," a way to reconnect with oneself and the essential.
A pen faithful to great collaborations
Since his first success with La Cavalerie in 1968, Julien Clerc has continually reinvented his repertoire. At the beginning of his career, he partnered with Étienne Roda-Gil, whose flamboyant lyrics marked a generation. Subsequently, he collaborated with major figures of French chanson: Jean-Loup Dabadie, Maxime Le Forestier, Carla Bruni, Didier Barbelivien, Serge Lama, to name just a few.
In Une vie, these collaborations are renewed. We find Carla Bruni, Serge Lama, and Gaëtan Roussel, who write stripped-down, sharp, and moving lyrics. The words address aging, the view on children, solitude, but also gratitude and gentleness. It is not an album of retrospection, but a mosaic of authentic feelings.
A pure and meditative visual aesthetic
The album cover is striking in its simplicity. It shows Julien Clerc standing on the beach of Ault, in the Bay of Somme, facing the horizon. This image is signed by Anton Corbijn, a photographer globally recognized for his work with Depeche Mode or U2. No emphasized symbol, no artificial construction: just a man facing the wind and the sea.
This visual choice is not insignificant. The beach of Ault, regularly chosen for filming, embodies raw and open beauty. It is a place of passage, silence, and contemplation. The photo sums up the spirit of the album: a clear-eyed look at oneself, in a world in perpetual motion.
An assumed musical lineage: Vanille
Music is a family affair. Vanille, whose real name is Elisa Clerc, is pursuing a unique musical career. Born in 1988, she will release her third album Regarde on June 13, 2025. She blends influences from bossa nova, French pop, and world music. The themes addressed are intimate: motherhood, love, transmission.
Vanille embodies a cosmopolitan generation. Daughter of a singer and a horsewoman, she grew up between travels, nature, and vinyl records. She claims her heritage while emancipating herself from it. In the studio and in concert, she asserts a soft but determined voice.
A constant and discreet commitment
From the beginning, Julien Clerc has linked his art to his convictions. In 2003, he became an ambassador for the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) for the Francophonie. He advocates for the right of asylum, the dignity of exiles, and tolerance. In 2012, he publicly supported marriage for all, defending equal rights.
In 2023, he embarked on a new radio adventure on Nostalgie. Every Thursday, he hosts a show where he shares his memories, plays tracks that have marked him, and welcomes artists from all backgrounds. This familiar voice now accompanies thousands of listeners.
On June 20, 2025, he will participate in the show Taratata 100% Live on France 2. This evening will bring together artists of all genres: Morcheeba, Oxmo Puccino, Vincent Delerm, M, in a celebration of the live scene.
An artistic legacy in motion
Julien Clerc does not like to talk about legacy. He prefers the words "sharing" and "transmission." He does not theorize the bond that unites him with his audience. He lives it. Each of his songs seems to respond to a common emotion. Far from wanting to freeze his journey, he continues to create, sing, and engage. Une vie is much more than an album: it is a musical meditation, an elegance without emphasis, a song of continuity.
In an era dominated by immediacy and derision, Julien Clerc‘s journey reminds us of cardinal values. Duration, respect for the text, and the pursuit of simple and sincere beauty remain essential. His work speaks to all generations. It accompanies, it enlightens, it soothes.