ORELSAN. After unveiling the second part of his documentary “Never show that to anyone”, rapper Orelsan publishes a reissue of his album “Civilization” with ten new songs.
[Mis à jour le 28 octobre 2022 à 11h33] Ten new songs: Orelsan unveils the reissue of his album Civilizationthis Friday, October 28, 2022, called Civilization Ultimate Edition. On the program of these ten new titles, as many pieces mentioned in the second part of the documentary never show that to anyonenotably Oh France, Breaking point and Obviouslyhis long-awaited featuring with singer Angèle, abandoned due to a lack of time before the release of Civilization.
Orelsan has therefore enriched his successful album with ten new titles: Intro Lost Civilization, The adventures of MinisanTalways lost anyway, just one last, Ok good…, Oh France, Breaking point, Us against the world, Obviously (feat. Angèle) and We won.
Orelsan and the documentary never show that to anyone
“How to come back after a huge success?” The question posed for Orelsan, after the cardboard The party is overand for Clément Cotentin, his brother, at the helm of the six episodes of the documentary never show that to anyone, released in October 2021. A year later, the former sports journalist is back and offers his rapper brother’s admirers (and others) four new episodes. Narrating a period of two years, this second part of the documentary plunges us into the genesis of Orelsan’s latest album, Civilization.
It all starts in March 2020, at the start of the first confinement. Aurélien Cotentin, known as Aurel, known as Orelsan, decides to return to Caen, his home town. In a house near the town, big enough to accommodate his whole family and at the bottom of the garden, he had a studio built. For him, confinement will be a perfect opportunity to create what will be his next record. After a few weeks, the reality is quite different. His doubts, his hesitations, his difficulties in finding inspiration in a complicated context… So many aspects told by Clément Cotentin. And above all, a question: how to bounce back after the success of The party is overreleased in 2017?
The four new episodes of never show that to anyone alternate between everyday images filmed by the rapper’s brother and interviews, facing the camera, of those close to Orelsan. We find there his old friends, Gringe, Skread and Ablaye, but also artists like Vald, Stromae, Damso or Angèle. never show that to anyone is full of unpublished images and improbable anecdotes about Orelsan. Here is what these four new episodes tell us:
1. Orelsan’s wedding
The second part of the documentary never show that to anyone hints at hitherto unknown parts of Orelsan’s life, such as his marriage to Ahélya Randriambolaina. In May 2021, all those close to the rapper are in full preparation for the big day, scheduled for August. “Aurel must put the album on hold, it’s time for the wedding”, underlines Clément Cotentin, narrator of these new episodes. “Am I happy? Frankly, I don’t know, I didn’t ask myself the question”, throws the rapper before putting on his suit and tie. Even in the most stressful moments of his life, and the documentary is full of them, Orelsan surprises with an unfailing calm.
“Since I was in my album, the real day of my wedding, I said to myself ‘but what am I getting into?’ I inquired about nothing, I am aware of nothing…”, he adds. We see, in the documentary, Orelsan’s relatives and family: his sister Julia, his mother, his brother, of course, alongside his wife and their three children, at the town hall or at the wedding party. . A party followed by three weeks of honeymoon in Greece. And Orelsan to summarize: “Me, in general, I live the emotions with delay. I need a little month of digestion and I say to myself ‘ah it was good that moment’.”
2. A song with Angèle… abandoned
July 2021. Here we are in Brussels, for a featuring project with the singer Angèle. Ambition? Make an “intergenerational hit”, launch the two artists in the documentary. On a house sound, Orelsan and Angèle launch around the word “obviously”. A puzzle for the rapper. Until asking his brother to write this verse for him. “There we are badly, we are at the end of the end”, loose Skread. “It was not bad”, remembers Orelsan, countered by his friend: “It was not good.”
After hours of work and hesitation, the track will not be on the album. Because when the song is ready, the project has taken so long that it is impossible for Angèle to record the song. “My text, it stinks of ass, it’s yogurt, launches the singer. I was deg, because I thought it would have been too cool to be part of it.” “I had taken so long to make my verse that it was too late”, comments on his side Orelsan. An observation made… two days before submitting the final version of Civilization.
Finally, Orelsan will publish his featuring with Angèle on the reissue of his album, announced in stores on October 28, 2022.
“I feel like I’m actually at my wit’s end. I feel like I should burn out, but I can’t”
3. A feat. with Pharell Williams
September 2021, Miami: Orelsan has a date with Pharell Williams and the Neptunes, his lifelong idols. In the studio of the international star, there is no question for Orelsan’s brother to film. We are therefore witnessing a video cut at each entry of Pharell Williams. “We understand that there are three or four studios and that all day, they work on sounds”, narrates Clément Cotentin. The work is laborious. “There is no melody,” Skread told Pharell Williams, under the dumbfounded gaze of his work colleagues. Orelsan’s turn to record his voice. In total improvisation, for a whole night. The piece will be validated by Pharell Williams. Successful bet.
4. Full box for Civilization… even before its release
The fateful date of the release of the album Civilization approach. The final adjustments to the tracks are made, the entire Orelsan team and the rapper himself are under tension. In November, the release date is finally announced. The pre-sales of the disc are announced. And to everyone’s surprise, the album is gold even before its release. “It completely overwhelmed us,” recalls Skread. And for good reason, at the time indicated, the day of the presale of Civilizationthe site crashes under the overwhelming number of fans wanting to acquire it.
5. After the exit, the Orelsan marathon
Between the promo and concert rehearsals, the weeks following the release of Civilization are a marathon for Orelsan. Exhausted, he has to learn the lyrics of his record to be able to interpret them in the media or on stage. “I almost went crazy,” he recalls. It is on stage, at the Victoires de la musique 2022, that a first consecration arrives: three trophies are awarded to him, that of male artist, of original song for The smell of gasoline and audiovisual creation for the first part of the documentary never show that to anyone.
And then come the famous Bercy, which open this new tour. Another anecdote from the film: speaking of Bercy, the four concert dates were announced even before one of the songs Civilization not be written. But once again, Orelsan showed impressive composure. With a moral: “deconstruct to rebuild.” The recipe for success ?
The four new episodes of never show that to anyoneby Clément Cotentin and Christophe Offenstein are available Friday, October 13, on Amazon Prime.