The musician with thirty years of career decided at the end of April to no longer perform in concert halls owned by the far-right billionaire. Artists, labels, producers… Several professionals have reacted to this stance and are questioning a broader awareness.
An announcement rare enough to be noteworthy. Several players in the French music industry contacted by Franceinfo have been pondering since Dominique A’s stance at the end of April, when he decided not to play in concert halls owned by Vincent Bolloré, such as Olympia or Casino de Paris. “The far-right billionaire is doing everything he can to ensure that the National Rally gains power, in an increasingly voluntarist manner,” explained the artist on his social networks.
“I think it’s a completely appropriate reaction,” defends Mathieu Dassieu, saxophonist of the group Danakil and director of the independent label Baco. “When you know the consequences of the far-right coming to power on culture and therefore the cultural industries, it seems normal to me that artists, producers, festivals, and theaters can take a stand against this ‘Bolloréization’ of society.”
“I was relieved, in a way, that it was him who started speaking out on the subject because today, it’s difficult to work in an environment that is not connected to one of the Bolloré structures,” adds the musician Léonie Pernet, signed with the independent label InFiné. “Vincent Bolloré is not a media and venue owner like the others; today he is the main vector and main financier of promoting the far-right,” she adds.
“Playing or not playing at Olympia, the question is not always easy to decide, especially due to the historical prestige associated with the venue,” explains Léonie Pernet. “When we perform at Olympia and it goes well, the question is: when do we do the second one? We said we wouldn’t do a second one in this context. In the meantime, there was Grasset. And then there’s the 2027 presidential election.”
Context: The article discusses how musician Dominique A has made a decision to not perform in concert halls owned by a far-right billionaire in France, sparking a reaction from various professionals in the music industry.
Fact Check: The article accurately represents the statements and reactions from musicians and professionals in the French music sector towards Dominique A’s decision.
