Despite the regret he feels over the assault trial against his ex-spouse and doubts about the quality of the album that marks his return to the spotlight, Éric Lapointe still believes he has his place in Quebec showbiz.
“Choosing this profession means choosing to criticize, choosing to judge others and choosing uncertainty,” Éric Lapointe confided to the Journal on Friday, the day of the release of the album Je marche dans ma vie. “But I think I still have my place. »
Since pleading guilty to assaulting his ex-partner in October 2020, the singer has given a number of performances in the regions to loyal fans who seem ready to forgive him for his mistakes and give him a second chance. When Éric Lapointe is asked to return to his problems with the law, he remains cautious. “All is already said and written; “The only thing I can say again is that I deeply regret it,” Lapointe told the Journal simply about his guilty plea.
Totally accepted
It is now time for him to take “responsibility” for his new album, which cements his return to singing. Je marche dans ma vie is the Quebec artist’s 16th work and the work that made him most nervous. “You’re always afraid of people’s reactions, afraid of not being as good as on the last album, afraid of being overwhelmed,” Lapointe, who turns 54 at the end of the month, explains his nervousness.
The rock star behind La Bartendresse and Anything Anything says it himself; “I knew for a long time that I wouldn’t be called to milk announcements […] Why should I try to paint a different portrait in my songs? ” he drops, explaining that he doesn’t have a “stage personality.”
He also exposes himself in “Beast to Feed” and “Broken Heart,” two tracks that appear in his final essay. The hard rock flavor and lyrics – particularly the title – of Bête à nut suggest that Lapointe is addressing his alcoholism, when in reality he is talking about his problems with excess in general.
“It can be alcohol, it can be women, it can be coke, it can be fame, luxury, food […] “My beast is excessive,” he admits, indicating that he is currently in control of his excesses, but without being 100% sober.
“I Walk in My Life” includes 11 tracks, ranging from rock ballads with electric guitar sounds to sounds that reach much further in intensity. Lovers of 2000s Éric Lapointe will go crazy when they hear that La Bartendresse finally gets its happy ending on Dernier Whiskey, the album’s final track.
As long as there is demand
As long as we want to see him on stage, “Ti-Cuir” has no plans to retire.
“I’m a musician and a singer, I don’t know how to do anything else,” he said when the Journal caught up with him on Friday. “If it’s in a small tavern, then that’s it.” »
The man behind the new single “I want you to stick to me” is also grateful to his tireless admirers, but doesn’t pay too much attention to the negative that overshadows his return as an album.
“There is no need to visit me [en spectacle]“There is no need to buy the album,” he says in a calm and polite tone.
“I am thrilled when I see someone singing my words as if it were their life; People express themselves through my music,” he notes.
Side quotes
“I owe the first song on the album to my girlfriend; Without her, I would never have had the idea of making a “spoken” song. »
“There is no more nanny at home; We [moi et mes deux gars] are three autonomous little men”
“The whirlwind that has passed through my life in recent years has helped me differentiate between acquaintances and friends.”