Julien Doré, Louane, and Clara Luciani have new albums out, while Florent Pagny is releasing a photo book, *Pagny par Aël*, on November 6, created with his daughter Aël. This book captures the past two years during which he battled lung cancer, prompting him to cancel his 60th-anniversary tour. Despite the challenges, including multiple recurrences of his illness, Pagny remains hopeful. He is also collaborating on a musical piece to support activist Paul Watson, who faces potential extradition.
While Julien Doré, Louane, and Clara Luciani are each making waves with their new albums, Florent Pagny has something different in store for fans—he’s stepping into bookstores. Just over a year after releasing his well-received autobiography Pagny par Florent, the artist known for N’importe quoi is set to unveil a photography book on November 6, created alongside his daughter, Aël, who is the younger sister of Inca. Titled Pagny par Aël, this book captures the essence of the last two years, a period during which Pagny faced significant health battles. Many recall his heartfelt announcement on social media during the winter of 2022, when he revealed his lung cancer diagnosis and the resultant cancellation of his 60th-anniversary tour.
Similar to Céline Dion, who shared her journey with a rare genetic disease in the documentary I Am, released in June on Prime Video, Florent Pagny opens up about his private life in this book. He invites readers to witness the challenges of a resilient family man enduring sorrow yet fighting on. Despite his struggles, he managed to release a collaborative album featuring some of his greatest hits and performed at various summer festivals in 2023.
A Deeply Affected Daughter
A Deeply Affected Daughter
Although he is currently on the road to recovery, having spent several months in Patagonia, Pagny remains realistic about the future. In a recent issue of the magazine Gala, he expressed that he has changed fundamentally. ‘I will never be at peace again. You never know. It could come back’, he shared, reflecting on the profound impact of two relapses he faced. ‘I’ve had it three times. It disappeared the first time, and you think it’s over, that life will go back to normal. My hair even grew back. But no, it came back, and I had to go through chemotherapy again. It wasn’t easy. My kids went through this with me‘, he noted.
Joining him in this discussion is his 25-year-old daughter, Aël, who shares her perspective. ‘Even if there are no more cancerous cells, we know it could come back in three months’, she added, reminiscing about the difficult experiences their family endured. She recalled the ‘day’ her father discovered his illness: ‘I was about to leave for Argentina, and Inca was joining me two weeks later. We didn’t know what to do‘, she confessed. She also reflected on their subsequent reunion in Paris: ‘When we came back, dad had lost all his hair. We’re used to his various looks, but this was different. He didn’t choose this one… After that, we never left each other’s side.’
Florent Pagny Supports Paul Watson
Florent Pagny Supports Paul Watson
Pagny’s return also includes his musical endeavors, as he is currently working on a collective song to support Paul Watson, the environmental activist arrested last summer and facing possible extradition to Japan. There, he could be tried concerning a dispute involving the organization he founded, Sea Shepherds, and whale fishermen from a few years back. Should it go to trial, Watson could face prison time, prompting Pagny to rally several artists to raise awareness about Watson’s cause and demand justice. Artists such as Véronique Sanson, Anne Sila, and Cali have already joined his efforts.
However, there are no current indications that Florent Pagny has returned to the studio to record new music. His latest original album, titled L’avenir, was released in 2021 and featured collaborations with Calogero, Carla Bruni, Barbara Pravi, and even Julien Clerc.