For a very long time he traveled to village festivals and campsites in Brittany with Johnny Junior as his stage name. Until the fall of 2018 when the general public discovered him after his victory in the show France has an unbelievable talent on M6. Five years later, Jean-Baptiste Guégan has not disappeared from the radar. After filling the Olympia two evenings in a row in September, the vocal double of Johnny Hallyday continues his tour to defend his third album on stage All tears dry one day, released at the end of 2022 and which is being reissued these days in a Christmas edition. This Saturday evening, the TMC channel is also dedicating a special evening to him with a documentary followed by his concert at the Accor Arena in December 2021. Between two dates, Jean-Baptiste Guégan agreed to take a few moments to answer questions from 20 minutes.
Since your victory, you have sold several hundred thousand albums and played in around fifty Zénith venues. Do you measure the progress you have made?
It’s more my relatives and friends who talk to me about all this. For my part, I avoid looking back. I prefer to move forward and continue singing and doing concerts. This is part of my life and if it ever has to stop, I will be the most unhappy.
People always talk about you as Johnny’s vocal double. Does this annoy you?
So personally not at all. Quite the contrary. I made myself known like that so I have no worries. I am lucky to have this voice, the same vocal range as Johnny Hallyday. So this vocal double label doesn’t bother me at all. That of an imitator yes because I am not an imitator at all. An imitator is Laurent Gerra.
You still try to free yourself from Johnny Hallyday in this latest album which is more personal…
Yes, things are changing and I’m not just singing Johnny songs anymore. Performing my own songs also allowed me to grow. And my audience knows it very well. They know I’m not just the vocal double. They also saw in me a full-fledged artist and singer. I also have children who have not known Johnny Hallyday and who come to see Jean-Baptiste Guégan on stage.
Can we imagine seeing you completely “break up” with your idol one day?
No, not to that extent. Johnny is part of my life and will always remain anchored in me. And people want me to keep singing Johnny, that’s why they come to my shows. So, there will always be a reference to him even if I continue to evolve my shows and renew myself as an artist.
You have achieved success. But also struggles with producers who defrauded you. How did you experience this?
It was hard morally and physically. I also mention this betrayal in the song Judas’ kiss. At the time, I wasn’t necessarily armored, not ready to experience that. It hurt me but today I managed to get through it thanks to my family and those around me. It made me stronger and I am now better equipped to face these kinds of problems. But that won’t happen anymore because I understood my pain. And it takes more to bring me down!
Your new tour stops in smaller venues. Was it a choice on your part?
Yes, I wanted something more intimate. I of course loved playing in big venues but I compared it a bit to the factory. Whereas in these small rooms, I am close to the audience. There is a really special, more friendly atmosphere.
You also launch into the Christmas song. Strange, no, for someone skinned alive?
I wanted to be like Mariah Carey! (laughter) No, I did that to please my fans. But I really enjoyed the exercise, I loved slipping into this role of crooner and singing a different repertoire.
And Johnny’s, do you still listen to it?
I’m still a fan of course but I listen to it a lot less. Because I now know his repertoire by heart and it has become my daily life. But he will always remain present in my life. When I sing or when I go on stage, he is always there.
It was said that you were confused with Laeticia Hallyday…
This is completely false! These stories are pure invention and I don’t know her.