"I've had the courage to be myself since my early days as a teenager, when being dyslexic and not fitting in led me to find solace in music. The struggles of growing up with mixed heritage and moving from Beirut to Paris and London also fueled my creativity.
In the 2000s, I was often at the center of media attention, and it's now striking how much more permissive the language is around my sexuality - a far cry from the days when journalists would label me 'brazen' with no qualms about doing so behind a veil of code.
Looking back on those early days of making music is like taking a journey through time. My teenage years were all about immersing myself in nightlife and finding inspiration in rave scenes, opera and poetry. It was a time when I sought to tap into my own experiences - rejection, anger, love and heartbreak - which led me to write 'Grace Kelly'. This song was never going to be easy for anyone, let alone a child of a hostage, but it turned out that channeling my anger into something empowering helped shift the tone.
Since then I've had many adventures - working on TV shows like Eurovision and The Piano, as well as presenting. But with each step forward, I've found myself drawn to exploring the darker side of things - from creating a French-language pop album to making a symphonic film soundtrack featuring 260 musicians.
The journey of grief that has followed my mother's passing in 2020 has taught me to hold onto all emotions as ingredients in my creative work. It's a delicate balance, but one that I want to continue with every step forward."
In the 2000s, I was often at the center of media attention, and it's now striking how much more permissive the language is around my sexuality - a far cry from the days when journalists would label me 'brazen' with no qualms about doing so behind a veil of code.
Looking back on those early days of making music is like taking a journey through time. My teenage years were all about immersing myself in nightlife and finding inspiration in rave scenes, opera and poetry. It was a time when I sought to tap into my own experiences - rejection, anger, love and heartbreak - which led me to write 'Grace Kelly'. This song was never going to be easy for anyone, let alone a child of a hostage, but it turned out that channeling my anger into something empowering helped shift the tone.
Since then I've had many adventures - working on TV shows like Eurovision and The Piano, as well as presenting. But with each step forward, I've found myself drawn to exploring the darker side of things - from creating a French-language pop album to making a symphonic film soundtrack featuring 260 musicians.
The journey of grief that has followed my mother's passing in 2020 has taught me to hold onto all emotions as ingredients in my creative work. It's a delicate balance, but one that I want to continue with every step forward."