Stromae: Experimentation and Breaking Boundaries

A creative that has gained traction once again in recent years is Stromae. He initially exploded onto the scene in 2009, releasing 3 albums since. In recent years, Stromae has been asked to explain his creative process and inspirations, along with the meaning behind many of his famous songs and music videos.  

He described his multicultural background and his experiences traveling when he was younger as influential. His mother often took the family abroad, and he was exposed to many different cultures as a result, which manifested a desire “to mix everything, to have the feeling that you travel but you never know where you are exactly” (Simon and Craig). This desire to break boundaries and embrace experimentation is discussed by Rubin multiple times throughout his book The Creative Act: A Way of Being. He particularly emphasizes that people “like to fit in” and that we evolve to “the boundaries and templates of the culture around us” (Rubin). Even in instances where a specific aesthetic or style is being imitated, it can, as Rubin puts it, turn into “legitimate innovation” (Rubin). Stromae experiments heavily with different musical styles and instruments and mentions that he works with a charango player from Bolivia, experiments with some Asian instruments, and is inspired by his African roots (Simon and Craig). Rubin particularly emphasizes the need for the artist to be open to the world around them, emphasizing that the artist is a conduit, namely that the world comes through us (Rubin).  

Rubin also discusses the existence of creativity in between chaos and discipline (Rubin). Stromae embodies this perfectly. His most recent album was considered experimental, including many influences and genres, however, when asked about his music, he had this to say: “I don't see my music as experimental, I think I'm always trying to do pop music. Mixing my music with traditional music, that was the goal with this album. But I don't think it's experimental, I'm not a big fan of experimental music. I'm the kind of artist that loves when a lot of people like [their music]. But, of course, I try to push boundaries” (PAPER Magazine). Stromae’s mindset towards creation is exactly what Rubin emphasizes as important in his book. He still desires to push boundaries, and remains open to the world around him, but he also has a disciplined mindset when breaking these boundaries. His pop sensibilities are an example of this discipline, whereas his openness to the world around him is an example of his embracement of chaos.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources: 

1. PAPER Magazine. “Stromae’s Global Pop World.” PAPER, 7 Mar. 2022, https://www.papermag.com/stromae-multitude-cover. 

2. Rubin, Rick. The Creative Act: A Way of Being. Penguin Press, 2023. 

3. Simon, Scott, and Andrew Craig. “Stromae: The Belgian Star Who’s Blending Beats and Cultures.” NPR, 5 Mar. 2022, https://www.npr.org/2022/03/05/1084495207/stromae-the-belgian-star-whos-blending-beats-and-cultures.