Stromae

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Birth Name: Paul van Haver

Age: 41, born 12 March 1985

Country of origin: Belgium

Currently Residing In: France

Height: 6' 5"

Relationship Status: In a relationship

Lists

195 votes

Hot Male Chicks (always good-looking!) *UPDATE'21* (58 items)
list by Aira

Published 15 years, 4 months ago

44 comments

40 votes

stars in teen vogue (255 items)
list by iknowthat

Published 13 years ago

3 comments

22 votes

Melting Pot (2271 items)
list by L90

Published 5 years, 2 months ago

2 comments

16 votes

black youngstars (male edition) (238 items)
list by evvie

Published 11 years, 4 months ago

1 comment

8 votes

Favourite songs heard in 2018 (40 items)
list by Ricky F

Published 8 years, 1 month ago

1 comment

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Stromae Videos

Stromae - Tous Les Mêmes

157 Views, 1 votes

Added 12 years ago

Stromae - Racine Carrée Live (Full Concert)

113 Views, 1 votes

Added 9 years ago

Stromae - Alors On Danse

101 Views, 1 votes

Added 11 years ago

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Photos

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1 vote

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Description: Paul van Haver, better known as Stromae [stromaj] (born 12 March 1985) is a singer-songwriter of Belgian-Rwandan origin. He has distinguished himself in both hip hop and electronic music. He first became famous with the song "Alors on danse" which remained at number one for several weeks in numerous countries throughout Europe. He was born in Brussels to a Rwandan father, whom he only got to see three times in his life, and a Belgian mother. At the age of eleven Paul van Haver already showed an interest in music and attended 'l'Académie Musicale de Jette', where he studied music history and learned to play the drum Paul van Haver, better known as Stromae [stromaj] (born 12 March 1985) is a singer-songwriter of Belgian-Rwandan origin. He has distinguished himself in both hip hop and electronic music. He first became famous with the song "Alors on danse" which remained at number one for several weeks in numerous countries throughout Europe.

He was born in Brussels to a Rwandan father, whom he only got to see three times in his life, and a Belgian mother. At the age of eleven Paul van Haver already showed an interest in music and attended 'l'Académie Musicale de Jette', where he studied music history and learned to play the drums.

In 2000 he appeared as a rapper called Opmaestro, though he later changed his stage name to Stromae (a syllablic inversion of "Maestro", a practice called verlan). It was with this name that van Haver became successful.

At the age of 18, he founded a rap group called "Suspicion", along with rapper "J.E.D.I." in Eichof. They produced the song and music video "Faut que t'arrête le Rap...", though later, J.E.D.I. decided to leave the rap duo.

In order to finance his private school education, van Haver worked part-time in the hospitality industry, but his school performance wasn't up to standard. It was only later, when he registered at l'Institut National de Radioélectricité et Cinématographie, that he released his first album "Juste un cerveau, un flow, un fond et un mic...".

In 2008 he signed a 4-year record deal with "Because Music" and "Kilomaître". In 2009 Paul worked a young trainee at the musical radio station NRJ in Brussels. Vincent Verbelen, Music Manager, was impressed by the talent of Stromae's first single 'Alors on danse' and decided to air it for the first time on NRJ. The response from listeners was one of extreme enthusiasm and Stromae's career was launched. Sales quickly rose to number one in Belgium in just a matter of weeks.

Vertigo Records, a label of Mercury Records France (Universal Music Group) signed him for a worldwide licensing deal soon after this.

By May 2010 the track Alors on danse had reached number one in France, the Netherlands, Greece, Germany, Austria, Turkey, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, Romania and the Czech Republic.

On 2 September, a remix of his hit Alors on danse has been made by Kanye West and himself.

Of his music and its influences he has said : " I was in a little group doing rap music. I thought that rather than copying the French sound, I'd focus on a more American style but give it a European spin. And then I rediscovered 90s Eurodance. For a long time we were ashamed of that sound but in fact there's a lot to discover, it has its roots in everything from house to salsa. I also really admire Jacques Brel - he has been a huge influence on me - but also all sorts of other stuff, Cuban son, and the Congolese rumba which I heard as a child; that music rocked the whole of Africa." The critic Molloy Woodcraft : " He combines 90s electro synths and beats with a laidback delivery to mesmeric effect." ... (more)