A successful composer, Pascal Obispo is one of the most emblematic singers in France. From a rare musical friendship with Zazie, to the writing of the legendary piece Light the fire from Johnny Hallyday to sold-out concerts at the Stade de France, Pascal Obispo left his mark on a whole generation.
Almost a year after his last concert during a retrospective tour, the singer unveiled – on May 22, 2026 – the second volume of his new album Heritagebefore the first because it “didn’t want people in the second volume to feel less loved than those in the first”. On the occasion of this return with great and unexpected pomp, our colleagues from Paris Match went to meet him, on his property in Cap-Ferret, surrounded by animals, rivers and his entourage.
Pascal Obispo: what is this new passion that helps him heal his traumas?
Leave to come back better. After 30 years of roaming the roads of France, Pascal Obispo thought he had put an end to his career. Driven by a deep love for music, he made a comeback which delighted his fans with the release of his volume 2. However, the one who considers himself “a child of rock, who found himself a variety singer” forced himself to clear his head, take his foot off the gas and listen to himself during this year of introspection.
To clear your mind, what could be better than letting yourself be carried away by art? “I started painting in 2018, on the advice of my psychologist. I had certain wounds to treat, certain files to close, and she recommended this technique to me. It clicked and since then I haven’t stopped.” he confides. The gold multi-disc thus swaps the microphone for the brush by borrowing a style signed by Klimt and influences from Andy Warhol. On small and large formats, the singer creates ganesh and couples. And in the space of a year, he was able to experience the immense joy of exhibiting last year. A consecration beyond the musical sphere. Also, in his workshop, there are some slightly crazy creations where his creative fiber no longer has limits: taps attached to canvases. A new playground that he wants to explore with his partner, since these paintings are the work of his partner, which he keeps far from the media craze.
“It was to overcome the sadness” : music as an outlet for Pascal Obispo
A sad soul. With a rich musical register marked by pieces of Policeof the Beatles and of CurePascal Obispo finds refuge in song. “If I threw myself into music, it was to overcome the sadness of what I was living at home. I had a very bad experience of my father’s departure, I resented him for a long time for having abandoned us. And until his death, I never had the conversation I should have had with him”he shares with disarming sincerity. Having grown up without his dad, he admits “retain immense frustration”.
To compensate for the absence of a father figure at home, Pascal Obispo begins to dream of male idols. “So in my room, I had posters of musicians, rock stars and footballers […] it is with them that I built myself“he adds. If this inveterate fan of Philippe Pascal has devoted a large part of his life to music, he is – sometimes – overtaken by regrets. “Often music and my career took precedence over everything else […] even though music is essential to my life, I may have missed stories of love or friendship“he confides with hindsight. Today, this complete artist embraces music with the right amount of passion and moderation, without getting lost in the twists and turns of musical frenzy.
