In the world of music, collaborations often lead to unexpected surprises, and this story is no exception. It’s about a partnership that could have changed the landscape of French pop and rap—a potential collaboration between rapper Booba and pop singer Alizée. The “Duke of Boulogne,” who recently hinted at a possible stage comeback via social media, revealed years ago that he had penned a song for the Corsican singer, who recently performed for Pope Francis. However, Alizée, a former finalist on Dancing with the Stars, declined the offer—a decision that, in hindsight, seems to have been a missed opportunity. The song went on to find a second life and achieved immense popularity on streaming platforms.
“We Changed the Entire Instrumental”
Let’s rewind to 2019. Booba was a guest on France Inter’s Boomerang, hosted by Augustin Trapenard, to promote his newly released single Arc-en-ciel. During the interview, he dropped a surprising revelation: “Originally, this song wasn’t for me. I wrote it 10 years ago for Alizée, Mylène Farmer’s protégé,” he said, leaving the host astounded. The song was conceived during a tumultuous period in Alizée’s life, as she navigated a personal breakup. In this context, the lyrics, which included lines like “Baby, I’m bringing you a memory from infinity” and “Time is short / Let’s not break our hearts,” didn’t resonate with her at the time.
Unwilling to let the song go to waste, Booba reworked it. The rapper modernized the sound and released it in May 2019, nestled between his albums Trône and Ultra. Reflecting on the process, he shared: “We were at a writing camp in Miami with our artists, and for some reason, we revisited this track. It was terrible after ten years, especially the instrumental. So, I updated it… We changed the entire instrumental, but the lyrics remained the same.”
A Streaming Phenomenon
Fast forward to today, Booba’s latest album, Ad Vitam Aeternam (2024), has achieved platinum certification, and Arc-en-ciel remains one of his most streamed tracks. Upon its release, the single debuted at number nine on the French Top Singles chart and was later certified diamond, with over 50 million equivalent sales recorded in France by 2022. These staggering numbers underscore the song’s enduring appeal.
But Arc-en-ciel is just one of Booba’s many streaming triumphs. On Spotify, tracks like Dolce Camara have garnered over 68 million streams, while Validée and 92i Veyron, both from his 2015 album Nero Nemesis, boast over 90 million streams each. These achievements solidify Booba’s position as a powerhouse in the French music industry, with few able to rival his streaming dominance.
What began as a missed collaboration has become a testament to Booba’s ability to transform his work into chart-topping hits, proving that sometimes, rejection is just the beginning of a new chapter.