The song and video refer to the absence of Stromae's father-who had little presence in Stromae's life even before being killed in the 1994 Rwandan genocide-and to Stromae's fear of being unable to be an effective father with no memory of ever having a father of his own.

Welcome in the world of our BELGIAN genius! Stromae is a complete artist. His video's are masterpieces, his lyrics have big messages, his voice and interpretation are on another level, his live performances are out of this world. If you like songs that even hit harder: L'enfer and Quand c'est. If you like other genius video's: Tous les memes, Formidable, Fils de joie. If you like a positive message: Santé. If you want to dance after a tough week at work: Alors on dance.

Stromae on a level of his own. Lyrics, messages, musical influences from all across the globe, cinematography, ... everything on point with our maestro. 'Formidable ', 'Tous les memes ', 'L'enfer ' ...all timeless masterpieces with subtitles

Want to know a heartbreaking fact? Its autobiographic. He is the boy. Asking his belgian mother, where his rwandan father is. How could she tell him, that he was killed in the genocide... so she made up a story, that he was a traveling man, and the he would come. Later. Perhaps later. /cry

Oh please do more Stromae! He always picks heavy subjects for his songs. 'Formidable' and 'Tous les Memes' are great.

That's Stromae. Happy rythms, and heartwrenching lines. Thank you for you openess.

as a person who speaks French fluently I understood the song. I explain to you; He doesn't sing about losing his father, he sings about living without his father and asking where he is. You yourself did not understand the meaning of the song. He said in an interview. His father died in Rwanda during the genocide. And he grew up without a father. And his mother didn't immediately tell him the real reason. The song, of course, is about him looking for his father. But those who know Stomae’s biography, that’s why they write like that.😢

Look, i wont share my sad childhood story and opinions about dads as im too lazy to be bothered. But man this song made me cry. Great video brother😉

I recommend a lot his full concert on KZfaq, there are lyrics and it’s wonderfully experience because he extended his songs and it’s so so nice!!! Also this song is really special to me because of my story and sometimes I wanted to dance on it sometimes I cried.

I first learned about this song in middle school, and hearing it again and understanding the lyrics makes me tear up now.

This song actually represents his childhood where he wonders where his dad is,cause he died in the Rwanda tutsi genocide😞🙏🏻💙 your reaction was great. I am fluent in both English and French,and I like seeing English speaking people react to French songs,or vise versa lol😎👍 by far my favourite French song. It SLAPS

Excellent! I knew you'd like him and get the message. I agree with another comment that there is a little off with the translation but you got the gist of it. All of his songs are meaningful in some way. He just seems to have his finger on the pulse about human issues. Alors on danse was his first huge hit. Tous Les memes is a great song/video. Quand c'est? Is a visual masterpiece (it is pronounced very similar to how they pronounce cancer)...talking about moving! Formidable is fan favourite and he is filmed out in public (about the invasive attention he was getting...so he literally puts himself in the public). Sante is a nod to all the ordinary and forgotten workers. L'enfer (or hell) is the most personal and moving. The video is simple but exemplifies the message so well. On a side note he sort of releases this song on a news program during an interview...it is amazing! Sorry, I could literally talk about him and his music all night...he is a genius.

My Dad died decades ago, and I still think about him every day. I WISH I could talk to him again because there are so many things I want to ask him about, things that never crossed my mind when i was younger and dumber. We talk a lot about Moms, but I think that more of us need to realize how important it is to have a Father, or a Father figure, in the lives of children.

You should see this man live in concert - phewww!

Just in case you haven't read Stromae's biography, he lost his father in the terrible Rwanda tribal battles against the Tutsis.

Stromae, a play on Maestro, is in a league of his own for the way he approaches the topics in his songs. Like this song, he does not shy away from heavy personal issues, like absent fathers and their failures to be the role-model their children need. This is not even remotely his biggest hit, i'm guessing that "Alors on Dance" to be his biggest song, he even saw moderate success in the USA despite singing in French. But his mix of dance beats and the emotions in his story telling are in no need of translation, everyone can feel that his music is different and has substance to it. I certainly wont mind if you go down the Stromae path a little further ;)

Knowing the story behind this song makes me sad but happy at the same time. Great talent ❤️

Your "oh i understand " fkn brought tears to my eyes// merci man👊🏻

The son blames his dad for being cold unlike other happy families, the son tried to motivate his dad at the end but it was a short term till the son gave up and gradually became like his dad.. It's very sad and meaningful story, Stromae voice and music is something else

I like your reaction, I recommend "Carmen" and "Tous les mêmes" by Stromae 🌷

All song of stromae it s amazing ! "L enfer" it s so hard

priceless reaction

If you liked this one, I think you should react on 2 more songs from Stromae that are so powerful like this one, with the clip movie giving so muc more sense to it "Fils de joie" and "L'enfer" I mean he made a lot of powerful songs, but that twos are incerdible and magnificients material for a "first reaction video"

Stromae était un génie, cette musique on l'écoutait très forte derriére la voiture et on chantait ensemble.

Maestro❤

The title comes from 'papa ou es tu' but pronounced in Belgian French: Papa ou t'es?

the saddest thing at the end the boy turns to become like is father...

Haven't looked at the other comments but the name Stromae is actually Maestro

The messaging of the fathers needing to guide the sons but the one with the father who isn't there is more likely to become their father. Accurate.

my good friend and personal trainer has us listen to a lot of his work while we fight or lift. he's awesome. Viva La France!!!

Pentatonix Also made a great cover of this song with Lindsey Stirling.

His lyrics can seem very simple, but they are very deep. His own father was killed in Rwanda, during the Hutu/Tutsi genocide.

Your reaction is very genuine. ❤❤❤ He did lose his dad.

He's looking for his dad whom isn't there to support him, beautiful song but very sad. I don't know your family-situation but/when you're up to it, you should listen and look at "quand c'est" and ", "Formidable", "Tous les memes", ......... What an artist he is, incredible 😨

I keep thinking of Hercules Poirot 😅

Pentatonix did a cover of this song and it's really good. You should react to it!

He's a true artist.

@thewolfandthemelody Dude! You're home free. Just wanting to be there for your kids make you a thousand times more a dad, than the type of dad Stromae is singing about. The song's about fathers who are there, but always absent. "Everybody knows how to maky babies, but noone knows how to make papas". You're teaching your kids how to make fathers! You're halfway there already!

💜

Thanks for your reaction. Please react more to Stromae. He's a genuis! I also really recommend you to watch Stromae- Racine Carree Live concert on KZfaq!

Stromae is all about the message and they hit those hard messages. "Fils de Joie" is one that helps me heal from my mom's story. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/g52KZdeYr9WceJs.htmlsi=5uw3BPdEZ1weIzX4

Even Kaney took a lot of samples from this guy, hehe :)

Missing dad, messed son.

Stromae is phenomenal.

Uncanny valley

papa mean Dad / daddy in French papaouait mean dad where are you

stromae is Belgian

You don't expect from Stromae, u get hit haha

The translation is not always spot on

One of the worst translations I have ever seen, probably.