News - Jonatan Cerrada speaks to esctoday | Eurovision Song Contest News - 2009 Moscow, Russia 

Esctoday met with Jonatan Cerrada, the French representative at the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest, and he kindly answered some of our questions He took a look on his Eurovision experience and exposed his plans for the future. For starters, a new single entitled Ruban noir (Black ribbon), in the memory of the terrorists attacks that hit Madrid on March 11th 2004.

In June 2005, Jonatan Cerrada released his second album La Preuve du contraire (The proof of the contrary), which included such hits as Mon Paradis (My Paradise), Ne m’en veux pas (Don’t bear a grudge against me) and Libre comme l’air (Free as the air). However none of these singles had a decent success, hence the album – yet very good – was nearly forgotten… till late 2006, when one of the songs from this album topped the charts on many websites proposing mp3 to download legally. Ruban noir (Black ribbon) remained #1 for weeks, so it will finally get  deserved promotion through the medias!

More on the song
Ruban noir is a song written as homage to the victims of the terrorist attacks that hit Madrid on March 11th, 2004. This title refers to the piece of tissue hung to the Spanish flag to signify that the whole nation was in mourning. In this song, Jonatan, Spanish by his mother, expresses his incomprehension towards the drama with maturity and self-control.  Here is a fragment of the lyrics (translated):

Black ribbon,
I wouldn’t have believed that tonight
I’d have to pray for their sake
Black ribbon,
When to world looks like a mess
Black ribbon,
I shouldn’t have been able to see
Such a misfortune
Black ribbon
And when Madrid still cries…

More on the composer

Jérémy Chatelain the song writer of Ruban Noir, is known by the French public for having participated in the second edition of the French Star Academy. After that experience that brought him some fame, he released an album of which he composed and wrote most of the tracks himself. Praised by the Medias, the album Variétés Françaises got quite a 'shy' success but made Jérémy become known for his talents of composer and songwriter. He has shared his skills with several other artists, such as Jonatan Cerrada and Alizée with whom he worked on her third album, which should be released soon.

John Cerrada's views on this year's French selection
Esctoday.com asked Jonatan about his views on the 10 songs selected to take part at the French final. He appeared to be very pleased with the choice, which reflects what French people are inclined to listen to. He admitted having two favourites among these entries, one being On & On by Medi-T (Medi-tate), the other one being L’Amour à la française (Love, the French way) by Les Fatals Picards, which were became later the winner and the runner up of the French final. On a funny note, he entrusted us that he was asked to sing one of these 10 songs in 2004 – but he refused, and it was a pleasant surprise to hear it competiting three years later! Asked whether he would go for another try if he was proposed, he answered that “Eurovision is something to experience once, and even though I really loved to be part of that event (singing in front of millions of viewers is something one just can’t refuse), I wouldn’t do it more”

Jonatan Cerrada is currently working on his third album, the first one to be sung completely in Spanish. The album is to be released in the fall of 2007. Stay tuned!

To listen to a fragment of Ruban noir and of the other tracks from La Preuve du contraire, click here.