Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Stromae

Role / Field:

Belgian artist known for blending hip-hop and electronic music styles.

Born:

1985-03-12

Century / Era:

1985s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Paul Van Haver (Dutch: [ˈpʌul vɑn ˈɦaːvər]; born 12 March 1985), better known by his stage name Stromae (French: [stʁɔmaj]), is a Belgian singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his blend of hip-hop and electronic music styles. Stromae gained mainstream attention in 2009 with his song "Alors on danse" (from the album Cheese), which became a number one in several European countries. In 2013, his second album Racine carrée was a commercial success, selling two million copies in France and yielding chart-topping singles "Papaoutai" and "Formidable".

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Paul Van Haver was born in Brussels and raised in the city's Laken district, to a Tutsi father from Rwanda, Pierre Rutare, and a Flemish mother, Miranda Van Haver. He said in an interview that he also has distant Somali heritage from his father's side. He and his siblings were raised by their mother, as their father, an architect, was killed during the 1994 Rwandan genocide while visiting his family. On his absent father, he declared in 2019, "My father was never there for me. He left right away.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He was a runner, a flirt. I learned much later that I had half-siblings. He was an architect who went...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alex Honnold — Contemporary (Born in 1985) (1985): Pioneering free solo climber, famous for conquering El Capitan.
• Alexander Ovechkin — Contemporary (Born in 1985) (1985): Record-setting Russian left winger and captain for the Washington Capitals.
• Allyson Felix — Contemporary (Born in 1985) (1985): Legendary American track and field athlete, specializing in the 200m and 400m.
• Alexander Mackenzie (explorer) — Shared historical date (03-12 · Died) (1820): Scottish explorer and fur trader famed for crossing North America north of Mexico.
• André Le Nôtre — Shared historical date (03-12 · Born) (1613): Master French landscape architect, famed for the formal gardens of Versailles.
• Ana Mendieta — Historical peer (Died in 1985) (1985): Pioneering Cuban-American artist known for 'earth-body' performance and sculpture.
• André Kertész — Historical peer (Died in 1985) (1985): Pioneering Hungarian photographer celebrated for composition and the photo essay.
• Aage Bohr — Historical peer (Died in 2009) (2009): Pioneering Danish nuclear physicist, Nobel laureate for atomic structure theory.
• Al Martino — Historical peer (Died in 2009) (2009): Iconic Italian-American crooner, celebrated for standards and his role in The Godfather.
• Aaron Swartz — Historical peer (Died in 2013) (2013): Pioneering programmer, activist, and hacktivist known for RSS, Markdown, and progressive organizing.
• 1985 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1985
• March 12 (03-12) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on March 12

Frequently Asked Questions about Stromae