French singer, actress and activist calls her daughter Charlotte a greater actress


Jane Birkin said the Serge Gainsbourg songs she will sing at her Seoul concert scheduled on March 22 were “miracles.”

“In this show, I do sing a great many of the songs from ‘Babe Alone in Babylone,’ I think Serge wrote miracles for me,” she said in an e-mail interview.

At her concert, the 66-year-old singer and actress will pay homage to her former partner and mentor who died in 1991. Birkin and Gainsbourg had a passionate relationship for 13 years and have a daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg, who has become a top French actress, singer and model. It is Birkin’s first concert in Seoul in eight years.

Birkin, who is also famous for having a Hermes bag named after her, will sing for Korean fans her hit pieces including “Je T’aime … Moi Non Plus.” The song written by Gainsbourg was produced in 1968.

Even though the two separated in 1980, they continued their musical relationship. Birkin said that, for her, Gainsbourg’s works after the separation “contain the most astounding moving works, songs including ‘Les Dessous Chics,’ the most exquisite song about separation.”

For Birkin, Gainsbourg was not only a lover but also a musical genius who was always ahead of his time.

“A complete original … funny, witty, outrageously sincere, and the best poet France has had since Appolinaire ... he was always 20 years before his time,” she said.

She said the late Gainsbourg was the first to change the French language, the first to do “concept” albums and a real artist of visionary proportions.

“In every day life (he was) a darling, very romantic then very provocative, like a wonderful adolescent. He drank like a fish, and he died far, far too young,”

She is the mother of three talented celebrities in France. Her first child is photographer Kate Barry from her first marriage with John Barry, an English composer who wrote the musical score to the James Bond movies. French singer Lou Doillon is her third daughter from her relationship with director Jacques Doillon, and Charlotte, her second daughter with Gainsbourg.

“Charlotte is a far greater actress than I ever was, ‘Melancholia’ is difficult to beat, her songs are very different and bold and fragile at the same time,” she said.

“I admire her immensely, am her greatest fan, but it has nothing to do with my influence,” she added.

Birkin is also an actress. Asked whether she wants to do a Korean film, she said she would love to work with Korean director Hong Sang-soo.

“I would love to do a Korean movie! But I may be too old. I would take risks on ‘first films’ if I believed I could be any good, Korean films, to work with Hong Sang-soo, but why should he want to!”

Despite her age, Birkin has been active not only professionally, but also as an advocate for human rights.

She has long worked with Amnesty International on immigrant welfare and HIV issues. The artist has been supporting Aung San Suu Kyi and also refugees from Myanmar in Thailand.

“I didn’t imagine I’d still be at it at 64. People’s enthusiasm is very inspiring, and I love meeting people. One just has to find new ways, so as not to repeat oneself.

“Jane Birkin Sings Serge Gainsbourg” will take place on March 22 at AX Korea in Gwangjang-dong, northeastern Seoul. Tickets are priced at 110,000 won. For more information, call (02) 6339-1232 or 1544-1555.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)