Ifop conducted a survey for *Paris Match* on how the French view Patrick Bruel today.
Only 16% of the French say they have a favorable opinion of Patrick Bruel, with barely 1% holding a very favorable opinion. Conversely, 66% have a negative opinion of him, while 18% say they don’t know him well enough to form an opinion. This is a particularly high level of disapproval, which cuts across the entire population. As Frédéric Dabi points out: “Rarely have legal cases had such a strong impact on an artist’s image: notably, there is no real divide between men and women.”
This decline in his image comes at a time when the allegations against Patrick Bruel are widely known. 91% of French people say they have heard about it, and 59% know exactly what the allegations entail. This awareness is widespread and consistent across all segments of the population.
Another highly significant finding concerns the question of whether he should be allowed to return to the stage. 31% of French people believe that Patrick Bruel is now justified in performing, compared to 69% who believe the opposite (Ifop note: the survey was conducted before the singer’s tour was canceled). On this issue, there is a clear “fan gap.” Opinions on his return to the stage depend heavily on one’s existing view of the artist. Among French people who have a very favorable opinion of Patrick Bruel, 87% believe he is justified in performing. Conversely, among those who have a poor opinion of him, 88% believe he should not return to the stage.
But among French people who previously enjoyed his songs, behavior has clearly shifted: 41% continue to listen to them as much as before, 31% listen to them less often, and 28% have stopped listening to them altogether. And on this point, a clear “age gap” emerges. Younger people seem more likely to change their behavior in the wake of these scandals. Among those under 35 who used to enjoy Patrick Bruel’s songs, 38% have stopped listening to them, compared with 20% of those aged 65 and older. Conversely, only 25% of those under 35 continue to listen to them as much as before, compared to 48% of those 65 and older.
