“A very beautiful declaration of love”: Laeticia Hallyday reacts to Michel Sardou’s tribute to Johnny

A tribute like a pardon. Since the start of his new tour I remember a farewell, Michel Sardou has honored his friend Johnny Hallyday by performing on stage the title Something from Tennessee (1985). Laeticia Hallyday, the singer's last wife, returned to the somewhat conflicting relationship between the two men, speaking to RTL on Friday, on the occasion of the release of the rocker's new compilation Made In Rock'n'Roll.

“It was a very strong friendship, and sometimes they couldn’t understand each other. Michel slipped on stage, it was a mistake, but Johnny decided he was hurt because it affected his daughters,” she said. In fact, the two long-time friends had cut short their relationship of around thirty years following a misinterpreted joke from Michel Sardou in 2004, during a concert in Brussels. The Connemara Lakes Interpreter reacted to this awkwardness in 2021, still speaking to RTL. “Unfortunately, I made a mistake. One day, I made fun of him, of his clan, Switzerland... I did it without thinking of anything wrong, but someone went to tell him again. This person told him that I had made fun of his children, at no time!”, he defended himself at the time.

According to our colleagues, the 76-year-old singer wanted to apologize to Hallyday a few years ago. Johnny would have refused them. “Johnny was a very resentful person, he did not forgive easily. I don't think Michel wanted to hurt him, he's a good person. I am happy that Michel is paying him this tribute, it is a lovely declaration of love to his friend,” underlined Laeticia Hallyday at Steven Bellery’s microphone. By performing Something from Tennessee during his tour, Michel Sardou apologizes one last time and pays tribute to his friend who died on December 5, 2017.