Jeanne Cherhal: We are not obliged to be available for everyone, all the time

French singer and pianist Jeanne Cherhal reveals how she uses her mobile phone in her daily life.

“SNCF, RATP, Eurostar apps, my favorite train stations, regional trains… My phone immediately shows that I am mobile and on the go. I also use my smartphone as a portable brain: for instance, when I need to call my manager, I anticipate by listing all the points I want to address with her, so as not to forget anything. I mostly contact her. A confession? I have blocked some numbers, as I sometimes struggle to get rid of intrusive people. I strongly recommend this reflex to preserve mental balance: we are not obliged to be available to everyone all the time.”

In her notes, she includes quotes that touch her and phrases that feed her thoughts, but she never writes her song lyrics on her phone. For that, she needs her piano, her notebook, and her pen. Her Instagram account and recent searches reveal her interest in inspiring women’s stories. She has set a limit of 200 accounts – beyond that, she finds it difficult to follow an artist or activist closely. She follows the collective Nous Toutes, the Instagram account Gazette Féministe, journalist Alice Coffin, art critic Margaux Brugvin… And when a personality intrigues her or a topic obsesses her, she delves deeper and deeper.

Jeanne Cherhal is on tour and will perform on December 10th at the Zenith in Paris.