Hugues Aufray says fraudsters squandered his money in interview

Hugues Aufray has revealed that financial mismanagement by people around him left him without material comfort throughout his decades-long career, even as he prepares for his upcoming concert in Wavre.

Fraudsters Squandered the Singer Money

The 97-year-old French singer addressed his long-standing financial situation in an interview with La DH/Les Sports+, explaining that he had the misfortune of being surrounded by fraudsters who squandered his money. He stated that he had never been truly comfortable materially.

That lack of extreme wealth kept him grounded, according to the artist, who noted it prevented him from turning to drugs or alcohol. Touring today has become an exhausting endeavor for artists who do not travel with private fleets like Céline Dion, Aufray added, describing the logistics as an enslavement rather than a glamorous pursuit.

Home Invasion Forces Concert Postponement

Aufray caught a cold following a stressful home invasion where intruders entered his home at night, an ordeal he described as deeply painful to La DH/Les Sports+.

The incident forced him to cancel a scheduled concert in Le Havre on Sunday, November 1. Organizers did not cancel the tour dates outright, opting instead to postpone them so ticketholders retain valid tickets for future dates.

Upcoming Performance at La Sucrerie in Wavre

Despite the setbacks, Aufray maintains his commitment to performing live for audiences who seek connection and joy. He is scheduled to give his sole Belgian concert of the current tour on Tuesday, November 24, at 20:00 at La Sucrerie in Wavre, with ticket prices set at 63 and 75 euros.

Addressing why he continues to tour at his age, Aufray told La DH/Les Sports+ that nothing stops him except political friction in Europe, which he dismisses as time wasted. Ce qui m’intéresse, moi, dans la chanson, c’est la musique d’abord, he noted, adding that music matters more than lyrics. Reflecting on melancholy tracks such as Le petit âne gris, he recalled a conversation with a priest in Alsace who asked why he always made children cry, to which he replied that he sang songs that touched their hearts.