“Namaste“, greets Robbie Williams (Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom, 1974) with that mischievous smile that has characterized him since he became famous when he was just 16 years old and became the idol of millions of teenagers as one of the five members by Take That. That group that he left—or was invited to leave, according to him—in 1995 because of his addiction problems and because he did not fit the image of a boy band. Since then she has had a lot of rain. Today she is 50 years old (she turned 50 on February 13), has accumulated 80 million albums sold worldwide and more Brit awards than any other artist (he is 18). The scenario that would be expected for an interview with a pop star is unexpected: the conversation takes place in one of the rooms of the Moco Barcelona museum. We are surrounded by his works, since the singer has landed in the Catalan capital to present his first exhibition in Spain (the second of his career) and talk about the new facet of him as an artist. In his case, inevitably, that means talking about mental health, a central theme in most of his pieces. And a recurring issue in his life, marked not only by fame and success, but also by depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder.
Robbie Williams says he has been creating art since 2006. Why has it taken him so many years to show it to the public? “I was afraid,” he answers honestly and bluntly, “it’s taken me since 2006 to get something good enough to show.” “I really don’t like the art of any famous person,” he says with a smile. “There is nothing that a celebrity that I would like to have in my house. And I know a lot of people think: ‘You’re a celebrity, you shouldn’t be making art,” he says, in a goofy tone of voice. “But other artists don’t have the platform that I have. And I feel like I have a responsibility to help them because of how lucky I am,” she says. He adds one more note about his new version away from music: “I think the good thing about me making art is not the art itself, but the fact that a part of the people who don’t look at it or try to understand it now see it. will do. There will be a new hearing.” For him, anyone can be an artist and art does not have to be complicated. “You don’t have to be what is considered talented. Because that’s not in me.”
His graphic work could be framed between posters and comics. “Life is one long uncomfortable moment”, “I was so high that all I could do was concentrate on not dying”, “I like people, but they make me very tired”, “love me or hate me, I am totally worthy of your energy”. ”, are some of the phrases that can be read in the 17 unpublished paintings (the works exhibited at Moco Amsterdam last June were different) that hang until November 20 in three of the rooms of the Cervelló Palace, the building of the century XVI in the heart of Born converted into a museum. The exhibition is titled Confessions of an overwhelmed mind. “The performer’s latest works aim to inspire viewers to collectively embrace every part of themselves,” they explain from the museum. Has he finally managed to do it? “Yeah, I guess I’ve embraced every part of myself. Although I am not a single part… But I am at peace with not being at peace; whereas before there was no peace,” he replies with a smile.
For him, he assures, showing his concerns in public and talking about mental health is not something new. “All my songs are also about that same thing. My biggest theme, feel [2002]is when I was most depressed and in the darkest place in my soul. Angels [1997] It’s about seeking help from angels to survive. All my songs, beyond the silly dance ones, are about struggling mentally. So I guess my works are an extension of this,” explains who claims that he feels obliged to say what happens inside his head. “What I want from my stars and celebrities is authenticity, I am not interested in interviews vanilla, or the perfect version of yourself. I’m interested in darkness, eccentricity, vulnerability and something I can identify with. So I guess I try to be what I want to see in others,” she reflects.
![Two of Robbie Williams' paintings exhibited at the Moco Museum in Barcelona.](https://imagenes.elpais.com/resizer/v2/GMDBCYWZVVCNHOM6TL364GP774.jpg?auth=e7fd9bf9e8a452da40b7ba8691b80ad8ad7124b45dc1828fc22da5cd5083fa83&width=414)
He has spoken openly about his mental problems for decades, something that was then unusual for a star of his stature. Today that has changed. And society, too. “I live in a bubble, so I don’t know what’s going on outside. But from my bubble, it seems like everyone can say they’re having a hard time. And when someone says it, there is someone there to empathize or to give it a feedback constructive, because that person has also had a bad time. That is the question. Decades ago we were not allowed to have existential crises, and we were not allowed to talk about them. Now we can”, he says with conviction.
His two exhibitions are added to the documentary that premiered in November of last year. Four chapters in which she faced the often turbulent story of her life. Why has she now decided to open herself publicly? “I didn’t decide. I didn’t wake up one day and think about calling Ridley Scott’s company and Netflix to make a documentary. They asked me. And then I published my works on-line —your Instagram accountwith three million followers, is full of them—and Kim [Logchies, cofundadora del Moco] he asked me. So the universe decided it was time.”
![One of the works by Robbie Williams exhibited at the Moco museum in Barcelona until November 20, 2024.](https://imagenes.elpais.com/resizer/v2/LIPC755DQND23ARDBN6AEYTNHA.jpg?auth=171bd8c7803eb1629dfbf546bcfacab26a42c8f934be38c16a96c919bab2850b&width=414)
On whether it was more difficult to revisit the demons of his past for the documentary or to look at himself to create his works of art, Williams responds with a grimace that expresses a certain pain. “Recording the documentary was a traumatic experience, because I was forced to see a car crash. I didn’t like the experience. I have enjoyed the result since it came out, because many people have told me wonderful things and many have contacted me. I feel like it’s the first thing of value I’ve done in my career. I am a pop star… and to the pop stars He doesn’t take them seriously. But it seems that with my documentary, how I was, what I said, what it made people feel, has been important to them. And it’s been therapeutic ever since. That in itself has been healing. The paintings are another extension of that. Where I can feel like I’ve done something important.”
There’s Robbie Williams for a while. In addition to his concerts—on July 4 he will perform at the Granca Live Fest, in Gran Canaria—he has a hotel and an entertainment university underway. Both projects, he says, “are going very, very well”, although he does not yet know if he will open them in the UK. And there’s more: “I have albums, movies, television projects… I have more on my plate than ever.”
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