Why? Because. Because of Zazie — and that’s all there is to it (as the title of her recent hit goes). Because reducing her Asian tour to just a string of concerts — no matter how great — would amount to overlooking the unique aura and state of mind the Diva of French pop inspires every time she makes an appearance.

At first, this lavish crew caused a stir: it was simply not the done thing for French singers on international concert tours. While Julien Clerc made do with just three musicians on his tour last year, and Higelin sets off tomorrow to tour the Americas with just his percussionist, Zazie set sail for Asia with the same team who accompanied her throughout her 1999 tour of France: no fewer than ten people, including five musicians and the entire technical crew. The girl’s a little vain, people said. Doesn’t she realise she’s heading for regions where some people may not have even heard of her?

Several thousand kilometres later, the Zazie phenomenon is viewed with a strikingly different approach. First of all, a little "luxury" in terms of the stage setting for an audience who never gets to see anything like it is not necessarily over the top. We’ve seen crowds marvel at multicoloured jets of smoke, tricks that hardly even raise an eyebrow back home. We’ve witnessed crowds in Ho Chi Minh City climb up on to their seats (no doubt making the man who gave his name to the city stir in his grave) to join in melodiously with a beautiful guitar solo. We’ve seen young Cambodians bombard the band with flowers, quite simply because the «Zazie Team» had treated them to a memorable moment of happiness.

In Paris, a city today blessed by the gods of music, people don’t realise how many countries around the world are poor and starving. In Birma, Vietnam or Cambodia, the people aren’t lacking in basic essentials. But culture or entertainment, the food of the spirit, are rare commodities indeed. So for once, to bring — admittedly at the expense of French taxpayers — a show worthy of the name is quite simply a mark of respect for these people, who incidentally are more than willing to show their appreciation.

Then, there are all those other special moments beyond the gigs themselves. How many artists on "international tours" painstakingly protect their voice in the comfort of a hotel room, agreeing to the occasional press conference — provided they don’t have to venture out into less «conditioned» air? And if they’re really pushed, they’ll even agree to a photo session, alongside the pool, of course… We won’t be so cruel as to name them, but they make up the majority. Assuming of course they have deigned to leave their beloved France. For there are also plenty of others — prophets in their own country — who wouldn’t dream of taking the risk of exposing their talents in such uncivilised countries where they won’t even be recognised in the street.

With Zazie, things couldn’t be more different.

For a start, she insisted on taking her entire team with her to Asia to thank them for their hard work during the French tour last year — and to prolong this family spirit which clearly no one is ready to give up easily. The complicity between the artist and her team is quite remarkable. Any member of the crew, from the lighting and sound engineers to the stage manager and musicians (who include people who also work for other big names in French show biz) would go to the moon and back for the "boss", who in fact acts like everyone’s big sister. Once they’re off stage, no distinctions are made between the team members. Despite too many hours spent on planes, too many days starting — and finishing — at dawn, and despite the fatigue and upset stomachs (who can resist an exotic fruit juice?), not even the most shameless journalist will find a hint of a nervous quarrel or a passing bad mood.

This aura is unique to Zazie. As at ease in a school in Phnom Penh as at dinner with the ambassador, as relaxed in a minibus overcome by the heat on the laterite of Siem Reap (in Angkor) as at the Chinese market in Ho Chi Minh City, Zazie makes the most of every moment to explore new experiences or strike up a conversation. "Everyone’s got talent," she says. "You have to be stupid to think that you’re special just because you can write songs!"

Next stop Singapore, the Switzerland of Asia (and just as spiritless as the European version). But here’s betting that even there Zazie will be able to unearth something of interest. Either way, it’s the last stop on this tour, and Zazie has promised RFI / MUSIQUE an exclusive review. Stay tuned!