The King of Pop is dead (in 2009), long live the king. Lucas Jost, a 21-year-old Alsatian, makes sure of it. His passion for Michael Jackson, he brings it to life daily on social networks. And it works: Lucas exceeds 16,000 subscribers on TikTok.
The Interceltic Festival of Lorient 2022
Lucas Jost is young, 21, too young to have lived the best years (musical at least) of Michael Jackson. This Alsatian, carer by profession, nevertheless devotes a real cult to the unbeatable King of Pop. A cult that he has shared for a few years on social networks. And there it does not smell of fir but of cardboard. Full.
Lucas was born the year the tenth and final solo album by Michael. Invincible, which despite the title, has not remained in the annals of music. No matter. His shock “emotional”Lucas Jost had it at the age of six, in 2006, in a car. “I still remember it like it was yesterday. It was Thriller on the radio. It was a real shock yes. I fell madly in love with his voice. So I watched the clip, listened to more songs by him, then more and finally I never stopped.”
Lucas got stuck in the 80s. He doesn’t like contemporary artists “well yeah I don’t hang on” and fully assumes its vintage tastes “I’m the only one in my family to love Michael Jackson, it doesn’t matter, I’m even proud of it, I must say.” So much so that Lucas got a tattoo of the star’s silhouette on his forearm two months ago.“Initially I wanted to do the Neverland Ranch but it was taking up too much space. That’s fine.” Must say that Michael had the line.
In his bedroom under the roof, Lucas has an Ikea altar dedicated to the singer :”Twenty albums, ten books and collectibles. I know his life like the back of his hand. Besides, these are the only books I like to read, fortunately there are many have been published about him. We learn about it every day.” But the important thing is not there, behind him or on him, but on his phone.
Because Lucas doesn’t just sing along to “yoghurt” Michael in the shower or in the car between house calls, he mostly celebrates it on social media. “At first I felt a little lonely, I must say. I wanted to share my passion by creating my Insta page in 2008 and there, miraculously, I found people like me.” Lucas found a better place.
And people like Lucas, there are a lot of them. Lucas has 10,700 followers on Instagram. 16,600 on TikTok. “Not a lot of French, rather Germans and English. It’s a great satisfaction. Michael still interests people. Of all ages and it makes me very happy. Now I share my passion with a lot of people and I’m part of ‘a real community.’ Thanks to social networks, Lucas even got in touch, virtually but it’s better than nothing, with the star’s family. “In half-sister Joh’Vonnie you know niece Yasmine follow me and thanked me for my commitment. I was shocked when I saw that, it’s crazy that his family knows about me.”
His half-sister Joh’Vonnie and his niece Yasmine follow me and thanked me for my commitment.
Lucas posts one video or photo per day. Tributes, winks, concert excerpts, archives. Often with humor, “quiet the rumours” or tender, to feed the flame. Often doubled elsewhere, it avoids yogurt and diplomatic incidents with his followers. “It’s hard work but I do it with pleasure.”
Lucas has only one regret: never having seen the singer on stage. “Well, anyway I prefer his first albums like Thriller, the last ones weren’t really that much. But seeing him on stage, his choreography, the show, his charisma, it must have been magical all the same.” Lucas almost saw the other Jacksons in concert. Bankrupt. “His brothers were scheduled on June 24 at the Zénith, I had my seats, I was ready and at the last moment their whole tour was canceled. Frankly, I don’t know if they’ll be back on stage, they’re not young young people.”
Lucas has not said his last word. He now has in mind to follow in Michael’s footsteps. In the States of course. A kind of road trip broadcast on social networks: “Neverland, the big stages where he performed, and even small businesses looking for those who knew him.” Sacred program, sacred budget too. “Going to have to break the piggy bank and work a lot. But I have time.” It’s true Lucas is only 21 years old. And Michael would have been 64 tomorrow, August 29.