Two songs, two successes ("Joe le Taxi," a million and a half sold and No. 3 in England, and "Marilyn and John," No. 5 on the French charts). Vanessa Paradis is a millionaire at the age of 16. Still, she's returned to the Fontenay-sur-Bois school to continue her education. She explains to us how she deals with this paradoxical situation/

You've sung all summer, but here you are again marching up the schoolsteps. Content or contrite?

Both! I've returned to my school. I didn't have a choice. At my age, I'm obligated to continue my education but that doesn't make me unhappy. I hate math and I adore French class. This year, I've chosen a literary section...

But last year, you didn't exactly wear out your uniform on your desk chair.

I know I missed a lot. Certainly in the second quarter. Between the TV shows, the promos, and the parties, I wasn't really in class. My GPA was disastrous. So, I decided in the third quarter to really work. I got my stuff together and thus I was able to pass.

After a ton of excuses!

I was never treated special. At the beginning of the year, my parents explained to the principal that I would be forced to be absent from school for professional reasons. She was understanding. But I had to work like hell to catch up with what I missed.

Nevertheless, you must have been treated like an alien.

Last year, for the first time, walking into school, I felt like I'd walked on to a stage. There was five thousand hundred students. They all looked at me. At least, that's what it felt like. It took more than three months for me to get used to it.

The first day of school, you were frozen in your seat?

It was rather bizzarre. They called our names alphabetically. I was at the end of the list, at the bottom of the class. When the teacher said: "Paradis, Vanessa," everyone turned around. I didn't know what to do with myself.

Who was more shocked, you or the teacher?

Me of course!

He hasn't noticed that you've been on TV?

Teachers are in their own little world!

Do you cause a lot of jealousy among your peers?

From time to time, there are girls who see that it can be good for them to be known as my friend. I really have only five true friends. I knew them the year before.

You earn a lot of money...

I think I earn a lot, but that's doesn't really interested me.

Do you have an idea of how much? It must be much more than your classmates' allowances.

Nope.

But you're no doubt a millionnaire...

It's my mother who handles that. The money I earn is an account under my name, blocked. I don't worry myself about it. I can take a little from it, when I need some. Like, when I buy someone a gift, or when I want to buy clothes or a CD.

[...and here should be two questions about the way Europeans banks work, but I can't translate them, I don't get it. Moving on.]

Do you think it's more of an investment to sit in class, while you could be participating in TV shows that would earn you a lot of money?

I don't think I'm wasting my time at school. But I could be persuaded not to go anymore. And if I had to choose between a music career and going to school, I would not give up music. 

You didn't want to be homeschooled?

Oh, no way! That would make me different from everyone else, and I don't want that.

Have people picked on you?

Of course. Lots of things have been said about me.

People said you were full of yourself?

I don't think I am. I feel the same as before. I'm shy, I often find myself dying of embarassment.

Do you ever think about what lies ahead for child stars?

No. All I care about is what happens tomorrow.

So what if tomorrow is the end of your career?

If this has to end one day, it will. But I will do everything possible so that's never the case. So that will never happen.

Will you be unhappy if it does?

Yes. Nothing interests me except singing and acting. I don't see what else I can do.