Francois Pierron playing the piano in St Pancras station. Credit: Crisis
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From Elton John to Alicia Keys, countless stars have graced the piano at St Pancras railway station.
The concourse instrument – donated by the “Rocket Man” hitmaker in 2016 – is beloved by superstars and commuting amateurs alike.
But of all the people who have played it, the piano perhaps means the most to Francois Pierron. The formerly homeless musician credits it with “saving” him.
“My typical day was like, I’ll just sleep rough,” Pierron tells Big Issue. “9am sharp I would be in front of the youth centre. Breakfast, shower, and then go out and play piano for the rest of the day until night.”
“It was keeping me afloat mentally. It was keeping my dignity and integrity intact.”
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Pierron was raised by adoptive parents in France but moved to London by himself in 2014. The 19-year-old’s wallet and passport were stolen on his first night in the new city. For the next decade, he bounced in and out of homelessness, often sleeping rough on the streets of Camden.
With the support of the charity Crisis, Pierron has rebuilt his life. Now safely housed, he’s returned to education, started his own business and is working on an EP. He has even appeared on Channel 4’s The Piano and contributed to the soundtrack for Crisis’ Christmas campaign film, sharing the story of how music helped him survive.
He told Big Issue his story.
Big Issue: You grew up in France. How did you end up living on the streets of Camden?
Pierron: I’m from the North of France, I didn’t know much about London, apart from Harry Potter and the Queen!
When I first came to London, the first night I got my wallet stolen. From this point on, it was quite hard for me to navigate myself. No mobile phone, no nothing. I ended up being homeless. I ended up moving around London. First was sleeping right around central and then I moved to King Cross, and was directed to a youth centre – New Horizon – they helped me, you know, have showers, with laundry and everything.
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What was your typical day at that time?
My typical day was like, I’ll just sleep rough. 9am sharp I would be in front of the youth centre. Breakfast, shower, and then go out and play piano for the rest of the day until night.
It helped my mental health, it’s crazy. It improved every area of my life, even though I was homeless. You speak to people, like people are finally seeing you. People are finally giving you compliments. Instead of just doing drugs, or joining a gang, which could have been the case, I’d play.
It was keeping me afloat mentally. It was keeping my dignity and integrity intact. Obviously being on the street makes you look at yourself different. It just shatters you. You could have been the most popular guy in high school, or whatever, but things happen. Obviously, it breaks your ego.
Did you already play the piano?
No no, I was very beginner, very novice. I’d just practise it for hours and hours.
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How did Crisis help you?
Alex [a Crisis volunteer who Pierron met in 2016] is a very good friend of mine, she is very warm. For me, being on the street, then meeting her and going to Crisis was great, it was what I needed.
They [Crisis] helped me emotionally. They sustained me in many ways. Like you come into this place that is warm. There is food. People are nice to you, you can express yourself. They can support you, and help you find your way. It’s your job to take it from there and help yourself as well. But to have people around you that want the best for you? That helps your mentality. Because that’s not what you experience every day on the streets. People are coming, they’re going. They stop for you, even though you have interaction, they’re quite short.
What was it like being on Channel 4’s The Piano?
It was a process! It was nice. It was definitely an experience. I think I enjoyed it more after. The feeling that I made an impact on someone’s life. People still come up to me and say you were amazing! That’s amazing that they still remember the face of a stranger that they saw on the TV six months ago.
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I have a place, I have a girlfriend, I am in full time education. I am studying construction management. I love it. I will have a career – that won’t be a joke, that will be a career. I will know how a home is built. I’ll be able to fully not build a home myself, but know the methodology of it. My purpose would be for them to be built sustainably. I have this idea of a massive tree – well not a tree, but a network with pods hanging off it. For people that have no houses – I want to give back. I am still playing music, I want to record an EP.
If you could say something to people on the streets who might read this article, what would it be?
Be open. There are people out there who want to support you. On the street, people talk about society, like it’s this big block that can’t be moved. But actually, it’s composed of people, people that have their own minds, thoughts and lives, people who could be here for you. Don’t give up on yourself. There are people who want to support you.
Buy from your local Big Issue vendor every week – or support online with a vendor support kit or a subscription – and help people work their way out of poverty with dignity.
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