Chagrin d'amour is a French duo formed in 1981 and composed of Grégory Ken, whose real name is Jean-Pierre Trochu, and Valli Timbert, better known as Valli.
Grégory Ken started his musical career at the end of the 60s by releasing several 45s, the success of which was very limited.
During 70, his career took off when he participated in several major musicals of that time namely Hair, Mayflower and other Jesus Christ Superstar. He is also the creator of Ziggy in Starmania.
Valli as for her, is American and married to a French. In the early 1980s, she and her husband moved to France and it was while wanting to work in show business that she met Grégory Ken.
A meeting that leads to the formation of an explosive duo, a duo that can be considered today as one of the precursor groups of rap in France. Even if this version of French rap is very sanitized compared to the major musical movement which then shook America.
It was in 1981 that their first Single was released, a small Single called "Chacun fait (C’Qui lui plait)" label. And for a first try, it's a real masterstroke. The title is a hit and literally sets fire to every Dancefloor in France, so much so that it will sell at one point up to 35,000 copies per day ! The magical duo thus enter in a sensational way in the musical history of this end of the XXth century on the French side !
Their first album, which bears the name of the group, was released a year later in 1982 but was not very successful despite the presence of other good tracks like "Bonjour (vla les nouvelles)." The disappointment is great for the duo.
In 1984, they released a second album "Mon Bob et moi" but the result was hardly more brilliant.
The duo will not resist and each will go their own way, Valli embarking on a solo career that will see him achieve a hit with the cover of "The more I see you".
As for Grégory Ken, he will lend his voice to numerous commercials and trailers before fate catches up with him in 1996, when he will die prematurely of cancer.
But those words that have become legendary will be remembered for a long time to come: "5 in the morning, I have chills, I chatter my teeth and turn up the volume ...".
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
80s Decade :
Chacun fait (C’Qui lui plait) 1981
Bonjour (V’la les nouvelles) 1982
Fais le Waou Waou 1982
Au paradis 1982
Eden nouba 1982
Vendredi 13 1982
Monte Carlo 1984
Papa Scratch 1984
C’est l’été yéyé 1984
Ciao Katmandou 1984
Tracks :
1981 ... the HUGE transcosmic hit that will reveal them. An incredible title that will literally put France in a trance and make the fortune of this totally glamorous couple. Surely one of the biggest dance hits of the decade, even of the end of the XXth century on the French side. MAS-TER-FUL !
1982 ... a very nice sequel but how can you compete with the previous gem ?! Obviously impossible but the duo put an obvious good will to it and that is especially the essential thing
1982 ... a duo that will undoubtedly stay as one of the hottest of the decade. And this whatever the musical mode in which they are. Hot Hot...
1982 ... it's funk, it rocks but it's not everything. They will unfortunately never manage to repeat the feat beyond measure of "Chacun fait" ...
1982 ... anyway, their style will always remain festive and full of good humor. What more ?
1982 ... the magical duo suddenly gives us a much darker track, totally opposite to their usual style. And why not...
1984 ... a light and airy title to show that they are still there and that everything is still possible. It's fresh, it doesn't eat bread and it just feels good !
1984 ... even if the duo are no longer in danger of winning 1st place in the Top50, they continue to believe in it. And as they say, as long as the game is not over, anything is possible ...
1984 ... a track which spins at the speed of light and which makes you dizzy. Beware of overspeeding and leaving the road especially ...
1984 ... a great adventure which ends in finesse and softness for this duo which will have profoundly marked the 80s. Firstly by their good humor but also, and above all, by their totally inimitable style !
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :