Daniel Balavoine was a French singer songwriter who started his musical career as a dancing parties singer in the late 1960s.
He will successively be part of the groups "Réveil", "Shake’s" then "Purple Eruption", which allows him to acquire over time a certain local notoriety.
It was in 1971 that he decided to go to Paris. It's a fail.
A certain group "Presence" contacted him shortly after and he agreed to become their singer.
A first 45 laps was released at Vogue but it was again a failure.
He left the group in 1972. Everything changed in 1974 when he met Patrick Juvet who was looking for a chorister.
He is retained and begins a tour with the artist.
Tour where he was noticed by Léo Missir of the Barclay label who made him sign on the spot a contract for 3 albums.
First album in 1975. It is called "De vous à elle en passant par moi". Without success.
But everything will suddenly change when the artist crosses paths with a certain .... Michel Berger, who, impressed by his voice, offers him the role of Johnny Rockfort in his musical "Starmania".
The studio album of songs by Starmania was released in 1978, including "Quand on arrive en ville", "Banlieue nord" and "SOS d'un terrien en détresse", a flagship title tailored for the singer. The album was an incredible success.
In parallel, he recorded the famous third and last album with Barclay. An album called "The singer".
And this time, it's the right one !
Released the single of the same name which will sell more than a million copies and the album to eight hundred thousand. His career is launched this time for good.
In 1979, he continued on the one hand Starmania where he further increased his notoriety and he took the opportunity to immediately release his fourth album "Face amour/Face amère".
Which unfortunately does not measure up to the previous one.
He returned in 1980 and found the path to success with the album "Un autre monde" which contains the flagship singles "Mon fils ma bataille", "Je ne suis pas un héro" et "La vie ne m'apprend rien".
In 1981, new album "Vendeur de larmes" which contains the title "Vivre ou survivre" which quickly became a hit.
In 1983, released the album "Lojn des yeux de l'Occident", an engaged album which talks about Third World women, torture, drugs ... and which notably contains "Pour la femme veuve qui s'éveille".
The year 1984 saw the birth of his son who would inspire him to compose the title "Dieu que c’est beau".
But it is 1985 which will be for him the year of the supreme consecration with the release of the album "Sauver l'amour", with avant-garde sound, and in CD format still rare in time.
The album will sell 1,240,000 copies !
Four titles contained in the album will become hits: "Aziza", "Sauver l'amour", "Aimer est plus fort que d'être aimé" and the sublime "Tous les cris les SOS".
In the same year, he also produced the title "Coeur en stéréo" for Jeanne Mas.
Unfortunately, everything will stop on January 14, 1986 when the singer will be victim of a helicopter accident on the Paris Dakar rally.
Broke in full glory, this gifted artist and with an extraordinary personality, who was bubbling with plans for the future (he intended to found a group across the Channel in the company of Peter Gabriel, among others ...), will not have time to accomplish a destiny that should have taken him even further in glory, even in History with a capital H.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
• Viens vite 1973
• Evelyne et moi 1975
• Vienne la pluie 1975
• Lady Marlène 1977
• Ma musique et mon patois 1977
• Je suis bien 1978
• Les oiseaux 2 1978
• Le chanteur 1978
• Quand on arrive en ville (Starmania) 1978
• SOS d'un terrien en détresse (Starmania) 1978
• Lucie 1978
• Me laisse pas m'en aller 1979
• Tu me plais beaucoup 1979
• Mon fils ma bataille 1980
• Lipstick polychrome 1980
• Je ne suis pas un héros 1980
• La vie ne m’apprend rien 1981
• Vivre ou survivre 1982
• Vendeur de larmes 1982
• Pour la femme veuve qui s’éveille 1983
• Les petits lolos 1983
• Dieu que c’est beau 1984
• L’Aziza 1985
• Tous les cris les SOS 1985
• Sauvez l’amour 1986
• Aimer est plus fort que d’être aimé 1986
• Ne parle pas de malheur 1987
Clips :
1973 ... the gifted man takes his first steps. The beginnings of a young boy who will become one of the greatest French singers of this end of the XXth century. But at this stage, impossible to imagine ...
1975 ... the style is refined and the bases are reinforced, it's obvious. The 'Balavoine' style is hatching and will soon be smashing everything ...
1975 ... it is clear that there is still some work to be done. But it is clear that the potential is enormous and the talent certain. All that's left is the spark to start the fireworks ...
1977 ... there is really not much missing so that the young Daniel is finally propelled under the limelight. It's getting better and better !
1977 ... a style that really does not resemble any other and that sets him apart from the crowd. But for now, that still doesn't take off ...
1978 ... a year 1978 which will prove essential in the destiny of the artist. But for now, he doesn't know it yet ...
1978 ... we feel that something really is happening in this year 1978. All the titles are particularly inspired and we feel that something and something great will happen !
1978 ... then comes THIS title. A HUGE title that will reveal him in a shocking way and change its destiny forever. He simply signs here what will surely remain as one of the biggest hits of the end of this decade and this end of the XXth century, all on the French side. MAS-TER-FUL !
1978 ... a decidedly exceptional year 1978 with a triumph in the musical Starmania thanks to its emblematic role of Johnny Rockfort. A destiny that changes overnight and above all in a shocking way !
1978 ... his first WONDER ! Always extracted from Starmania, the song that will make him a real musical alien. France discovers for the first time the incredible power of its voice. Unheard of for decades. MO-NU-MEN-TAL !
1978 ... a 2nd WONDER for the same price ! Definitely, in the Intimist, he excels. A truly extraordinary talent that will literally explode in the years that follow
1979 ... after an exceptional year 1978 in all respects, we suspected that the year 1979 would have a hard time competing. But what he offers us is far from uninteresting
1979 ... a really special year 1979 with amazing titles, which sometimes border on caricature. The proof with this title to say the least hilarious ...
1980 ... this time, he becomes literally essential ! The artist delivers here one of his most emblematic titles and at the same time becomes one of the biggest musical phenomena of the moment. And let's go to last. HU-GE !
1980 ... another BIG year with a succession of very large titles. Certainly, this one will be a notch below the previous one but it largely holds the road
1980 ... a title originally written for Johnny Hallyday. Yes Yes. Except that Johnny will not be able to make the best of it, which is not the case for his composer who makes it one of his flagship titles !
1981 ... another magnificent sweet break, an area in which he particularly excels. A complete artist who excels in all areas, something extremely rare. At that time, like him, we count them on the fingers of one hand !
1982 ... the 80s version of the mega-hit Dance series starts with this title. A rise in power that nothing and no one will be able to stop. Except...fate !
1982 ... sweetness again and again. A beautiful Ultimate Slow where he once again demonstrates a totally extraordinary composer's talent
1983 ... beginning of the songs engaged. A humanitarian engagement of the highest order but which, as paradoxical as it may seem, will lead him to a foreign land from which he will not return
1983 ... a Balavoine in pure and hard rock mode, an extremely rare thing for him. And my faith, it works pretty well all that. Admittedly, this is not really his favorite field but he is far from being ridiculous ...
1984 ... the pride of being a father ! He delivers here a magnificent hymn to fatherhood which will undoubtedly remain as one of his most emblematic titles. One more !
1985 ... after the hymn to fatherhood, here comes the hymn to diversity. A claimed and perfectly assumed bias that should have been the fight of his life. Who should have ...
1985 ... the WONDER of WONDERS ! He surely signs here one of the most beautiful songs of this end of the XXth century. A lyricism and an incredible depth that transcends an inspired melody as rarely. MAS-TER-PIE-CE !
1986 ... the singer is then at the height of his possibilities and he has so many incredible titles to write. But he won't have time ...
1986 ... a last legendary title before a disappearance as brutal as it is unfair. France is in shock. Just like Michel and France who will dedicate another legendary song to him. A song whose name sounds like a certainty "Evidemment" ... Tchao the Artist !
1987 ... the last extract from a legendary album which will have produced an incredible number of hits. We imagine the rest if the artist had lived for decades ...
1987 ... when one of the greatest composers of the XXth century composes a hymn in memory of his friend, another composer of genius, the result is quite simply...and inevitably brilliant !
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