Patrick Bruel

Actor and singer Patrick Bruel became one of France's biggest stars, first making his name as a teen idol in the '80s, then leading a return to traditional French chanson in the new millennium. After making his big-screen debut as a teenager in Le Coup de Sirocco, his recording debut, "Vide," arrived in 1982. It was his second studio LP, 1989's Alors, Regarde, that first took him to number one in France; he would return to the spot in each of the next three decades. A strong touring draw, Bruel has released a number of live albums along the way, including the chart-topping Si Ce Soir... in 1991. It included his sole number one single, "Qui a le Droit..." He traded his earlier matinee-idol pop for more guitar-centric rock & roll on 1994's Bruel, and experimented with South American and North African influences on 1999's Juste Avant, finding chart success with both. He changed things up again in 2002 with Entre Deux, a double album of classic French chanson. By then in his fifties, Bruel had his sixth number one album with 2012's Lequel de Nous, and in 2013 he became a César-nominated actor for his portrayal of Vincent in the 2012 film Le Prénom (aka What's in a Name?). Bruel is also known as a world-class professional poker player who has worked as a TV commentator in France.

Bruel was born Patrick Benguigui in Tlemcen, Algeria, on May 14, 1959. His father abandoned the family when Patrick was only a year old, and in 1962, after Algeria won its independence, his mother moved to France, settling in the Paris suburb of Argenteuil. A fine soccer player in his youth, Patrick first settled on the idea of being a singer after seeing Michel Sardou perform in 1975. As luck would have it, acting would bring him his first success; first-time director Alexandre Arcady ran an ad seeking a young man with a French-Algerian (or "pied-noir" in French slang) accent for his film Le Coup de Sirocco. Benguigui (as he was still called) auditioned and won the part. The following year, he spent some time in New York City, where he met Gérard Presgurvic, later to become his primary songwriter.

Returning to Paris, Bruel appeared in several films, television shows, and plays, and cut his first single, "Vide," in 1982. It failed to attract much attention, but his next effort, "Marre Cette Nana-là" ("Enough of That Chick"), was a substantial hit in 1984. A follow-up, "Comment Ça Va Pour Vous" ("How's It Going for You"), also found success in 1985. Bruel released his debut album, De Face, in 1986 and reached the Top 40 of France's album chart. After several more film appearances and a live recording made at the Olympia, Bruel recorded a second studio album, Alors Regarde, in 1989. Paced by the smash hit "Casser la Voix" ("To Break the Voice"), the album made Bruel a superstar in Europe and Canada, and would eventually go on to sell over two million copies. Bruel embarked on a sold-out tour; throngs of screaming teenage girls packed his concerts, leading the French media to dub the phenomenon "Bruelmania." A second live album, Si Ce Soir..., was culled from the tour.

For his third studio album, 1994's Bruel (aka Bruel 3), Bruel tried to move away from his heartthrob-balladeer image by delving into guitar-oriented rock & roll, as on the single "Bouge." A third live album, On S'était Dit, was recorded during the supporting tour in 1995, spawning the Johnny Hallyday-penned single "Pour Exister." The Spanish-language collection Plaza de los Heroes helped break him in the Spanish and South American markets that year. Bruel subsequently took some time off from recording to concentrate on acting, as well as international concert appearances. A skilled poker player, he also joined the World Series of Poker tour, winning the world championship in the Limit Hold 'Em event in 1998. Bruel finally returned to the studio and completed his fourth proper album, Juste Avant, in late 1999. It found him beginning to experiment with international influences from South America and North Africa. Supported by heavy touring in 2000, the album was a hit, reaching number one in France and Belgium. It was followed by the double-live set Rien Ne S'efface.

Bruel had previously covered classic French chansons, usually in concert, but in 2002, he jumped into the style with both feet. The double studio album Entre Deux ("Between Two," i.e., between the two World Wars) featured 23 selections from the golden age of French cabaret pop, and found him working with a wide array of guest stars, including Johnny Hallyday and Charles Aznavour. His audience followed the move, helping to keep traditional French pop alive and vital for new generations. In 2006, the album Des Souvenirs Devant went to number one on both the French and Belgium pop charts, as did his 2012 effort Lequel de Nous after a six-year musical hiatus. He reached the Top Five again in the same two countries with 2015's Très Souvent, Je Pense à Vous... A year later, Bruel Barbara - Le Châtelet captured a live tribute to cabaret singer Barbara from July 2016. ~ Steve Huey & Marcy Donelson