Despite British and American predominance on the world music scene, some French artists still achieve international fame. One of these is Patricia Kaas. Over the last few years, each of her new albums and tours has been hailed as a major event.

A native of Forbach in Alsace, France, the youngest child of seven, she fully deserves her success. Because of her unique vocal timbre, of course, but also because she has managed to improve that timbre over the years with hard work and tenacity, as if cutting and polishing a rough diamond.

Although she shot to fame in 1987 with “Mademoiselle chante le blues” (Madam sings the blues), her career can be said to have started much earlier.

When she was 7, her family were already amazed by her voice, curiously husky for a little girl’s. Her mother, a great music lover of German extraction, soon realised that Patricia had tremendous vocal talent. While her father, a miner, laboured down in the pit, Patricia justified his sacrifice and devotion by combining hard work at school with her passion for singing. A child prodigy, she appeared on stage for the first time when she was eight. At fêtes and street parties, in bars and on radio talent shows, she performed brilliant versions of songs by Claude François, Dalida and Sylvie Vartan. Then at 11, she became one of the regular performers at the Rumpelkammer Club, Sarrebruck. She appeared there for 7 years, dazzling audiences with her deep timbre and mysterious air, reminiscent of Marlene Dietrich.

1987

Attending an audition in Paris, she was introduced to François Bernheim. Their meeting went so well that he immediately got down to work and wrote her a song: “Jalouse” (Jealous), with lyrics by Elizabeth Depardieu. Fascinated by the unknown singer’s talent, Gérard Depardieu decided to produce what would be her first single. Many saw Patricia as a potential star, especially Didier Barbelivien, who wrote “Mademoiselle chante le blues” for her, the song that finally launched her into the public eye in 1987. No-one was surprised when she was voted “New artist of the year” at the Victoires de la Musique awards.

At the same time, she released her first album, “Mademoiselle chante...” (Madam sings). A phenomenal success, it stayed at number two in the French album charts for two months, not only going platinum in her native country, but also in Switzerland and Belgium. It also went gold in Canada. In the end, it sold 3 million copies worldwide! This staggering score naturally won her a Victoires de la Musique award in the “Best foreign sales” category.

1990

Then in 1990 came the “Scène de vie” (Scene of life) album. Here, Patricia Kaas brilliantly reconciled the tradition of French song with blues, pop and jazz influences. The following year, she would set off on a vast world tour that would take her to 13 countries for 210 concerts, drawing a total of 650,000 fans!

Meanwhile, Patricia was proud to see “Scène de vie” released in the United States. Now, she was truly an internationally-recognised French singer, in the tradition of Edith Piaf, Yves Montand and Charles Aznavour. Once again, she walked off with the “Best foreign sales” award at the Victoires de la Musique, but this time, she also won “Best female artist”.

1991

As a permanent record of her tour, in 1991, she released a double live album recorded at the Paris Zénith, entitled “Carnets de scène” (Stage notes). The following year, she enjoyed herself hugely at eight “unplugged” concerts in clubs in the United States. Every date was a sell-out!

1992

Now, Patricia settled down to record her 3rd album, “Je te dis vous”. At the console was Robin Millar, producer of Sade, Everything But The Girl and Fine Young Cannibals (among others). This choice confirmed Patricia’s international ambitions, especially as she was recording at Pete Townshend’s Eel Pie Studio in England. However, when it came to choosing songwriters, she remained loyal to her native country. The album’s credits included the elite of French song, including François Bernheim, Didier Barbelivien, Fabrice Alboulker and Marc Lavoine, as well as Jean-Jacques Goldman.

1993

“Je te dis vous” was released in 47 countries in 1993. It sold more than three million copies and Patricia was delighted when her remix of “Reste sur moi” (Stay on me) reached the Top 20 of the U.S. Dance Charts! Still in love with the stage, she now set off on a new world tour entitled “Tour de Charme”, which took her to 19 very different countries, including the United States, Russia, Lebanon, Cambodia, Vietnam, Finland, South Korea, Japan, Germany and England. During this incredible marathon, she became the first French artist to perform in Hanoi since the end of the Vietnam War and also gave a free concert for 30,000 people in Ukraine, near the site of the Chernobyl disaster. Like the previous tour, the “Tour de Charme” produced a live album and photo book.

1995

In 1995, Patricia Kaas won the “Best foreign sales” award at the Victoires de la Musique for the 4th year running. Also, she was voted “Best French artist of the year” at the World Music Awards in Monte Carlo for the 2nd time running. This was a welcome boost as she began to record her 4th studio album. Titled “Dans ma chair” (In my flesh), the new project was entrusted to the great Phil Ramone, producer of giants such as Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Barbra Streisand, Paul Simon and Billy Joel. As usual, the song credits included a host of great songwriters, among them Jean-Jacques Goldman, Frank Langolff and Zazie. But there were surprises too. The album featured American stars Dianne Warren, Lyle Lovett and James Taylor (in a duet) among others!

1997

Knowing exactly what she wanted to do with each song, Patricia decided to co-produce “Dans ma chair” with Phil Ramone. When the album was released in 1997, it was another great success with more than 1.5 million copies sold worldwide. Now came her 3rd tour (120 dates in 23 countries), which was also a triumph, leading to a 3rd live album recorded at the Paris Olympia and entitled “Rendez-vous”. In particular, the record featured a heart-rending performance of “L'aigle noir” (The black eagle), the emblematic song of France’s great singer Barbara.

1999

In December 1998, Patricia sang with Placido Domingo and Alejandro Fernandez at the “Christmas in Vienna” concert. Shown on television in 40 countries, the concert was also released on CD and DVD for Christmas 1999. May saw the release of her 5th studio album, “Le mot de passe” (The password). This time, Pascal Obispo was at the console. He not only produced the record, but also wrote its arrangements and the music for most of its tracks. For the lyrics, Patricia turned to Didier Golemanas, Lionel Florence and Zazie. In the studio, the singer took these new songs to heart, adding her own personal touch. Sumptuously swathed in string arrangements by Yvan Cassar, “Le mot de passe” has a heart-rending, nostalgic feel to it, featuring themes such as passing time, femininity and how hard love can be. Jean-Jacques Goldman entered into the feel of the record with his usual talent, writing 2 tracks, including the moving “Une fille de l'Est” (A girl from the East). The album’s name was a sentimental choice, since “Le mot de passe” was the very first track Patricia selected when putting together the project. After 12 years of career and 12 million albums sold worldwide, this new record marked the start of a new decade for Patricia Kaas, giving her the opportunity to explore new musical horizons.

In June 1999, Patricia was invited to appear in the “Michael Jackson & Friends” benefit concerts, staged in stadiums in Seoul and Munich. In aid of the children of Kosovo and North Korea, the concerts – organised with UNESCO, the Red Cross and the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund – were broadcast in 39 different countries. Apart from Michael Jackson, also appearing were Mariah Carey, Luther Vandross, Boys II Men, Vanessa Mae, Ringo Starr, Zucchero, All Saints, Boyzone, André Rieu and Andrea Bocelli.

In July, Patricia went on a summer tour of Germany with a classical ensemble, the Hanover Pops Orchestra, conducted by Georges Pehlivanian. One of the concerts was broadcast live on the Arte TV channel from the Stadtplatz in Hamburg.

In September 1999, Patricia sang in Paris for a TV programme broadcast on CCTV in China and watched by 550 million. In other television appearances, she sang duets with Françis Cabrel and Ricky Martin. She posed for fashion photos with Ellen Von Unwerth (Elle) and Graham Shearer (In Style), and was also invited to sing in Pristina, Kosovo, at a benefit concert organised by English actress Vanessa Redgrave. While she was there, she visited France’s KFOR troops.

Short-listed as a possible choice for the new Marianne (the symbolic “face” of the French Republic) for the year 2000, Patricia came third, after top models Laetitia Casta and Estelle Hallyday.

In October 1999, Patricia began her 4th international tour entitled “Ce sera nous…” (It’ll be us). In November, she gave six concerts at the Paris Zénith before appearing twice at the famous “Le Paris” casino in Las Vegas.

In December 1999, while still on tour, Patricia sang a duet with José Carreras for a TV show in Leipzig (Germany).

2000

In January 2000, Patricia appeared for the 7th time on a benefit TV show for the “Restos du coeur” (an organisation providing meals for the disadvantaged), singing with David Hallyday and Garou. On other TV programmes, she performed with Sylvie Vartan, Julio Iglesias and the group Les Rita Mitsouko. In June 2000, Patricia sang at the Necker Hospital for sick children in Paris on France’s national Music Day. She also sang “Toute la musique que j'aime” (All the music I love) with Johnny Hallyday at one of his Paris Olympia concerts. She then gave a concert in Hanover for Expo 2000, appearing with the NDR Hanover Pops Orchestra, conducted by Nick Ingram. On the 14th July 2000, to celebrate the Fête de la Fédération, Patricia was invited by the French Senate to sing in the Jardin du Luxembourg park before the 30,000 mayors of France and a crowd of 60,000. She was accompanied by the Orchestre National de Lille, conducted by Jean-Claude Casadesus.

In Germany, Patricia was chosen by Loewe (TV) for an advertising campaign. She had already appeared in German advertising campaigns for FAZ (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) and Windsor Clothing. At the end of August, she was chosen by DaimlerChrysler for an open-air concert in Berlin’s famous Potsdamer Platz. It drew a crowd of 30,000. The 29th August 2000 brought the release of “Patricia Kaas Live”, the double live album of her two shows (acoustic and symphonic). Whether Patricia Kaas’ songs were performed to the spare, intimate sound of an acoustic group or, on the contrary, cloaked in the splendour of a philharmonic orchestra, they acquired a new energy and emotion. This double live album did not simply recapture the high points of Patricia’s shows:

listening to them, you had the impression that you were hearing this string of hits for the very first time. Directed by Didier Kerbrat, a video and DVD of the whole concert were also released. Patricia ended her tour on the 1st September in Bergerac, after giving 116 concerts attended by 450,000 people in 15 countries.

In October 2000, she received the “De Gaulle / Adenauer” prize in Berlin, in the presence of Helmut Schmidt and many ministers. This prize is awarded to personalities representing Franco-German friendship in the fields of politics, journalism or show business. The other personalities receiving the prize were Daniel Vernet, Ulrich Wickert and Hannah Schygulla. Patricia gave a special concert on the 2nd November at the Palais des Congrès in Paris. She was accompanied by the Paris Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Yvan Cassar.

2001

In January 2001, for the 8th time, Patricia sang in the “Restos du Coeur” concert in Lyon, also broadcast on TV. In April, she appeared with the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, conducted by Gast Waltzing, to celebrate Luxembourg’s national holiday and the accession to the throne of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg’s son. This free concert drew a crowd of 50,000. On the 4th May, Patricia started work on a film set. She was the female lead in the new Claude Lelouch production, “And now…Ladies and gentlemen”, filmed in Fécamp, Paris and Morocco. Patricia played opposite the English actor Jeremy Irons (“The Mission”, “Die Hard 3”, “Reversal of Fortune”, “Fatale”, “The Man in the Iron Mask”, “Lolita”, etc.). The cast also included Thierry Lhermitte, Claudia Cardinale, Alessandra Martines, Yvan Attal, Amidou, Ticky Holgado, Jean-Marie Bigard and Patrick Braoudé.

In August 2001, Patricia recorded the original soundtrack of “And now…Ladies and Gentlemen” in London. The album was made up of French songs well-known worldwide, sung in English. The album was arranged and produced by Robin Millar, who had already produced Patricia’s album “Je te dis vous” in 1993. She also

sang 3 original songs with music by Michel Legrand and lyrics by Boris Bergman.

The 23rd October 2001 saw the release of her first “Best Of” album, “Rien ne s'arrête” (Nothing stops) (18 tracks – from 1987 to 2001), with a new song: “Rien ne s'arrête”. It comes as a surprise when we realise we know Patricia Kaas’ songs by heart. From the first note, the words and music grasp us there: by our hearts. When “Madam sang the blues” one evening in 1987, she introduced us to an ongoing love story. In intimacy and emotional hypersensitivity, her voice and words echo our own slices of life. Over the years, Patricia Kaas has grown. She has become France’s national performer, the favourite singer of French people of all generations and their most faithful ambassador on stage in all five continents. That’s the picture. The story goes on. Nothing stops. 16th April 2002: release of Patricia’s album “Piano-Bar”. The film “And now…Ladies and Gentlemen” was released in France on the 29th May 2002. It would be distributed in more than 80 countries. In the USA, Paramount Classics released the film in August 2003 and took more than 1 million dollars at the box office. In October 2002, Patricia returned to the stage at the Paris Cirque d'Hiver. She then began a world tour of Europe, Asia, the United States and Eastern Europe: the “Piano-Bar Tour, 02-03” It included 80 concerts in 18 countries. In April 2003, she gave two sell-out concerts in the Beacon Theater in New-York (6,000 persons).

2003

Patricia received the National Cross of Merit (Deutsch Verdienstkreuz Erste Categorie) from the German Ambassador to France. She also sponsored the twinning of the Champs-Elysées in Paris with the Kurfürstendamm in Berlin.

On the 2nd December 2003, Patricia released her 7th studio album. Its title already spoke volumes. Like a warning, “Sexe fort” (The strong sex) insists that female can rhyme with force. Message received… by men too, many of whom have played an enthusiastic part in this new record venture. Francis Cabrel, Renaud, David Manet, Etienne Roda Gil, Stéphan Eicher (Patricia sings a duet with him), Jean-Jacques Goldman, Pascal Obispo, François Bernheim, Patrick Fiori, Louis Bertignac and J. Kapler among others helped to make this new album a dazzling demonstration of Patricia’s vitality.

Of course, there are also very feminine touches in the shape of lyrics by Marie Jo Zarb and Léa Ivanne, who penned the words of the first single, “Où sont les hommes” (Where are the men?) to music by Bill Ghiglione. “Sexe fort” is electric as well as eclectic, sending Patricia’s vocals soaring towards new peaks of energy, emotion and freedom. Her voice envelops us deliciously, half blues, half rock. It caresses, brushes, touches, melts and pierces our hearts.

We thought we knew all about Patricia. 16 years of success crowned by 15 million albums sold and more than 800 concerts bringing together nearly 3 million fans worldwide have consolidated her role on the international music stage as a vital monument of French song. Patricia is anything but static, though. Always one emotion ahead, with “Sexe fort”, she gave us an album that mirrored the soul of a young woman of 37, a woman who knew better than ever where she was coming from and where she intended to go.

2004

An Ifop/JDD poll named Patricia as France’s 18th favourite personality in 2003. She was the 3rd woman and the only female singer in the list. She appeared in the “Restos du Coeur” concerts and TV show for the 11th time. On the 30th May, she began the “Sex Fort Tour, 2004-2005” on Reunion Island. On the 6th June, Patricia sang at the commemorations for the 60th anniversary of the Normandy Landings (DDay) in Arromanches, France, in the presence of 30 Presidents, Kings and Queens (including Messrs. Chirac, Putin, Schröeder, Bush and Blair, and the Queen of England). The ceremony was shown all over the world.

Since June 2004 and until October 2005, Patricia is on her world Tour “Sexe Fort”, visiting most of European countries (France, Belgium, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, Finland, Luxembourg, Turkey, Ukraine,…), Russia, Siberia, China, Korea, USA, Canada, ….

2008

Patricia retrouve l’ombre des studios, la lumière des salles combles. Emplie de ces quatre années à s’occuper d’autres choses que de chansons, elle se met à sa table de travail et, déconcertante de talent, nous livre son Kabaret, un hommage aussi passionné que personnel aux années 30.

Chansons du repertoire, chanson inédites, ici Kurt Weil salue Django, là glissent sur le parquet les pas des danseurs de tango, ailleurs s’interpellent Garbo et Gabrielle Chanel… Voici Kabaret la nouvelle experience de Patricia Kaas, son univers enfin révélé au public, sa vérité! Oui,sa vérité, car Kabaret est bien l’oeuvre la plus personnelle de cette prodigieuse intérprète. Allez! selon la formule consacrée :” Bienvenue au cabaret!”… son Kabaret!