Alain Souchon

Alain Souchon (French pronunciation: [alɛ̃ suʃɔ̃]; born Alain Kienast; 27 May 1944) is a French singer-songwriter and actor. He has released 15 albums and has played roles in seven films.

Alain Souchon
Alain Souchon in 2012
Background information
Birth nameAlain Kienast
Born (1944-05-27) 27 May 1944
Casablanca, Morocco
OriginParis, France
GenresAlternative rock
French pop
Pop/Rock
New wave
Synthpop
Experimental
Chanson
Techno
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
InstrumentsVocals, guitar
Years active1971–present
LabelsRCA (1973–1984), Virgin (1985–present)
Associated actsLaurent Voulzy, Renaud, Maurane, Geoffrey Oryema, Zazie, Michel Jonasz, Catherine Lara
Websitealainsouchon.net

Profile

Alain Souchon was born in Casablanca, Morocco. His family on his mother's side is Swiss, and he has dual French-Swiss nationality. Six months after he was born, his family moved to France. When he was 15 his father died in an accident. His mother sent him to a French college in England, but due to problems registering he decided to stay in London and work. Upon returning to France he took up guitar, influenced by English and American music. In 1970, he married and had his first son continuing to play in the cabarets and bars in the Rive Gauche of Paris.

Souchon in 1978.

Souchon signed his first contract in 1971 with the Pathe-Marconi label but had no success. Bob Socquet, the artistic director of RCA encouraged him to perform his song "L'amour 1830" at the Rose D'Or of Antibes contest. Souchon then began to collaborate with composer/arranger Laurent Voulzy (b. 1948); they would write together, but each released albums under his own name. Souchon's first hit was "J'ai 10 ans" (1974), from the album of the same name.

He continued releasing albums and in 1978 wrote the theme for François Truffaut's 1979 film Love on the Run (L'amour en fuite). At this time his second son was born. In 1980, he was invited to perform at l'Olympia. He also began his acting career, most notably starring in the 1983 film L'été Meurtrier. Following the album 'On avance', he left RCA and signed with Virgin Records at 40 years old. In 1989 "La beauté de Ava Gardner" was voted best title of the year by the Victoires de la Musique.

Then came Souchon's biggest hit "Foule sentimentale" from 1993's million-selling C'est déjà ça. At the 20th anniversary of the Victoires de la Musique in 1995, Alain Souchon received the award for best "Chanson Originale" for his song "Foule Sentimentale." In 1996, he received the "le Prix Vincent Scotto" award given by the SACEM (Societe des Auteurs Compositeurs) for his song "Sous les Jupes des Filles". Souchon returned in 2005 with the hugely successful album La vie Théodore which contained the hit single "...Et si en plus y'a personne".

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album Record label FRA
[1][2]
BEL
(Fl)

[3]
BEL
(Wa)

[4]
SWI
[5]
Sales
1974 J'ai dix ans
RCA
1976 Bidon
1977 Jamais content 1 France: Gold (100,000)
1978 Toto 30 ans, rien que du malheur... 1 France: Gold (100,000)
1980 Rame 5 France: Gold (100,000)
1983 On avance 16 France: Gold (100,000)
1985 C'est comme vous voulez
Virgin
108A
1988 Ultra moderne solitude 6 France: Gold (100,000)
1993 C'est déjà ça 1 7 France: Diamond (1,000,000+)
1997 Sol en si (with Francis Cabrel, Michel Jonasz, Catherine Lara,
Maxime le Forestier, Maurane, Zazie)
3
1999 Au ras des pâquerettes 1 5 74 France: Diamond (1,206,000)
2005 La Vie Théodore 1 1 3 France: 2xPlatinum (462,100)
2008 Écoutez d'où ma peine vient 1 2 27 France: Platinum (200,000)
2011 À cause d'elles 8 11 90 France: Platinum (200,000)
2014 Alain Souchon & Laurent Voulzy
(jointly with Laurent Voulzy)
Parlophone 1 117 1 8
2019 Âme fifties Parlophone 2
[6]
152 2 6

Live albums

Year Album Record label FRA BEL SWI Sales
1984 Olympia 83
RCA
1990 Nickel
Virgin
49A France: Gold (100,000)
1995 Défoule sentimentale – Live (2 CDs) 9 France: 2xGold (200,000)
2002 J'veux du live 29 26 France: Gold (100,000)
2010 Alain Souchon est chanteur 13 15
2016 Le concert
(jointly with Laurent Voulzy)
Columbia
15
[7]
  • A Re-release

Compilations

Year Album Record label FRA BEL SWI Sales
1994 L'Intégral (5 CDs)
RCA
1997 20 Chansons (Also known as 20 Sur 20)
BMG
France: Platinum (300,000)
2001 Collection (1974–1984)
RCA
30 10 France: Platinum (300,000)
Collection (1985–2001)
Virgin
France: Platinum (300,000)
2002 Par les Sentiments (2 CDs)
2004 Platinum Collection 13
2007 100 Chansons (5 CDs)
EMI France

Singles

Year Single FRA BEL
[4]
Certification Album
1986 "La Ballade de Jim" 24 - C'est comme vous voulez
1989 "Quand je serai k.o. 29 - Ultra moderne solitude
1993 "Foule sentimentale" 1 - FR (SNEP):
Silver (125,000)
C'est déjà ça
1994 "L'amour à la machine" 21 -
2000 "Tailler la zone" 71 - Au ras des pâquerettes
2001 "Le baiser / Caterpillar" 80 -
2002 "La vie ne vaut rien" 46 - J'veux du live
2005 "Et si en plus y'a personne" 19 12 La vie Théodore
2006 "La vie Théodore" 68 -
2008 "Écoutez d'où ma peine vient" - 7 Ecoutez d'où ma peine vient
2009 "Parachute doré" - 39
2011 "Les filles à quoi ça sert"
(Bénabar / Cabrel / Goldman / Souchon)
- 3*
(Ultratip)
"Le jour et la nuit" - 2*
(Ultratip)
2014 "Derrière les mots"
(with Laurent Voulzy)
35 22
"La baie des fourmis"
(with Laurent Voulzy)
197  
2019 "Presque" - 39 Âme fifties

*Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts

Awards

Victoires de la musique

  • 1986: Music Video of the Year (La Ballade de Jim), directed by Philippe Bensoussan
  • 1986: Song of the Year (Belle-Île-en-Mer)
  • 1990: Song of the Year (Quand j'serai KO)
  • 1991: Album of the Year (Nickel)
  • 1994: Male Artist of the Year
  • 1994: Song of the Year (Foule sentimentale)
  • 1996: Album of the Year (Défoule sentimentale)

Globes de Cristal Award

  • 2006 : Best Male Singer

References

Preceded by
Alain Bashung
Victoires de la Musique
Male artist of the year

1994
Succeeded by
MC Solaar
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