Luc Donat, or Marie Émilien Luçay Donat in his civil status, was born on May 17, 1925 in Saint-Denis de la Réunion. He made his mark on the Sega scene as a talented violinist, an instrument he learned from his grandmother. He learned to master many styles, regularly playing ballroom dances such as the waltz, polka and quadrille during his youth. But he also developed a taste for jazz, which nourished his production. After graduating, he joined the Orchestre Symphonique de Saint-Denis and set up a sega orchestra with Jules Arlanda. In the 1950s, he met violinist Stéphane Grappelli and signed with the Vogue label. His album Le Roi du Séga, released in the late 1950s, gradually associated this honorary title with the artist, as he scored popular hits such as "L'Amour Lé Doux" . In 1966, he set up the Donali production company in Paris. In 1968, back in La Réunion, he released "Saint-Joseph (Papa Bon Dieu)", one of his most popular songs. In 1976, he published Séga Destin, a nod to Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, who was on an official visit. His last studio album, Isle de la Réunion , was released in 1984. He was then appointed head of the Musiques Réunionnaises department at the Conservatoire National de Région. He died on April 4, 1989 on his native island at the age of 89.
