Patrick Bruel

Singer, actor, composer, and world-class professional poker player, Patrick Bruel rose to fame during the 1990s, first as a teen idol and then as one of the leading lights of French chanson in the 21st century. Born in Tlemcen, Algeria on 14 May 1959, he originally set his sights on becoming a professional football player but was turned onto music after seeing the legendary Michel Sardou perform in 1975. His initial dealings with the spotlight came via acting, specifically a role in 1979's Le Coup de sirocco, while his first single "Vide" (Empty) arrived in 1982. He fared better with the 1984 follow-up single "Marre de cette nana-là" (Fed up with that chick), which was a hit, and with 1984's album De Face his music career began to take form. However, it was with second studio album Alors, regarde in 1989 that he really began to make waves, soaring to the top spot in France, where he would take up home for the next three decades. He continued to release top-selling albums throughout the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s, from 1999's Juste avant and 2006's to 2012's Des Souvenirs devant, also notching up a stash of live albums along the way, including 1991's chart-topper Si ce soir and 2020's Ce Soir Ensemble: Tour 2019-2020. In 2022, he released his eleventh studio album Encore une Fois, which debuted at number two in France.