Born on January 14th: Etienne Daho, always full of musical notes...

He was born in Oran (Algeria) in 1956. His childhood was marked by the departure of his father, who abandoned his wife and children, and by the Algerian war, which the family left behind when they settled in Rennes, France.

It was music, and rock in particular, with which the teenager once again found an escape. He quickly tired of his studies, and from one odd job to the next, he tried his hand at songwriting, while keeping up with the local rock scene. In a bit of a gamble, he even managed to organize a concert, meeting up with some of his favorite bands, including Marquis de Sade and Elli and Jacno's Stinky Toys. A year later, in 1979, he took to the stage at a festival, overcoming his shyness on stage.

It was in Rennes that his career got off the ground, and he and his five-piece band were soon in demand.  In 1981, his first album, “Mythomane”, won over the critics, but it wasn't until the following year that he enjoyed his first real commercial success, with “Le grand sommeil”. Subsequent releases confirmed his reputation, such as the single “Sortir ce soir”.

In 1985, it was the famous “Weekend in Rome” that had fans singing along to a sold-out tour. Barely 30, the singer had the wind in his sails and set off to record in London, the city that had always fascinated him as the birthplace of rock. Three years later, “Pour nos vies martiennes”, also produced in the British capital, went gold on the day of its release.

It was another big city that welcomed the singer, as he moved to New York to work on his next album. “Paris ailleurs” was released in 1991. The tour that followed took him to Japan and Canada, where he proved that his popularity now knew no bounds. The following years saw a number of new albums for the seemingly tireless Etienne Daho. 

“Comme un boomerang”, a Serge Gainsbourg song he covers with Dani, once again climbs to the top of the charts. This isn't the only collaboration with the artist, who is often well surrounded. He sings with Jane Birkin, Elsa and the Spanish singer Luz Casal, and surrounds himself with the best of musicians. 

In 2023, he released his fourteenth album, with the title track “Boyfriend”. It was followed by a live recording of his best-of concert at the Accor Arena in late 2023. “I always have music in my head,” confides the singer. His fans have had it in their hearts for forty years.

(Céline Massart - Tr.: MH - Photo: © Etienne Tordoir)