Lara Fabian Biography
Lara Fabian is a globally recognized French-speaking singer of Belgian-Italian descent and a songwriter. Her powerful, unique voice is recognizable from the very first note, and her most famous song is undoubtedly "Je T'aime." Lara sings in French, English, Spanish, Italian.Early Life
Lara Fabian (real name: Lara Crokaert) was born on January 9, 1970, in Etterbeek, Belgium. With her mother being Italian, Lara spent the early years of her life with her family in Sicily, from where they later moved back to Belgium. Lara's father was a guitarist and he was the first to recognize her musical talents, enrolling her in a music school. Not only did Lara learn to play the piano, but she also began composing music. At 14, Lara performed on stage for the first time with her father. Even then, her melodious voice amazed the audience. This experience later helped Lara when she participated in the prestigious "Tremplin" competition in 1986, which she won triumphantly. Two years later, Fabian represented Luxembourg in the Eurovision Song Contest and secured fourth place with the song "Croire" ("Believe"). The song instantly gained popularity across Europe and sold over 600,000 copies.Musical Career
A pivotal moment in Lara's career was her decision to venture to another continent, specifically to Canada, in 1990. Together with Rick Allison, who became the composer for her songs and her producer, she settled in Montreal, a city she fell in love with instantly. Around the same time, her debut album "Lara Fabian" was released, funded by her father. Canada warmly welcomed the singer. Singles "Qui pense a l’amour" and "Le jour ou tu partiras" quickly became fan favorites. Her romantic repertoire started attracting more and more genre enthusiasts. That same year, Lara was nominated for a "Felix" award. Lara's debut album achieved platinum and later gold status. In 1994, her "Carpe diem" album mirrored the success of the first. Her concerts started drawing full houses, and her musical performance "Sentiments Acoustiques" toured 25 Canadian cities. Critics began to compare the expressive lyrical soprano to Celine Dion . But it wasn't long before everyone recognized Lara Fabian's unique voice and style.In a 1994 survey, Lara was acknowledged as Canada's most promising singer—an exception, considering she wasn't Canadian-born. At Gala de l'ADISQ-95, Lara Fabian received nominations for "Best Concert" and "Best Female Artist of the Year." Her third album "Pure" was released in 1996, making it clear that Lara Fabian had not only conquered Canada but the entire world. This album included the soul-stirring song "Je T’aime", a track hard to compare to any other in its intensity. Another song from this album, "Si Tu M'aimes," was featured in the soundtrack of the popular series "Clone." This third album, like the first two, was produced by her beloved Rick Allison, who also composed the music for her songs. Lara penned most of the lyrics.
In 1996, Disney offered Lara the role to voice Esmeralda in the movie "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." That same year, Fabian became a Canadian citizen. In 1997, the album "Pure" made a splash in Europe. The first single from the album sold 1.5 million copies, and a few months later, the singer received her first European gold disc and the "Felix" award for "Most Popular Album of the Year." Lara's song "Requiem pour un fou," performed with French star Johnny Hallyday, deeply moved her fans. Fabian's music and performance style consistently touched the hearts of those who didn't even understand French. Lara gained fans worldwide and started working on her first English album, which released in Europe and Canada in 1999. One notable track from this album was "Adagio," a vocal version of a famous melody. In early 2000, the singer frequently appeared on French TV screens. She participated in various shows, and her single "I Will Love Again" topped the Billboard Club Play Chart. At the end of her world tour, Fabian received another "Felix" award as the best French-speaking singer. The "Lara Fabian" ("Adagio") album faced criticism in France but sold 2 million copies worldwide. In the following years, Fabian often faced comparisons with Celine Dion. In the US, people constantly compared her to the famous Canadian, although both were unique in their own right. In 2001, Lara tried once again to win over America – her song "For Always" was featured in Steven Spielberg 's popular film "A.I. Artificial Intelligence." The tour supporting her new album "Nue" began in late 2001 in Brussels and lasted until March 2002. After the tour, Lara Fabian released a double CD of her live performances and a DVD titled "Lara Fabian Live." The success of the new album bolstered Fabian's confidence in remaining on the global music scene. In mid-2004, she released her second English album, "A Wonderful Life." The album didn't achieve great success, and Lara decided to continue singing in French. In 2005, the album "9" was released. On the cover, Lara is depicted in an embryonic pose, symbolizing the star's rebirth. At that time, the singer left Canada, settled in Belgium, changed her band, and asked Jean-Félix Lalanne to assist in the album's creation. Two years later, the album "Toutes Les Femmes En Moi" ("The Women in Me") was released. With this record, Lara Fabian expressed her admiration for singers from Quebec and France.
In late 2009 in Kyiv, Lara Fabian participated in the filming of the musical movie "Mademoiselle Zhivago". According to the singer, her parents named her after the heroine of Boris Pasternak's novel, making her participation in this project particularly symbolic. Later on, the singer released several more French albums: "Le Secret" (2014) and "Ma vie dans la tienne" (2015).
All of Lara Fabian's songs follow the best traditions of French chanson. She has made her mark among the world's best singers. With 16 albums in her discography, each has sold millions of copies worldwide. In 2017, Lara Fabian released a melodic English album titled "Camouflage" and embarked on a tour featuring the new tracks.Lara's performances can be described as minimalist. Fabian doesn't dance; she takes the stage in modest attire with minimal makeup and jewelry. All that remains for the audience is her incredible 4.1 octave lyrical soprano voice.
Lara Fabian's Personal Life
Lara's personal life has always intertwined with her artistic pursuits. Her first great love was pianist Rick Allison, whom she met at the age of 20. Their romantic and creative partnership brought sincere and touching compositions to the world. Yet, their relationship had a heartbreaking ending, which Lara expressed in her most famous song, "Je T’aime". After a 6-year relationship, the couple parted ways, but Rick and Lara continued their musical collaboration for a long time. Following Allison, Lara had several short-term relationships with creative professionals, but for various reasons, each ended in separation. On November 20, 2007, Lara gave birth to her daughter Lou with her partner, French director Gérard Pullicino. Lara named her daughter after her own mother. In 2012, she split with Pullicino, and in 2013, announced her marriage to Italian illusionist Gabriel Di Giorgio. Fabian is happily married and lives with her husband and daughter in a suburb of Brussels.Lara Fabian Now
Lara continues to delight fans with new albums and singles. In 2019, she introduced several remixes of the song "Je suis à toi", the track "Papillon", and soon after, an album of the same name with 11 tracks. In 2020, she kept creating, releasing "Papillon(s)", an extended version of the previous album. By the end of 2020, she released a new album "Lockdown Sessions". As the name suggests, it features songs Lara wrote during the COVID-19 lockdown.In 2022, Fabian appeared in a Canadian satirical film by Mariloup Wolfe, "Arlette". She played a French minister, and interestingly, the director initially intended a male actor for the role. However, due to the pandemic, finding the right actor became challenging. Coincidentally, the stylist of the lead actress, Maripier Morin, also worked with Lara. He suggested Lara try this new genre, and she eagerly accepted.
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