Daniel Lavoie

Daniel Lavoie OC (French pronunciation: [danjɛl lavwa]; born Daniel Joseph-Hubert-Gérald Lavoie, March 17, 1949) is a Canadian musician, actor, and singer best known for his song "Ils s'aiment" and the role of Frollo in musical Notre-Dame de Paris. He releases albums and performs on stage in Canada and France and tours in Canada and Europe.

In 1967, Daniel Lavoie won the CBC's competition for singer-songwriters, in the television program, "Jeunesse Oblige". Soon after that he began touring Quebec's music clubs with groups (Spectre, then Dieu de l'amour vous aime). At that time he changed his name from Gérald to Daniel, his birth name. In 1973 Daniel Lavoie recorded his first single, "Marie connue", and in 1974, his second, "S'endormir pour une rose". His first album A court terme (1975) had moderate success. One of the songs from this albums, "J'ai quitté mon île" became especially popular in France and also in Portugal and Brazil. In 2009 "J'ai quitté mon île" was selected by CBC Radio listeners among the top 49 Canadian songs in all genres that best defined the country's image for Barack Obama, to be presented to him on an iPod for his inauguration. The second album, Berceuse pour un Lion (1977) was well received in Quebec and contained several hits ("Dans le temps des animaux", "La Vérité sur la vérité", "Berceuse pour un lion"), but it was the third album, Nirvana bleu (1979) that brought Daniel Lavoie true recognition in Quebec. He toured all over Quebec and also performed in France (Théâtre Montparnasse in Paris in 1980). His popularity as a live performer was growing. In 1980 he received his first Félix Award for the best male singer of the year. Many more were to follow. In 1981, Daniel Lavoie released his first English-language album Cravings as well as his fourth French-language album Aigre doux.

The year 1984 was a turning point in Daniel Lavoie's career with the release of his album Tension Attention (European title Ils s'aiment). One of the songs from this album, "Ils s'aiment" became especially popular and its single sold 2 million copies. It has been translated into several languages and covered by dozens of performers, among them Ana Belén ("Ellos se aman", in Spanish), Richard Cocciante (in Italian and Spanish), Diane Dufresne (in French), Paulo Gonzo ("Ridiculous Love", in English), Ramses Shaffy ("Regenboog", in Dutch). "Ils s'aiment" and "Tension Attention" brought Daniel Lavoie multiple awards both in Quebec and in France. The same year Daniel created his solo concert show Hôtel des rêves which he presented both in Quebec and in Europe.

Lavoie's next album, Vue sur la mer (1987) was another success. The release was followed by 5 nights engagement at the Olympia theatre in Paris, and later a 21-date tour throughout Europe. More awards followed, and in the spring of 1988 for three months Lavoie performed his show Hôtel des rêves at the Théâtre Outremont in Montreal. The 1990 album Long Courrier (European title Chanson de la Terre) included "Qui sait", "Le pape du rap", and "Jours de plaine". A study conducted in the early 1990s placed Lavoie among most highly respected by their peers French-Canadian singer-songwriters.

In 1992 Lavoie participated in Catherine Lara's symphonic rock-musical Sand et les Romantiques, performing the part of Eugène Delacroix. The same year he released another English-language album, Here in the heart. He also appeared in an episode of the American soap opera General Hospital as himself performing his own song "Weak for Love". Lavoie's next and final English-language album Woman to Man appeared in 1994.

In 1995 Lavoie released a new album Ici (European title Où la route mène) which introduced new hits such as "Où la route mène", "Je pensais pas", and "Je suis une rivière". Two albums for children followed: Le Bébé Dragon (1996) and Le Bébé Dragon vol. 2 (1997). Live album of Lavoie's best hits along with never-before performed pieces, Live au Divan Vert (European title Le meilleur de Daniel Lavoie) was recorded in 1997.

In 1998 Lavoie was cast as priest Frollo in Richard Cocciante and Luc Plamondon's new musical Notre-Dame de Paris, which was based on the eponymous novel by Victor Hugo, and has been performing the role since 2016. The musical became very successful ("Notre-Dame De Paris" won world's best-selling artist/group for 1998 at the World Music Awards on May 5, 1999) Albums were sold by the millions (certified triple-platinum by CRIA for sales of more than 300,000 copies), and for seven months Daniel sang the part of Frollo in front of sold-out crowds of the Palais des Congrès in Paris. He continues to do it today. After that he also participated in the show's tour in France, as well as the Quebec production and the English version in London, in 2000. The song "Belle", which he performed with Garou and Patrick Fiori became enormously popular (in 1998 3 million copies of this song were sold in Europe, where it was no. 1 for 30 weeks.)

In 2002 Lavoie was cast in another musical in Paris, this time Le Petit Prince by Richard Cocciante and Elisabeth Anais, based on Antoine de St-Exupéry's book. He performed the part of the Pilot until April 2003.