Hélène Ségara

by Evan C. Gutierrez Hélène Ségara hails from the Mediterranean coast in the south of France. She was born in the small town of Sex-Four-les-Plages on February 26, 1971. Her young life was complicated by a rocky family life, and at 14, she left her mother's home to live with her father, at which time she began performing in clubs and bars along the Riviera. She built up a strong repertoire and fan base, venturing out to record her 1993 debut record, Loin. At the age of 25 the young singer decided to move to Paris in search of more fertile artistic soil. After some months she met producer Fabrizio Salvadori, who was impressed with her talent and professionalism. Through Salvadori, Ségara met a number of songwriters and producers with whom she would collaborate on her debut single "Je Vous Aime Adieu." The song was an immediate hit, garnering Ségara the support she would need for the release of her first professional full-length record, Coeur de Verre. In 1997 Ségara was offered the role of Esmeralda in the touring cast of the musical Notre Dame de Paris, which would go on make her a household name all over the French-speaking world. She stayed with the show until 2000, at which time she shifted her attentions to her solo career. Au Nom d'une Femme, released that same year, went straight to the top of the charts, selling better than a million copies within a year. In February of 2001 Ségara was named Best Female Artist of the Year at the "Victoires de la Musique" Awards. In 2002 she released a collection of her works translated for Spanish audiences entitled Helene, followed a year later by the original work Humaine, which reached 500,000 in sales within six months of its release. Ségara's 2006 album Quand l'Eternite generated hit singles such as "Mefie Toi de Moi" and "Rien N'est Comme Avant," winning a strong place on European charts two years running.