Mireille Mathieu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mireille Mathieu
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Mathieu in 2014
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| Background information | |
| Born | 22 July 1946 Avignon, France |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1962–present |
| Labels | |
Mireille Mathieu (born July 22, 1946) is a famous French singer. She has recorded over 1,200 songs in eleven languages. She has sold more than 122 million records around the world.
Contents
About Mireille Mathieu
Early Life and Beginnings
Mireille Mathieu was born on July 22, 1946, in Avignon, France. She was the oldest of fourteen children. Her family was quite poor when she was young. Her father, Roger, was a stonemason, and his family had been stonemasons for four generations.
Mireille's father had always wanted to be a singer. He encouraged his children to sing. Mireille first sang for an audience at age four, on Christmas Eve in 1950. She got a lollipop as a reward! Seeing the famous singer Édith Piaf on television was a big moment for her.
Mireille had some challenges in school because of dyslexia, which makes reading and writing difficult. She was also born left-handed, but her teachers made her learn to write with her right hand. She has an amazing memory and never needs a teleprompter when she performs.
When she was 14, in 1961, Mireille started working in a factory. She helped her family financially and paid for her singing lessons. She was popular at work and often sang during lunch breaks. A fun fact: a fortune teller once told her she would "mingle with kings and queens."
Mireille is a Roman Catholic. Her special saint is Saint Rita, who is known as the "Saint for the Impossible." Like many artists, she believes in good luck. She often makes the sign of the cross before going on stage because she gets stage fright.
First Steps to Stardom (1962–1965)
Mireille started her singing journey by joining a local singing contest in Avignon called On Chante dans mon Quartier (We sing in my neighborhood). She took private singing lessons from Madame Laure Collière.
In 1962, she sang "Les cloches de Lisbonne" but lost to Michèle Torr. In 1963, she tried again with Édith Piaf's "L'Hymne à l'amour" and lost again. But in 1964, she finally won the contest with another Piaf song, "La Vie en rose"!
Winning the contest gave her a free trip to Paris and a chance to audition for a TV talent show called Jeu de la Chance (Game of Luck). This show let amateur singers compete for votes from the audience. During her audition, some people made fun of her accent.
In 1965, Mireille met Johnny Stark, who would become her manager. He had worked with other famous singers. Many people say their relationship was like that of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley. Stark helped Mireille become a huge star and was seen as the next Édith Piaf. By 1968, she was France's most popular singer.
Becoming a Star (1965–1967)
On November 21, 1965, Mireille appeared live on Jeu de la Chance. She was very nervous, as she had never taken a train or seen a camera before. Both the studio audience and phone voters chose her as the winner. That night, Johnny Stark officially became her manager. He helped her prepare to win the contest again the next week.
During her time on Télé-Dimanche, she also performed a concert at the famous Paris Olympia. This performance made her incredibly famous. The press in France and other countries called her the Piaf d'Avignon (Sparrow of Avignon). This was a nod to Édith Piaf's nickname, "Sparrow of the Streets."
At first, Mireille felt like she was just copying Édith Piaf. But Johnny Stark changed her direction. She started working with composer Paul Mauriat and songwriter André Pascal. They created new, modern songs for her, like Mon crédo, Viens dans ma rue, and La première étoile. Her first album, En Direct de L'Olympia, came out in 1966. It was a big success and made her a star outside France too.
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Mireille spent 1966 and 1967 touring a lot. She was able to buy a vehicle for her father's business and a large home for her family. She also had a phone installed at home, so her parents could easily talk to her while she was in Paris.
She performed at the London Palladium for the Queen and her family in 1967, 1969, and 1981. Her French version of "The Last Waltz" became a big hit in Great Britain. She also toured Canada and the United States, appearing on popular TV shows like The Ed Sullivan Show and the Danny Kaye Show. She even met Elvis Presley and sang with Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra.
Career in the Late 20th Century (1967–2000)
Even though rock and roll became very popular, Mireille Mathieu remained a beloved artist in France and Europe. She is known for how kindly she treats her fans.
In 1968, Mireille was in a car accident and broke a bone in her back. She had to rest for three months.
In 1985, Mireille sang with Plácido Domingo in a children's show called The Tales of Cri-Cri. This TV special used puppets and traditional Mexican songs. Her father, Roger, passed away that same year.
In 1986, Mireille performed huge concerts in Paris. She also toured China, and a French TV crew filmed her journey. She was one of the first Western performers to give a concert in China.
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In 1988, a German company named W. Kordes' Söhne created a special rose called the Mireille Mathieu Rose. Its color matched her favorite lipstick! Mireille also published her autobiography, Oui je crois (Yes, I Believe).
In 1989, President François Mitterrand invited Mireille to sing a tribute to General Charles de Gaulle. Sadly, Johnny Stark, her manager, died that same year. After his death, Mireille took over his office and managed her own career. Her sister Monique became her business manager.
In the 1990s, she continued to release new music. In 1993, she released two albums dedicated to her idol, Édith Piaf: Mireille Mathieu chante Pïaf in French and Unter dem Himmel von Paris in German. She also released a new album in 1995 called Vous lui direz... and another German album in 1999.
Career in the 21st Century (2001–Present)
In 2002, Mireille Mathieu released her 37th French album, De tes mains. She then performed a series of concerts in Paris and toured France, Belgium, and Switzerland. Audiences loved her shows and gave her standing ovations.
In 2005, Mireille celebrated her 40th anniversary as a singer with a special concert in Paris. She released her 38th French album, Mireille Mathieu, around the same time.
In November 2008, she was a guest of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Moscow and performed a concert for him.
In November 2010, she received the Russian Medal of Friendship from President Dmitry Medvedev. In January 2011, Mireille was promoted to Officier of the Légion d'honneur, a very high French award.
In 2012, Mireille re-released her album Chante Piaf to celebrate her 50th year as a singer and the 50th anniversary of Piaf's death. She also toured Siberia, Russia, performing in several cities.
Since 2009, she has been a main guest star at the Spasskaya Tower Military Music Festival and Tattoo in Moscow's Red Square. In 2013, she performed in icy rain and strong winds, refusing a coat because she didn't want to disrespect the audience who were also cold.
Mireille celebrated her 50th year in show business with a tour in France in 2014 and in Germany and Austria in 2015. She keeps ticket prices fair, thanks to her sister and manager, Monique.
In 2015, she performed at a "Culture Without Borders" event at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. She also returned to Byblos, Lebanon, for a festival after 41 years. Her mother, Marcelle-Sophie, even made a brief appearance on stage with her.
Sadly, Mireille's mother passed away in March 2016 at the age of 94.
Personal Life
Mireille Mathieu is a very private person and does not share many details about her personal life. She is a devoted Catholic and attends Catholic Mass regularly with her family.
Discography
See also
In Spanish: Mireille Mathieu para niños
