Mylène Farmer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mylène Farmer
Farmer in 2019
Born	Mylène Jeanne Gautier (1961-09-12) 12 September 1961 (age 63) Pierrefonds, Quebec, Canada
Nationality	French, Canadian
Occupation	Singer songwriter
Years active	1984–present
Awards	9 NRJ Music Awards 2 World Music Awards
Musical career
Genres	French pop rock dance electronic
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Polydor Sony Music
Associated acts	Laurent Boutonnat Alizée Seal Sting LP

Mylène Farmer (born 12 September 1961) is a famous French singer and songwriter. Her real name is Mylène Jeanne Gautier. She has sold over 30 million records around the world, making her one of the most successful music artists in France. She holds the record for the most number one hit songs in France, with twenty-one! Eight of these were even in a row.

Mylène was born in Pierrefonds, Quebec, Canada. Her parents were French. Her family soon moved to Chaville, near Paris, France. There, Mylène started a career in modeling and acting. She became well-known as a singer after releasing her first song, "Maman a tort", in 1984.

In 1988, she released her second album, Ainsi soit je..., which sold 1.5 million copies in France. This album included her first number one hit, "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces". Her third album, L'autre..., sold two million copies, becoming her best-selling album ever. The first song from this album, "Désenchantée", became her most successful song and is often called her signature song.

Mylène Farmer changed her music style over the years. Her first albums had a synth-pop and Europop sound. But with her fourth album, Anamorphosée, released in 1995, she added more rock and R&B influences. Her fifth album, Innamoramento, came out in 1999 and had more electronic sounds. In the 2000s, she continued to explore different music styles, like acoustic pop and electronica.

In 2010, Mylène released her eighth album, Bleu noir. This album brought back the darker synth-pop sound from her early days. The first song from it, "Oui mais... non", sold over 130,000 copies in France. In 2015, her tenth album, Interstellaires, went straight to number one in France. It included a duet with Sting called "Stolen Car", which also hit number one. Her eleventh album, Désobéissance, was released in 2018 and also debuted at number one.

Besides singing, Mylène Farmer also wrote songs for the French singer Alizée. She helped Alizée with her image and public appearances too. Alizée's first song, "Moi... Lolita", which Mylène co-wrote, became a number one hit in many European countries. Mylène also acted in films. She made her film debut in 1994 in Giorgino. In 2018, she starred in the English horror film Ghostland.

Mylène Farmer has set many records throughout her career. She is the best-selling French singer since 1984. She is also the only artist to have a "diamond album" (meaning it sold over 500,000 copies) in four decades in a row. Her 2001 greatest hits album, Les Mots, sold over two million copies. It is the highest-selling collection of songs by a French artist.

Mylène Farmer's Life and Career

Early Life and Starting Out (1961–1983)

Mylène Jeanne Gautier was born on September 12, 1961, in Pierrefonds, Quebec, Canada. Her father, Max Gautier, was an engineer who built dams. Her mother, Marguerite, stayed at home. Her family had moved from France in the late 1950s because of her father's job.

When Mylène was eight, her family moved back to France. They settled in Chaville, a town near Paris. When she first arrived, she had to take speech classes. Her school said her Québécois accent was "improper."

At 17, Mylène discovered acting. She took a three-year course at Cours Florent, a drama school in Paris. She changed her name to Mylène Farmer to honor Frances Farmer, a Hollywood actress from the 1930s whom she admired. Mylène started working as a model and appeared in several TV commercials. She also acted in a local play.

In 1984, Mylène met Laurent Boutonnat. He was a young film student. Mylène answered a newspaper ad for an actress for a small film project he was working on. They became friends and started working together on music. Laurent wanted to be a film director, so he became the creative mind behind Mylène's music videos. In 1984, Mylène recorded and released her first song, "Maman a tort". Laurent and Jérôme Dahan wrote it. The three continued to work together on Mylène's first album.

First Albums and Big Success (1984–1992)

Mylène Farmer's first album, Cendres de lune, came out in 1986. During its creation, they decided Mylène would write the song lyrics. Laurent would write the music and direct the music videos. "Libertine" was the first song released from the album. Its music video was like a short film, inspired by old books.

In 1988, Laurent and Mylène started working on her second album, Ainsi soit je.... This album sold 1.5 million copies in France. It gave Mylène her first number one song on the French charts, "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces". The album also included popular songs like "Sans contrefaçon" and a cover of "Déshabillez-moi". Ainsi soit je... was the best-selling album by a female artist in France during the 1980s.

After some successful small concerts, Mylène decided to go on a big tour in 1989. She performed 50 shows across French-speaking Europe. She played in large arenas with dancers and special outfits designed by Thierry Mugler. A live album from this tour, called En Concert, was released later that year.

Mylène released the song "Désenchantée" in March 1991. It was a fast-paced pop song about a generation feeling lost. The song became very popular and spent nine weeks at the top of the French singles chart. It became Mylène's most successful song and her signature song. It was also a number one hit in Belgium and a top ten hit in other European countries. Its music video, filmed in Budapest, showed Mylène as a prisoner trying to break free.

Because of the huge success of "Désenchantée", her album L'autre... was released in April 1991. The album stayed at the top of the French album charts for twenty weeks. It became Mylène's best-selling studio album, selling two million copies. The album also charted in Switzerland, Sweden, and Germany. To promote the album further, songs like "Regrets", "Je t'aime mélancolie", and "Beyond My Control" were released as singles.

In 1992, a collection of remixed songs called Dance Remixes was released.

New Sounds and Tours (1995–2000)

In 1994, Mylène starred in the film Giorgino, which Laurent Boutonnat wrote and directed. The movie didn't do well. After this, Mylène moved to Los Angeles.

While in the U.S., Mylène and Laurent started working on her fourth album, Anamorphosée. This album was a big change for Mylène. She moved away from her earlier synth-pop music. Instead, she added pop rock, R&B, and new jack swing influences. The album started with the song "XXL". Its music video was directed by Marcus Nispel. Other songs released from the album included "L'Instant X", "California", "Comme j'ai mal", and "Rêver". The music video for "California" was directed by American filmmaker Abel Ferrara. It showed Mylène playing two different characters. The album's lyrics were also different. "Rêver" talked about tolerance, "XXL" was about universal love, and "L'Instant X" looked at the end of the world in a funny way.

In the summer of 1996, Mylène went on her second concert tour. She performed 21 shows in arenas across France, Belgium, and Switzerland. She sang most of the songs from Anamorphosée, plus songs from her older albums. She also performed a cover of "La Poupée qui fait non" with French singer Khaled. A live album from this tour, Live à Bercy, was released in May 1997.

Mylène released her fifth album, Innamoramento, in 1999. The album began with "L'Âme-stram-gram", a fast techno song. Its music video was inspired by the film A Chinese Ghost Story. Both the song and the album reached number two on the French charts. The music video for the second song, "Je te rends ton amour", caused some discussion because of its strong images. It was censored by a French TV channel. So, the video was released on VHS, and the money earned was given to a charity that supports HIV/AIDS research. Other songs like "Souviens-toi du jour", "Optimistique-moi", and "Innamoramento" were also released from the album.

In late 1999, Mylène started her third concert tour, the Mylenium Tour. The stage had amazing aerial structures and a large statue in the middle. Mylène performed 42 shows in total, including three concerts in Russia. These were her first concerts in a country where French was not the main language. The tour finished in March 2000.

Helping Other Artists and More Hits (2000–2007)

In 2000, Mylène and Laurent started creating songs and video ideas for a younger singer. They found Alizée on a French TV show. Mylène and Laurent wrote and produced Alizée's albums Gourmandises (2001) and Mes courants électriques (2003). Mylène also helped Alizée with her public image. Alizée's first song, "Moi... Lolita", which Mylène wrote, became a number one hit in many European countries. It also sold over one million copies in France. In 2005, after two albums and a tour, Alizée decided to work with other songwriters and producers.

In 2001, Mylène recorded "L'Histoire d'une fée, c'est..." for the animated film Rugrats in Paris: The Movie. At the end of that year, Universal released Mylène's first collection of greatest hits: Les Mots. This album was the best-selling album of 2001 and 2002. It is still the best-selling greatest hits album in France, with over 1.5 million copies sold. The album also had new songs, including the title track, a duet with British singer Seal, "C'est une belle journée", and "Pardonne-moi".

After a four-year break, Mylène held a press conference in 2005. She announced her new album, Avant que l'ombre..., and the song "F... Them All". She also announced a special 13-night concert series at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in January 2006. The concerts had a very complex stage designed by Mark Fisher. It included two stages, a moving bridge, and a water curtain that could show words and Mylène's shape. A live album and a concert DVD, Avant que l'ombre... à Bercy, were released in December 2006.

After this, Mylène and American electronic musician Moby worked together. They made a French version of Moby's song "Slipping Away". Mylène translated the French lyrics herself. In 2007, Mylène recorded a song called "Devant soi" for the movie Jacquou le Croquant. She also lent her voice to Princess Selenia in Luc Besson's animated movie Arthur and the Minimoys. Mylène later voiced the princess in the movie's two sequels.

More Albums and Stadium Shows (2008–2014)

Mylène Farmer's seventh album, Point de Suture, was released on August 25, 2008. It went straight to number one on the French album chart. This album, along with its first song "Dégénération", had more electronic sounds and was mostly upbeat. Other songs released from the album included "Appelle mon numéro" and "C'est dans l'air". Both of these songs reached number one on the French singles chart.

Farmer on stage at Stade de France during her 2009 concert tour.

After the album's release, Mylène went on her fifth concert tour. This tour was called Mylène Farmer en tournée. For the first time in her career, Mylène played in stadiums. She performed at the Stade de France, Stade de Genève, and King Baudouin Stadium. She also played in many arenas in France and Russia. A live album from the tour, N°5 on Tour, was released on December 7, 2009. A DVD of her Stade de France concerts followed.

Mylène recorded a duet with French singer Line Renaud called "C'est pas l'heure". In November 2010, Mylène recorded her voice for a cover of "Never Tear Us Apart" with Ben Harper. This was for the Australian band INXS's album Original Sin.

2010 also saw the release of Mylène's eighth album, Bleu noir. Producers like RedOne, Moby, and the British band Archive worked on it. The album entered the French album chart at number one and stayed there for three weeks. It was the 9th best-selling album in France in 2010, selling over 300,000 copies in just three weeks. "Oui mais... non", the album's first song, was released in October 2010. It became Mylène's most successful song since 2002. To promote the album, the songs "Bleu Noir" and "Lonely Lisa" were also released.

Mylène's second greatest hits collection, 2001.2011, was released in late 2011. It included all the songs released as singles after her 2001 album Les Mots. It also featured a new song called "Du temps".

In early 2012, Mylène announced she was recording a new album. It was planned for release in late 2012. The first song, "À l'ombre", was played on the radio in October 2012. The album, Monkey Me, entered the French charts at number one in December 2012.

Farmer performing with Gary Jules in 2013

To support Bleu noir and Monkey Me, Mylène went on the Timeless 2013 concert tour. It started in September 2013. More than 500,000 people attended the tour, which visited arenas in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Belarus, and Russia. A live album of the tour was released in December. A film of the shows in Lyon was also released.

Recent Works and Tours (2015–Present)

In 2015, Mylène Farmer worked with French photographer Sylvie Lancrenon on a special book called Fragile.

In August 2015, a new website announced new music from Mylène. The first song released was "Stolen Car", a duet with Sting. Sting had originally recorded the song for his 2003 album Sacred Love. The song reached number one on the French and Belgian charts. It also marked Mylène's first time at the top of Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart. Her album, Interstellaires, was released on November 6, 2015. It became Mylène's 12th number one album in France. Mylène worked with American producer Martin Kierszenbaum and French DJ The Avener on the album. It also included a cover of "I Want You to Want Me" by the American rock band Cheap Trick. To promote the album and "Stolen Car" in the U.S., Mylène was interviewed on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon with Sting. They also performed the song live.

In 2017, it was announced that Mylène had signed a new record deal with Sony Music Entertainment France. In January 2018, the song "Rolling Stone" was released. It was her first song under her new label. This was followed by a duet with American singer-songwriter LP, called "N’oublie pas". LP co-wrote the song. The video, set in Iceland, marked the return of Mylène's long-time partner, Laurent Boutonnat. Mylène's eleventh album, Désobéissance, was released in September 2018. The album was very successful, topping the French album chart in its first week. Many people said it was Mylène's best album in 15 years.

To promote the albums Interstellaires and Désobéissance, Mylène started a nine-show concert series called Mylène Farmer 2019 at the Paris La Défense Arena in June 2019. A live album called Live 2019 was released in October that year.

In 2020, Mylène and Laurent started working with a new French singer named Julia. Julia's album Passe... comme tu sais was released on June 19, 2020. It featured songs written by Mylène and produced by Laurent.

2020 also saw the release of Mylène Farmer - L'Ultime Création. This was a behind-the-scenes documentary about her 2019 concerts. To promote the documentary and a new greatest hits album called Histoires de, a new song "L'âme dans l'eau" was announced. Its music video used footage from the documentary. Histoires de, a collection of live and studio recordings from 1984 to 2020, debuted at number two on the French charts on December 4, 2020.

In 2021, Mylène Farmer became a member of the jury at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.

Nevermore Tour and New Music (2022–Present)

The Nevermore 2023 tour was announced in July 2021. It started with teasers on Mylène's official YouTube channel. The tour originally included thirteen stadium concerts in France, Switzerland, and Belgium in June and July 2023. There were also plans for concerts in Russia, but these were canceled in March 2022.

On May 13, 2022, Pascal Nègre, Mylène's manager, announced that she was working on a new album. She was collaborating with musicians like Woodkid, AaRON, Moby, and Archive. The first song from that album, "À tout jamais", was released as a single on August 26. Its music video came out on September 12. In October, the album's name, "L'Emprise", was revealed through more teasers. The album was released on November 25 and reached the top of the album charts in France, Wallonia (Belgium), and Switzerland. The album also had three other singles: "Rayon Vert" (a duet with AaRon), "Rallumer Les Etoiles" (composed by Moby), and the title track "L'Emprise" (composed by Woodkid). "L'Emprise" is described as a return to the darker sounds of her earlier records. It mixes synth-pop, electropop, new wave, and baroque pop styles. The music mainly features violins, synthesizers, and drums.

In December 2022, the English rock band Muse released a surprise song. It was a two-language version of "Ghosts (How Can I Move On)" featuring Mylène Farmer singing with Matthew Bellamy. The song was played on the radio in Great Britain, France, the United States, and other countries. It briefly topped the French singles chart soon after its release.

The song "L'Emprise" was used as the closing music for the French version of the film "Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves". Mylène created a music video for this song that included parts of the film. The video was shown at the French premiere of the film in March 2023.

Mylène Farmer also contributed to Moby's album "Resound NYC". She recited the beginning of Arthur Rimbaud's poem "Une saison en enfer" for the song "Hyenas". The album was released on May 12, 2023.

Mylène Farmer performing "Que je devienne…" at the King Baudouin Stadium.

The Nevermore 2023 stadium tour began in Lille on June 3. However, the concerts planned for the Stade de France on June 30 and July 1 were canceled just hours before the first show. This was due to the Nahel Merzouk riots. The performances were later rescheduled for September 27 and 28, 2024. The long delay happened because the stadium was not available earlier due to the 2024 Summer Olympic games and other events. A third show at the Stade de France on October 1, 2024, was also added. It is expected that the rescheduled shows will have the same stage design, team members, and song list.

Remix XL was released on April 19, 2024. It contains 20 remixes of her classic and recent songs. It also features a brand new remix of "Désenchantée" by the DJ Feder. This remix was released digitally as the first song from the album in February. Mylène also re-recorded her voice for some of the songs on the album.

Mylène Farmer's Artistic Style

Mylène Farmer gets ideas from musicians, actors, and writers. She chose her stage name to honor the Hollywood actress Frances Farmer, whose life always interested her. Other film figures Mylène says inspire her include Greta Garbo, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Spielberg, and Andrei Tarkovsky. She has also named Depeche Mode, Kate Bush, and Jacques Brel as musical inspirations. In turn, Mylène's work has inspired many French music artists, including Christine and the Queens, Damso, and Gims.

Songwriting Style

Mylène Farmer is known for her poetic songwriting. Her lyrics often include deep ideas, symbols, and religious images. She also uses alliterations (words starting with the same sound) and new words. Common topics in her songs are death, religion, and love. Mylène's writing influences include famous authors like Charles Baudelaire, Edgar Allan Poe, Pierre Reverdy, Stefan Zweig, and Søren Kierkegaard.

Music Style

Musically, Mylène Farmer is usually described as a pop and French pop artist. However, she is known for changing her style with almost every album. All her albums between 1984 and 2008 were produced by her partner, Laurent Boutonnat. Her first albums, Cendres de lune, Ainsi soit je..., and L'Autre..., featured dark synth-pop and new wave sounds. In 1995, Anamorphosée was released, which had simpler lyrics and music influenced by pop rock. Innamoramento and Avant que l'ombre... are often described as mixing acoustic instruments with electronic beats. Mylène then experimented with electronica and club music on her 2008 album Point de suture.

In 2010, Mylène released her first album without Laurent Boutonnat, Bleu noir. It featured songs produced by RedOne, Moby, and the British band Archive. This album saw Mylène return to the darker synth-pop and Europop sound of her first album. For her 2012 album Monkey Me, Mylène worked with Laurent Boutonnat in the studio for the last time. Interstellaires, her tenth album, shows influences of pop rock and adult contemporary styles. It was produced by French DJ The Avener and Martin Kierszenbaum. On Désobéissance, Mylène worked with French DJ Feder, American singer-songwriter LP, and American producer Mike Del Rio. This album marked a return to electronic dance music.

Personal Life

Mylène Farmer does not talk about her private life in interviews or on social media. When she is not performing, she prefers to stay out of the public eye.

Mylène met American actor, singer, and guitarist Jeff Dahlgren on the set of their 1994 movie Giorgino. After the movie was not successful, the couple moved to Los Angeles. Jeff played the guitar on Mylène's 1990s albums Anamorphosée and Innamoramento. He also joined her on stage during her Mylenium Tour. Their relationship ended in 1999.

In 2002, Mylène started a relationship with French director and producer Benoît Di Sabatino. They met while creating the animated music video for Mylène's song "C'est une belle journée". Benoît also directed the music videos for "L'amour n'est rien..." in 2006 and "Appelle mon numéro" in 2008.

Filmography

Movies

Web Series

Discography

Tours

Concert Tours

• Mylène Farmer en concert (1989)
• Tour 1996 (1996)
• Mylenium Tour (1999–2000)
• Mylène Farmer en tournée (2009)
• Timeless (2013)
• Nevermore (2023–2024)

Concert Series

• Avant que l'ombre... à Bercy (2006)
• Mylène Farmer 2019 (2019)

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Mylène Farmer para niños

• List of artists who reached number one on the French Singles Chart