Michel Berger's 72nd Birthday

Today’s animated video Doodle, made in collaboration with Lyon-based animation studio Souviens Ten-Zan (STZ), celebrates French singer-songwriter Michel Berger on his 72nd birthday. Working with some of the biggest names of French music, Berger became a French pop music staple. The song featured in today’s Doodle, “Celui qui chante,” was composed and performed by Berger and spreads a message of positivity and acceptance that still resonates today.

Berger was trained in classical piano at an early age. A gifted pianist like his mother, Berger’s musical interest went beyond those of the symphonies he practiced daily, taking inspiration from artists like Ray Charles to explore varied sounds and arrangements.

French popular music of the 1960s was dominated by Yé-Yé artists. Inspired by American rock music of the same era, jazz, and French chanson, to name a few, Yé-Yé music became synonymous with youth culture and paved the way for Berger to enter the music industry.

A record label’s open casting call for young musicians produced Berger’s first commercial success as a singer with the release of his second single, “Tu n'y crois pas,” featured on the radio before he graduated high school.

By the mid-1970s, Berger began working with his future wife, singer France Gall. The former Eurovision winner and Yé-Yé artist became one of France’s highest-selling female singers. The pair became household names, producing a number of hit albums together, while Berger continued producing his own popular records in parallel. Berger’s reputation as a songwriter led to a notable collaboration with Elton John. Together, the duo produced “Donner pour Donner,” with Gall and John on vocals.

Berger’s music gained rapid popularity for its heartfelt lyrics, making it a mainstay in the French pop scene. Later in his career, he was inspired to help those in need through his participation in the Song for Ethiopia benefit concert, becoming an advocate for children’s philanthropy causes.

Merci et bon anniversaire, Michel Berger!

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