Julie Pietri
Encyclopedia
Julie Pietri is a French pop singer. She is part of the Pied-Noir
community (French repatriated from Algeria) and now lives in Paris. The general public knows her for her successful single, "Ève lève-toi
", which was number-one on the French SNEP Singles Chart (Top 50) in November 1986 (also released in English-language, under the title "Listen to Your Heart"). But Pietri is not just a "one-hit wonder
" : she has enjoyed moderate successes before and after this song, including "Magdalena", "Et c'est comme si", "Amoureux fous" as duet with Herbert Léonard
, "Nouvelle vie", "Si on parlait de ma vie", etc.
Regarded as a "muse of the 1980s" by a survey made by NRJ and Chérie FM, Julie Pietri passed unnoticed during the 1990s, notably because she became mother, before having again popularity in the 2000s.
. A few years later, she decided to live in Le Pecq
, in Saint Germain en Laye suburb.
At the age of fourteen years, Pietri formed a musical group named Transit, with whom she performed songs from artists including Véronique Sanson
, Janis Joplin
and Joe Cocker
. In 1975, th band released its first single : "On s'est laissé faire".
, she played the role of a gypsy.
In late 1979, Julie was chosen to record the song "Magdalena". It was successful, allowing the singer to record her first studio album in 1980 with the contribution of French composer Jean Schultheis and lyricist Jean-Marie Moreau. In 1981, she went for the first time on stage of the Olympia with Sacha Distel
. Seduced by her voice, he invited her to participate in his show and to sing with him two songs as duets.
In 1982, Pietri met success with "Je veux croire", a post-disco
song with gospel
sounds. She then decided to start writing her first song and chose to adapt in French-language The Kinks
's hit "I go to sleep", which was covered at the time by The Pretenders
. The song was entitled "Et c'est comme si" and became one of the singer's best-selling singles.
The following year, Pietri associated her voice to French singer Herbert Leonard
and they formed a couple on stage and sang "Amoureux fous" ; their romantic duet received was generally well-received by the public. Other singles followed including "Tora Tora Tora" and "À force de toi" (a cover of "I Should Have Known Better
" performed by Jim Diamond
) which supported the release of her new album in 1985, À force de toi. Meanwhile, she founded her own line of makeup. She was again invited to perform at the Olympia during a show by Belgian singer Frédéric François
. She decided to take a break.
At the time, Julie was her stage name.
". The song reached number-one of French Singles Chart and is widely aired on radio for several months. At that time, Pietri was very promoted through the media. The success of the song exceeded the borders of France and encouraged the singer to record an English version, entitled "Listen to your heart".
Le Premier Jour, her new album, was co-written by the singer and revealed her Eastern roots. In December 1987, the song "Nuit sans issue" was released at the same time of the album release, composed by Vincent-Marie Bouvot. A few months later, she participated in a charity song with other artists for the boat people in Southeast Asia : "Dernier Matin d'Asie". In December, the singer gave a series of concerts at the Olympia, followed by a tour through France. She sang "Nouvelle Vie", the second success of the album, and did a cover version of "Non, je ne regrette rien" by Édith Piaf
and "La vie ne m'apprend rien by Daniel Balavoine
. In 1988, she shot the music video for her new single, "Immortelle".
In spring 1989, Pietri came back with a new look (blazing red hair) and told "La légende des madones" ("The Legend of Madonnas") in a new album. This one had more rock sounds than the previous ones. Julie asked the singer-composer Daran which to compose two of the eleven tracks of the album ("Feeling en noir" et "Joh-Daï"). The first single was "Salammbô
", a song inspired by the female character created by Gustave Flaubert
. In July, accompanied by classical musicians, she celebrated the bicentenary of the French Revolution in Paris as the sponsor of the festivities. In 1990, she released the third single from the album, "Étrangère", and started a concert tour in France during the summer. She also accepted to published sensual photo on French magazine Lui'.
In March 1992, Julie Pietri gave birth of Manon and decided to stop her professional career to devote fully to her daughter. The same year, a compilation and a double compilation were released.
" was re-entitled "Je pense à nous". During the summer, she was requested by France 2
to record the ballad "Canto di Sorenza" with the Corsican polyphonic choir Voce di Corsica. She recorded this song for the credits of the TV movie Dans un grand vent de fleurs, aired in September and October.
In the late 1990s, the singer didn't appear in the madia. She then became ambassador of Dermolifteur, a brand of beauty products.
In June 2000, she recorded a dance version of "Ève lève-toi
" especially for the European compilation Euro Pride 2000. A best of entitled Ève lève-toi was released the same year. The singer renewed with the stage giving a concert at the Théâtre of Boulogne Billancourt in February 2001. She toured again during summers and participated in many television shows, including "Tube d'un jour, tubes de toujours", "La chanson n°1", "Les vainqueurs de l'année", "Absolument 80"...). She recorded a new duet with Herbert Léonard, entitled "Orient Express".
). In September, Pietri released her album-concept "Lumières", composing of cover versions including "Lettre à France" by Michel Polnareff
, and new songs as well. The album was followed by the single "Si on parlait de ma vie" in 2004, which peaked at #43 in France.
In 2006, a DVD collector of the Olympia of 1987 is released with bonus material such as four clips and an interview-report on the artist. In March, Julie gives three concerts in the Duc des Lombards, a famous jazz club in Paris. The music style of her repertory is at that time turned into a jazzy mood.
The year after, the DVD collection is completed by a CD + DVD bonus edit. In May and June, Julie Pietri records the songs of her new album called "Autour de minuit". To realize this album, she chose a new artistic team and worked on a concept blending jazzy tones to great French songs. The first single is a cover of a song of Etienne Daho
intitled "Des Heures hindoues".
At the beginning of November, Pietri presented her jazzy song recital in Paris at the Scène Bastille and again then at the Bataclan
. At the end of these concerts, a collector edit of her new album (limited to 1,000 copies) with a photo booklet was released.
Pied-noir
Pied-Noir , plural Pieds-Noirs, pronounced , is a term referring to French citizens of various origins who lived in French Algeria before independence....
community (French repatriated from Algeria) and now lives in Paris. The general public knows her for her successful single, "Ève lève-toi
Ève lève-toi
"Ève lève-toi" is a pop single recorded by French Julie Pietri from her third album Le Premier Jour, and was released in August 1986. It is the best-known song of this artist and can be considered as her signature song...
", which was number-one on the French SNEP Singles Chart (Top 50) in November 1986 (also released in English-language, under the title "Listen to Your Heart"). But Pietri is not just a "one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
" : she has enjoyed moderate successes before and after this song, including "Magdalena", "Et c'est comme si", "Amoureux fous" as duet with Herbert Léonard
Herbert Léonard
Herbert Léonard né Hubert Loenhard is principally known as a singer, however, he is also a specialist of Russian airplanes from World War II...
, "Nouvelle vie", "Si on parlait de ma vie", etc.
Regarded as a "muse of the 1980s" by a survey made by NRJ and Chérie FM, Julie Pietri passed unnoticed during the 1990s, notably because she became mother, before having again popularity in the 2000s.
Early years
Pietri spent the first five years of her life in Algeria. In 1962, because of the independence gained by the country, her family was forced to exile in France. Thereafter, she decided to return to North Africa, in CasablancaCasablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
. A few years later, she decided to live in Le Pecq
Le Pecq
Le Pecq is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the center.-Geography:...
, in Saint Germain en Laye suburb.
At the age of fourteen years, Pietri formed a musical group named Transit, with whom she performed songs from artists including Véronique Sanson
Véronique Sanson
Véronique Sanson is a two-time Victoires de la Musique Award-winning French singer-songwriter, musician, and producer with an avid following in her native country.She brings a very personal vocal style to the singing of French pop songs: Her voice has a very strong vibrato.Unlike...
, Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin
Janis Lyn Joplin was an American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer and music arranger. She rose to prominence in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist with her backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band...
and Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
. In 1975, th band released its first single : "On s'est laissé faire".
Beginnings of the singing career
Then, after two years of studying speech therapy, she began working with artists such as Le Bande à Basile. In this festive music band, whose costumes were inspired by the Commedia dell'arteCommedia dell'arte
Commedia dell'arte is a form of theatre characterized by masked "types" which began in Italy in the 16th century, and was responsible for the advent of the actress and improvised performances based on sketches or scenarios. The closest translation of the name is "comedy of craft"; it is shortened...
, she played the role of a gypsy.
In late 1979, Julie was chosen to record the song "Magdalena". It was successful, allowing the singer to record her first studio album in 1980 with the contribution of French composer Jean Schultheis and lyricist Jean-Marie Moreau. In 1981, she went for the first time on stage of the Olympia with Sacha Distel
Sacha Distel
Sacha Distel was a French singer and guitarist who had hits with a cover version of the Academy Award-winning "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" , "Scoubidou", and "The Good Life". He was born in Paris.-Career:Sacha Distel, born Alexandre Distel, was a son of Russian White émigré Leonid Distel...
. Seduced by her voice, he invited her to participate in his show and to sing with him two songs as duets.
In 1982, Pietri met success with "Je veux croire", a post-disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
song with gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
sounds. She then decided to start writing her first song and chose to adapt in French-language The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
's hit "I go to sleep", which was covered at the time by The Pretenders
The Pretenders
The Pretenders are an English rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde , James Honeyman-Scott , Pete Farndon , and Martin Chambers...
. The song was entitled "Et c'est comme si" and became one of the singer's best-selling singles.
The following year, Pietri associated her voice to French singer Herbert Leonard
Herbert Léonard
Herbert Léonard né Hubert Loenhard is principally known as a singer, however, he is also a specialist of Russian airplanes from World War II...
and they formed a couple on stage and sang "Amoureux fous" ; their romantic duet received was generally well-received by the public. Other singles followed including "Tora Tora Tora" and "À force de toi" (a cover of "I Should Have Known Better
I Should Have Known Better (Jim Diamond song)
"I Should Have Known Better" was a UK number one single for one week in December 1984 for Jim Diamond. The song was displaced after one week by Frankie Goes to Hollywood's song "The Power of Love"...
" performed by Jim Diamond
Jim Diamond (Scottish musician)
James "Jim" Diamond is a Scottish singer-songwriter. Diamond is best known for his three Top 5 hits. The first was "I Won't Let You Down" , as the lead singer in the trio Ph.D., with Tony Hymas and Simon Phillips. His solo performance, "I Should Have Known Better", was a United Kingdom number one...
) which supported the release of her new album in 1985, À force de toi. Meanwhile, she founded her own line of makeup. She was again invited to perform at the Olympia during a show by Belgian singer Frédéric François
Frédéric François
Frédéric François is a Belgian – Italian singer, born in Sicily, near Palermo.-Biography:In 1952, his family left his village to settle in Wallonia, Tilleur . When he was 12, he bought a guitar and sang at night in cabarets after work at the mine, with his father...
. She decided to take a break.
At the time, Julie was her stage name.
Solo career
In 1986, the singer comes back on stage using her complete name, Julie Pietri, and had a significant success with "Ève lève-toiÈve lève-toi
"Ève lève-toi" is a pop single recorded by French Julie Pietri from her third album Le Premier Jour, and was released in August 1986. It is the best-known song of this artist and can be considered as her signature song...
". The song reached number-one of French Singles Chart and is widely aired on radio for several months. At that time, Pietri was very promoted through the media. The success of the song exceeded the borders of France and encouraged the singer to record an English version, entitled "Listen to your heart".
Le Premier Jour, her new album, was co-written by the singer and revealed her Eastern roots. In December 1987, the song "Nuit sans issue" was released at the same time of the album release, composed by Vincent-Marie Bouvot. A few months later, she participated in a charity song with other artists for the boat people in Southeast Asia : "Dernier Matin d'Asie". In December, the singer gave a series of concerts at the Olympia, followed by a tour through France. She sang "Nouvelle Vie", the second success of the album, and did a cover version of "Non, je ne regrette rien" by Édith Piaf
Édith Piaf
Édith Piaf , born Édith Giovanna Gassion, was a French singer and cultural icon who became widely regarded as France's greatest popular singer. Her singing reflected her life, with her specialty being ballads...
and "La vie ne m'apprend rien by Daniel Balavoine
Daniel Balavoine
Daniel Balavoine was a French singer and songwriter. He was hugely popular in the French-speaking world, and inspired many singers in the 1980s, such as Jean-Jacques Goldman, and Michel Berger, his closest friend...
. In 1988, she shot the music video for her new single, "Immortelle".
In spring 1989, Pietri came back with a new look (blazing red hair) and told "La légende des madones" ("The Legend of Madonnas") in a new album. This one had more rock sounds than the previous ones. Julie asked the singer-composer Daran which to compose two of the eleven tracks of the album ("Feeling en noir" et "Joh-Daï"). The first single was "Salammbô
Salammbô
Salammbô may refer to:*Salammbô , the original novel by Gustave Flaubert*Salammbô , an unfinished opera, based on Flaubert's novel, on which Modest Mussorgsky worked between 1863 and 1866...
", a song inspired by the female character created by Gustave Flaubert
Gustave Flaubert
Gustave Flaubert was a French writer who is counted among the greatest Western novelists. He is known especially for his first published novel, Madame Bovary , and for his scrupulous devotion to his art and style.-Early life and education:Flaubert was born on December 12, 1821, in Rouen,...
. In July, accompanied by classical musicians, she celebrated the bicentenary of the French Revolution in Paris as the sponsor of the festivities. In 1990, she released the third single from the album, "Étrangère", and started a concert tour in France during the summer. She also accepted to published sensual photo on French magazine Lui'.
In March 1992, Julie Pietri gave birth of Manon and decided to stop her professional career to devote fully to her daughter. The same year, a compilation and a double compilation were released.
The transition
In 1995, the album Féminin singulière was released and contained new versions of Pietri's previous hits, arranged by Jean-Pierre Pilot, plus some new songs written by Julie Pietri and mainly composed by François Bernheim. She regularly performed in Paris at the Petit Journal Montparnasse, then at the Café Opus in an intimate relation with her audience. In 1996, she recovered The Pretenders' hit but in French-language : "I'll Stand by YouI'll Stand by You
"I'll Stand by You" is a 1994 song recorded by The Pretenders from their sixth studio album, Last of the Independents. Written by Chrissie Hynde in collaboration with the songwriting team of Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg , it was the Pretenders' most recent significant hit single, and their last...
" was re-entitled "Je pense à nous". During the summer, she was requested by France 2
France 2
France 2 is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4, France 5 and France Ô...
to record the ballad "Canto di Sorenza" with the Corsican polyphonic choir Voce di Corsica. She recorded this song for the credits of the TV movie Dans un grand vent de fleurs, aired in September and October.
In the late 1990s, the singer didn't appear in the madia. She then became ambassador of Dermolifteur, a brand of beauty products.
In June 2000, she recorded a dance version of "Ève lève-toi
Ève lève-toi
"Ève lève-toi" is a pop single recorded by French Julie Pietri from her third album Le Premier Jour, and was released in August 1986. It is the best-known song of this artist and can be considered as her signature song...
" especially for the European compilation Euro Pride 2000. A best of entitled Ève lève-toi was released the same year. The singer renewed with the stage giving a concert at the Théâtre of Boulogne Billancourt in February 2001. She toured again during summers and participated in many television shows, including "Tube d'un jour, tubes de toujours", "La chanson n°1", "Les vainqueurs de l'année", "Absolument 80"...). She recorded a new duet with Herbert Léonard, entitled "Orient Express".
"Retour gagnant"
The TV broadcast "Retour gagnant", aired in May 2003, gave a new dimension to her career thanks to her successful cover of "Vivre pour le meilleur" (originally performed by the French singer Johnny HallydayJohnny Hallyday
Johnny Hallyday is a French singer and actor. An icon in the French-speaking world since the beginning of his career, he was considered by some to have been the French Elvis Presley. He was married for 15 years to one of the most popular French female singers: Sylvie Vartan...
). In September, Pietri released her album-concept "Lumières", composing of cover versions including "Lettre à France" by Michel Polnareff
Michel Polnareff
Michel Polnareff, born in Nérac on 3 July 1944, is a French singer-songwriter who was very popular from the mid-1960s until the early 1980s...
, and new songs as well. The album was followed by the single "Si on parlait de ma vie" in 2004, which peaked at #43 in France.
In 2006, a DVD collector of the Olympia of 1987 is released with bonus material such as four clips and an interview-report on the artist. In March, Julie gives three concerts in the Duc des Lombards, a famous jazz club in Paris. The music style of her repertory is at that time turned into a jazzy mood.
The year after, the DVD collection is completed by a CD + DVD bonus edit. In May and June, Julie Pietri records the songs of her new album called "Autour de minuit". To realize this album, she chose a new artistic team and worked on a concept blending jazzy tones to great French songs. The first single is a cover of a song of Etienne Daho
Étienne Daho
Étienne Daho is a French singer, songwriter and record producer who has released a number of synth-driven and rock-surf influenced pop hit singles since 1981.- Career :...
intitled "Des Heures hindoues".
At the beginning of November, Pietri presented her jazzy song recital in Paris at the Scène Bastille and again then at the Bataclan
Bataclan (theatre)
The Bataclan is a "salle de spectacle" at 50 boulevard Voltaire in the 11th arrondissement of Paris. It was built in 1864 by the architect Charles Duval. Its name refers to Ba-Ta-Clan, an operetta by Offenbach...
. At the end of these concerts, a collector edit of her new album (limited to 1,000 copies) with a photo booklet was released.
Albums
- 1980 : Julie
- 1985 : À force de toi
- 1987 : Le premier jour
- 1989 : La légende des madones – #39 in France
- 1995 : Féminin singulière – #23 in France
- 2003 : Lumières – #72 in France
- 2007 : Julie Pietri à l'Olympia
- 2007 : Autour de minuit
Compilations
- 1992 : Collection or
- 1992 : Double collection or
- 1995 : Collection Gold (reedition Collection or)
- 2000 : Ève lève-toi – #124 in France
- 2001 : Les indispensables de Julie Pietri (reedition Collection or)
Singles
- 1979 : "Magdalena"
- 1980 : "Merci"
- 1980 : "J'me maquille blues"
- 1981 : "Let's Fall in Love"
- 1982 : "Je veux croire"
- 1982 : "Et c'est comme si"
- 1983 : "Amoureux fous" (duet with Herbert Léonard)
- 1984 : "Ma délivrance"
- 1984 : "Dernier appel"
- 1984 : "Tora tora tora"
- 1985 : "À force de toi"
- 1985 : "La chanson de la vie"
- 1986 : "Ève lève-toiÈve lève-toi"Ève lève-toi" is a pop single recorded by French Julie Pietri from her third album Le Premier Jour, and was released in August 1986. It is the best-known song of this artist and can be considered as her signature song...
" – #1 in France, Gold - 1986 : "Listen to your heart"
- 1987 : "Nuit sans issue"
- 1987 : "Nouvelle vie" – #31 in France
- 1987 : "Dernier matin d'Asie"
- 1988 : "Immortelle"
- 1989 : "Salammbô"
- 1989 : "Priez pour elle"
- 1990 : "Étrangère"
- 1994 : "Devinez-moi"
- 1996 : "Je pense à nous"
- 1996 : "Dans un grand vent de fleurs" – #36 in France
- 2002 : "Orient Express" (duet with Herbert Léonard) – #88 in France
- 2004 : "Si on parlait de ma vie" – #43 in France
- 2007 : "Des heures hindoues"
Videos
- 1988 : Julie Pietri en concert (VHS Olympia 1987)
- 2006 : Julie Pietri à l'Olympia (DVD)
- 2007 : Julie Pietri à l'Olympia (CD + DVD bonus)
- 2008 : Julie Pietri & le Music Art Orchestra – Live au Bataclan
- 2009 : Autour de minuit – L'intégrale (CD/DVD – limited edition)