Kaya (Canadian singer)
Encyclopedia
Francis Martin Lavergne better known as Kaya (born in Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada
on 28 August 1968) is a Canadian singer.
Upon recovery from his accident he sang in appearances on regional television and radio and in 1978 he signed with a manager, Yvon Plamondon. He soon after obtained a role in Starmania, a rock opera
written by Luc Plamondon
and Michel Berger
and then made his first record and an hour-long programme for Canadian television. He went on to make over 250 performances in Starmania before having to stop in 1981 when his voice broke.
CBS Records
signed him in 1988, the same year that he signed a writing contract with ATV Music Publishing and signed with Daniel Lachance to be his manager.
Martin then recorded his third album in French, entitled Drôle de Nuit, in New York. He scored his first radio hit with Elle ne c plus. This song reach top of the radio chart. Two of the album's songs reach number 1 in the charts of French-speaking Canadian radio stations.
He changed manager again in 1990, signing with Ben Kaye. He went on to record his fourth album, this time on the Sony Music label. Four songs from this were hits in French-speaking Canada.
In 1994, his 5th album is released with Sony. Sales are not as high as expected but Sony offers him a new multi-million-dollar contract for several years. After meeting a 19-year-old woman suffering from leukemia, a fan of his, who died days after his visit, he quits his career with Sony Music and go into retreat and travel.
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on 28 August 1968) is a Canadian singer.
Youth
Early in his youth he was a soloist in the local church choir, and won some singing competitions and participated in the Saguenay-Lac St Jean summer concerts in front of over 25,000 people.Upon recovery from his accident he sang in appearances on regional television and radio and in 1978 he signed with a manager, Yvon Plamondon. He soon after obtained a role in Starmania, a rock opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
written by Luc Plamondon
Luc Plamondon
Luc Plamondon, OC, CQ is a French-Canadian lyricist.-Career:Plamondon has written for many artists, notably the Québécois singers Bruno Pelletier, Diane Dufresne, Robert Charlebois, Céline Dion, Ginette Reno, Fabienne Thibeault, Martine St. Clair, and Garou, as well as the French singers Julien...
and Michel Berger
Michel Berger
Michel Berger , born Michel Jean Hamburger, was a very successful French singer and songwriter. He was a central figure of France's pop music scene for two decades both as a singer and as a songwriter for well-known French artists like his wife France Gall, Françoise Hardy and Johnny Hallyday...
and then made his first record and an hour-long programme for Canadian television. He went on to make over 250 performances in Starmania before having to stop in 1981 when his voice broke.
Return to music, 1980s
He returned to singing and recording in 1984 but his two albums met with little success. Between 1985-1987 he studied classical music at the Vincent-D'Indy school of music in Outremont, while continuing with studio work and beginning to write songs himself.CBS Records
CBS Records
CBS Records is a record label founded by CBS Corporation in 2006 to take advantage of music from its entertainment properties owned by CBS Television Studios. The initial label roster consisted of only three artists; rock band Señor Happy and singer/songwriters Will Dailey and P.J...
signed him in 1988, the same year that he signed a writing contract with ATV Music Publishing and signed with Daniel Lachance to be his manager.
Martin then recorded his third album in French, entitled Drôle de Nuit, in New York. He scored his first radio hit with Elle ne c plus. This song reach top of the radio chart. Two of the album's songs reach number 1 in the charts of French-speaking Canadian radio stations.
He changed manager again in 1990, signing with Ben Kaye. He went on to record his fourth album, this time on the Sony Music label. Four songs from this were hits in French-speaking Canada.
- His fourth album Quand on se donne is certified gold.
- Nominated Most Promising Vocalist at the Juno AwardJuno AwardThe Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
in Vancouver (Canada) - Concert tour with Céline DionCeline DionCéline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
- Preparation of an English album with Aldo NovaAldo NovaAldo Nova is a Canadian guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist and producer, Nova gained fame with his self-titled debut album Aldo Nova in 1981, and its accompanying single "Fantasy", which climbed to #23 on the Billboard Hot 100.-Career:Signing with Portrait Records, Nova released a self-produced...
…
In 1994, his 5th album is released with Sony. Sales are not as high as expected but Sony offers him a new multi-million-dollar contract for several years. After meeting a 19-year-old woman suffering from leukemia, a fan of his, who died days after his visit, he quits his career with Sony Music and go into retreat and travel.