Philippe Lafontaine
Encyclopedia
Philippe Lafontaine is a Belgian singer and composer
.
Lafontaine was born in Gosselies
, Belgium
. He spent a short time in a Jesuit college that he left at 17 to pursue a career in music. His first successes came from the writing and recording of jingles for television commercials (including Stella Artois
and Coca Cola. Throughout the 1980s he joined the musical comedy Brel en mille temps, touring in Dakar
, Moscow
, and then Leningrad, Saint Petersburg
. Lafontaine released three albums. The song "Coeur de Loup" was his first big hit and launched his career once and for all in Europe. The song garnered many awards in Belgium
, France
and Quebec
. He represented Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 1990
in Zagreb
with his own composition "Macédomienne
" dedicated to his Macedonian wife, ending in 12th place. In 2001, he ventured for a 2nd time in musical comedy, composing Celia Fee, a musical for children and adults alike. His lyrics are known for being full of double entendres.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Lafontaine was born in Gosselies
Gosselies
Gosselies is a section of the Belgian town of Charleroi within the Walloon region in the Province of Hainaut. It was a commune of its own before the merger of the communes in 1977. Gosselies is the home for the headquarters of Caterpillar Belgium, and Solar Turbines Europe....
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. He spent a short time in a Jesuit college that he left at 17 to pursue a career in music. His first successes came from the writing and recording of jingles for television commercials (including Stella Artois
Stella Artois
Stella Artois is a 5% ABV lager brewed in Leuven, Belgium since 1926. In the UK, Canada and New Zealand a 4% ABV version is also available.-Production:...
and Coca Cola. Throughout the 1980s he joined the musical comedy Brel en mille temps, touring in Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, and then Leningrad, Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
. Lafontaine released three albums. The song "Coeur de Loup" was his first big hit and launched his career once and for all in Europe. The song garnered many awards in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and 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....
. He represented Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 1990
Eurovision Song Contest 1990
The Eurovision Song Contest 1990, the 35th in the series, was held in Zagreb, Yugoslavia on 5 May 1990. The presenters were Helga Vlahović Brnobić and Oliver Mlakar. Toto Cutugno was the winner of this contest with the song "Insieme: 1992"...
in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
with his own composition "Macédomienne
Macédomienne
"Macédomienne" was the Belgian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1990, performed in French by Philippe Lafontaine, who also composed the song...
" dedicated to his Macedonian wife, ending in 12th place. In 2001, he ventured for a 2nd time in musical comedy, composing Celia Fee, a musical for children and adults alike. His lyrics are known for being full of double entendres.
Albums
- Ou...? (1978)
- Pourvu Que Ca Roule (1981)
- Charmez (1987)
- Fa Ma No Ni Ma (1989)
- Affaire (À Suivre) (1988)
- Machine À Larmes (1992)
- D'ici (1994)
- Folklores Imagninaires (1996)
- Compilation Attitudes (1997)
- Pour Toujours (1998)
- Fond De Scene Live (1999)
- De L'autre Rive (2003)