Gilbert Bécaud

Gilbert Bécaud, born François Gilbert Léopold Silly on 24 October 1927 in Toulon and passed away on 18 December 2001 in Boulogne-Billancourt, was a French singer, composer, and pianist.

During his career, he performed thirty-three times on the Olympia stage, where he earned his nickname "Monsieur 100 000 volts" due to his sense of swing, the passions he ignited, and his fans who, often in his early days, would break chairs out of enthusiasm. He leaves behind the image of an energetic man, always in motion. His polka-dot tie, his approximately nine hundred songs, and his hand on his ear (a spontaneous gesture, almost a tic) are other specific images that have left their mark.

Mes mains, Nathalie, Le Jour où la pluie viendra, Je t'appartiens, and Et maintenant are among the artist's great songs. His international career allowed him to record his songs in English, German, Italian, and Spanish.

Several of his compositions became hits abroad, particularly in the United States (What Now My Love for Et maintenant, Let It Be Me for Je t'appartiens…).