Michel Berger

Michel Hamburger, known as Michel Berger, born on 28 November 1947 in Neuilly-sur-Seine and died on 2 August 1992 in Ramatuelle, in the Var, was a French singer, singer-songwriter, pianist, artistic director, and musical arranger.

During a thirty-year career (1963-1992), interrupted by his sudden death, he left his mark on French and Francophone music, composing, writing, and producing artists as diverse as Bourvil, Véronique Sanson, Françoise Hardy, Johnny Hallyday, and especially his wife France Gall. He was also sought after by Elton John (duet Donner pour donner with France Gall) and composed the music for the rock operas Starmania (1978) and La Légende de Jimmy (1990) with librettos by the Canadian Luc Plamondon, the first of which has sold over 3 million copies since its creation and is thus among the 10 greatest Francophone successes of all time. The cast of Starmania, renewed several times during the artist's lifetime, gave a chance to a significant number of young singers from the Francophone scene of the 1980s, including Daniel Balavoine, Fabienne Thibeault, Maurane, and Renaud Hantson, and later, Bruno Pelletier.

In parallel but more confidentially, he composed the music for five films between 1970 and 1987.

Before his sudden death at the age of 44, he planned to pursue his career in the United States, as he was fascinated by Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, and Ray Charles.

More than thirty years after his passing, his influence remains significant on the French music scene.