Chimène Badi

All Music Guide:

French pop chanteuse Chimène Badi vaulted to national fame via the hit reality TV talent showcase Pop Stars. Born in the Paris suburb of Melun on October 30, 1982, Badi grew up in the south of France, and at age six made her musical debut at a local amateur contest. While studying agriculture she recorded a series of demo tapes, but found no interest from labels. In 2002, Badi auditioned for the second season of the M6 Network's Pop Stars, and while she failed to move on to the finals, her powerhouse performances attracted the attention of juror Valéry Zeitoun, the director of the AZ label, who immediately extended a contract offer. Badi's debut single, the Rick Allison-penned ballad "Entre Nous," became a huge hit, selling more than a million copies between the French, Swiss, and Belgian markets and lent its title to her debut LP, released in early 2003. The follow-up singles "Je Vais Te Chercher" and "Si J'avais Su T'aimer" both topped the French charts, establishing Badi as the spiritual heir to the power ballad tradition of Celine Dion, and in mid-2003 she toured in support of French pop legend Johnny Hallyday. Her sophomore album, Dis-Moi Que Tu M'aimes, followed in the autumn of 2004, generating three number one hits: "Je Ne Sais Pas Son Nom," "Retomber Amoureux," and "Je Viens du Sud." The concert set Live à l'Olympia, documenting Badi's February 2005 appearances at the legendary Paris music hall, hit retail in early 2006, and was swiftly followed up by her third studio album Le Miroir. Fans would then have to wait a whole four years for her return, which finally came in the shape of Laisse les Dire, and saw Chimène become mononymous. Back in the swing of things, she wasted no time in recording her next album, 2011's Gospel & Soul, where she gave her own interpretation of classic French and American standards and traditionals.

Wikipedia:

Chimène Badi (born October 30, 1982 in Melun, Seine-et-Marne), also known by her mononym Chimène, is a French singer of Algerian descent.

Early life [edit]

Badi was born in Melun in the Paris suburbs to a family of Algerian origin. She spent her entire childhood in the south-west of France, growing up in Villeneuve-sur-Lot with her parents, Chérifa and Mohammed, her sister, Déborah, and her brother, Karim. Her sister Déborah encouraged her to persevere with her singing and Chimène went on to hone her vocal style still further, performing at family parties and regional song contests from the age of six.

Badi also made her mark at her school's end-of-year shows, wowing the audience with her confident vocal performance. Teachers barely recognised her since, when she was off stage, Badi was a notoriously shy pupil, given to daydreaming and complexes about her appearance. Meanwhile, she plugged away at her studies, going on to obtain a "BEP" in agribusiness.

Musical career [edit]

Badi did not win the French reality TV show, Popstars, but she released her first single Entre Nous in 2003, which reached number 1 in the French charts. An album of the same name reached number 4 in domestic charts, and became the 5th best selling French album of 2003.

Badi's follow-up albums and singles enjoyed moderate success in Francophone Europe, including Wallonia and Switzerland. She also provided the French language theme song to The Day After Tomorrow - "Le Jour d'après" (The Day After).

In 2011, Badi covered the soul classic "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" with American singer Billy Paul.

She is also expected to join the Glee cast as a guest star.