From a very young age, when he attended his first show, Patrick Bruel knew that one day he too would take the stage. An idea that will accompany him until his rise to the top. In this new biography, the lover of music, theater and cinema is illuminated through anecdotes and many happy encounters from a 40-year career.
The 63-year-old French singer-songwriter, actor and producer has had a distinguished career.
It is the author Frédéric Quinonero, who has only good words for his subject, who has decided to highlight Bruel’s 40-year career by writing a biography different from what we usually see. Richly illustrated, the work of a lifetime is told through themes, associating each letter of the alphabet with a word related to something that shaped the singer. A primer.
For example, the letter Q is associated with Quebec, where it knew how to conquer its audience. We return to the love story that binds Bruel and Quebecer. Since 1992 he has given many concerts. We will remember his 2008 show on the Plains of Quebec (rather than Montreal, as the author states) during celebrations of Quebec City’s 400th anniversary. He will also return there in 2015 during the Festival d’été de Québec.
For the letter O there is a special allusion to his love of olive trees. Bruel has invested in exploiting a domain of 20 hectares of olive trees to produce olive oil. In his opinion, a safe bet.
Bruelmania
After a few failures and several unsuccessful attempts, Patrick Bruel, originally from Tlemcen in Algeria, had significant media success in the early 1990s.
However, the singer almost gave it all up when he was hired as a GO at a Club Meb in Mexico.
He doesn’t always get the coveted roles in film auditions. Back then, in the early 1980s, he turned to theater before devoting himself to music. He will attempt an acting class, but it will only last two hours. He gives up. Nevertheless, he will not forget his dream, which gripped him at the age of 14 after attending a Rolling Stones concert. Bruel is ready for anything.
Then success finally sets in. With determination, the Olympia in Paris will open the doors for him. Dubbed “Bruelmania,” his fans on both sides of the Atlantic fill the spaces on his way.
During his career he will make many encounters that will shape the revered singer who has sold more than 15 million albums and is the author of nine albums. Johnny Hallyday, Patrick Fiori, Celine Dion, Lara Fabian Charles Aznavour are among the artists he has had the privilege of meeting over the years and with whom he has sometimes shared the stage.
In 2019, however, his achievements are somewhat marred by allegations of sexual misconduct, including alleged allegations of sexual display and sexual harassment.
A fan
In addition to music and cinema, Bruel is also passionate about soccer and even more so about poker. And there is no dead hand. While we don’t know everything, we do learn that he’s set to win $1.5 million in a tournament in 2018 alone.
In addition, there is certainly his passion for women and not just any women, younger women, always younger than him and of course very beautiful women. First there was his first wife, Amanda Sthers, a French writer, director and screenwriter, with whom he had two children, Oscar and Léon. The marriage lasted only three years. Among those who counted was Celine Bosquet, model and television presenter, with whom he lived. They split up three years later. He then shared his life with Danish model Caroline Nielsen for four years.
His latest acquisition, Clémence, with whom he has been dating for just over a year. She is only 27 years old and 35 years younger than her.
Patrice Bruel has received several prizes and awards
- In cinema, he won a César for Best Actor for Le Prénom in 2013. He also performed the play by Matthieu Delaporte and Alexandre de La Patellière at the theatre.
- He has been a Knight of the National Order of Merit since 1996.
- He has also been a Knight of the National Order of Quebec since 2014.
The author, Frédéric Quinonero, is a specialist in music and cinema and the author of several biographies. In particular, he signed the books Serge Lama, La rage de vivre, Johnny Immortel and Françoise Hardy: a long love song.
Patrick Bruel on the words
Frederic Quinonero
Issues of the Archipelago
160 pages