Famous French Singers

French singer and actress, Vanessa Paradis, became a celebrity at the age of 14 with the French song Joe le taxi in 1987. She tasted further success with English songs like Be My Baby and many other French songs. She has also acted in several French films and has modelled regularly for high-end fashion products by Chanel like perfume and handbags.

Brigitte Bardot is a French former singer and actress. One of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and 1960s, Bardot remains a major pop culture icon despite quitting the entertainment industry in 1973. Bardot is credited with popularizing the bikini. She also popularized the town of Armação dos Búzios and the city of St. Tropez in Brazil.

Charlotte Gainsbourg, daughter of French singer Serge Gainsbourg and English actor Jane Birkin, made her singing debut at age 12. She is best known for her César Award-winning roles in La Bûche and An Impudent Girl. Her performance in Antichrist won her an award at the Cannes Film Festival.

Starting out as a dancer at an early age, Alizee later mastered singing and even stepped into acting. The French singer first gained attention with the talent show Graines de Star and the track Moi...Lolita and later created hits such as L'Alizé. In 2001, she was the highest-selling French female singer.

Charles Aznavour was a French-Armenian actor, singer, diplomat, and lyricist. One of France's most famous singers, Aznavour was called the Frank Sinatra of France. One of the best-selling musicians of his generation, Aznavour sold 200 million records. In 1998, CNN named him the Entertainer of the Century. In 2017, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Hélöise Letissier, also known as Christine and the Queens and Chris, often challenges gender stereotypes through her music. The queer electropop and indie artist was inspired by drag queens in London, after she quit theater school following a break-up. Known for her chart-busting debut album, Chaleur humaine, she identifies as pansexual.

Soko is a French musician and singer-songwriter. The song We Might Be Dead by Tomorrow, which is part of her debut album I Thought I Was an Alien, reached the ninth position on the Billboard Hot 100. Soko is also a critically acclaimed actress, earning César Award nominations for her performance in films like In the Beginning and The Dancer. 

Regarded as France’s first rock star, Jean-Philippe Léo Smet, better known as Johnny Hallyday, had a phenomenal career, with 5 diamond, 40 golden, and 22 platinum albums. He was also always in the news for his flamboyant lifestyle, his many romances, his five marriages, and his love for cocaine and racing.  

Nora Arnezeder is a French singer and actress best known for her portrayal of the title role in the internationally praised 2013 French costume drama film, Angélique. A trained singer and dancer, Arnezeder has also played main roles in web TV series, such as the American science fiction drama series, Origin.

Born to Spanish parents in Paris, Latin Grammy-winning artist Manu Chao is one of the pioneers of Latin alternative rock. His French rock band Mano Negra has delivered hits in English, Spanish, and Arabic. His solo career has seen him release international hits such as Clandestino and Me Gustas Tu.

French singer Matthieu Tota, better known as M. Pokora, is often compared to singers such as Justin Timberlake for his singing style. Though initially aspiring to be a footballer, he later found success in music after winning the show Popstars. He has also starred as Robin Hood in a French musical.

Carla Bruni is an Italian-French fashion model and singer-songwriter. She gained international recognition after marrying the then president of France Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008. Also known for her political activities, philanthropy, and charity work, Bruni established the Carla Bruni-Sarkozy Foundation in 2009; the foundation helps promote access to knowledge for all. She also supports organizations, such as PETA.

A major figure of the 1960s’ yé-yé movement, French singer-songwriter Françoise Hardy is known for tracks such as Tous les garçons et les filles. She also appeared in supporting roles in a few films. Following her diagnosis of lymphatic cancer and the subsequent radiation therapy, she pleaded for assisted suicide.

Born in Mali, Aya Nakamura grew up in France, later becoming a multi-platinum French singer. Born Aya Coco Danioko, she took up the stage name Nakamura, after the Heroes character Hiro Nakamura. Known for her smash hit Djadja, she often mixes pop with Afrobeat & RnB sounds.

The son of American filmmaker Jules Dassin, French pop idol Joe Dassin was educated in Switzerland and the U.S., and earned degrees in anthropology before moving to France. After playing supporting roles in his father’s movies, he soared to fame with songs such as Les Champs-Élysées and L'Été indien.

Barbara Pravi is a French actress, singer, and songwriter. As a songwriter, she has contributed immensely to the success of popular artists like Jaden Smith, Julie Zenatti, Yannick Noah, and Chimène Badi. She also contributed to the success of Valentina Tronel, composing J'imagine which helped Valentina win the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2020.

French-Canadian singer Mylène Farmer is best known for her hits such as Libertine and Les Mots, and for her collaborative acts with Laurent Boutonnat. Born Mylene Jeanne Gautier, she later changed her name to Mylene Farmer in honor of Hollywood star Frances Farmer, who was her idol.

Joséphine de La Baume is a French actress, model, film director, and singer. She is credited with founding a rock and garage group called Film Noir in 2018. The group's debut EP Vertiges, which released in 2019, was met with critical success. She is also an important member of an indie band named Singtank. 

Phoenix lead vocalist Thomas Mars once spoke about how he had cut off everything that could distract him from making a potential career in music during college. He met Sofia Coppola while composing for one of her films, and the duo got married, leading to more collaborations.

Fab Morvan is a French singer, rapper, songwriter, model, and dancer. He is best known for his involvement in one of the biggest scandals in the history of pop music; the scandal surfaced when it was found that neither Fab Morvan nor Rob Pilatus, the other half of pop duo Milli Vanilli, had sung on any of the duo's recordings.

Congolese-French hip-hop artist Gandhi Bilel Djuna, better known as Maître Gims, or Gims, soared to fame with the group Sexion d'Assaut and then launched a solo career. Best known for tracks such as Zombie and Bella, Gims had initially studied graphic art but later followed in his singer father’s footsteps.

Bilal Hassani is a French YouTuber, singer, and songwriter. He achieved international recognition in 2019 when he represented France at the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel. He managed to score 105 points in the Eurovision final, finishing 16th. In 2019, he was also honored at the NRJ Music Awards with the Francophone Breakthrough of the Year award.

Sylvie Vartan is an Armenian-Bulgarian-French actress and singer. Best known for her work as a yé-yé artist, Vartan achieved popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, when her shows attracted full houses at the Palais des congrès de Paris and the Olympia. Sylvie Vartan's shows often featured enthralling show-dance choreography. She has also appeared in films like Malpertuis and The Missionaries.

Natalie Dessay is a French actress, singer, and former operatic soprano. In 1992, Dessay portrayed Olympia in The Tales of Hoffmann for which she gained wide recognition. Her performance also gained her access to leading opera houses around the world. Over the years Natalie Dessay has won several prestigious awards, such as the Laurence Olivier Award.