Michèle Torr
| Michelle Torr | |
|---|---|
Michelle Torr in 2006
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Michelle Cléberte Tort |
| Born | 7 April 1947 |
| Origin | Pertuis, France |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Author |
| Years active | 1962 – Present |
| Labels | Sony Music France Mercury Records Disc'AZ Records |
| Website | micheletorr.com |
Michèle Torr (born Michelle Cléberte Tort), 7 April 1947 in Pertuis, Vaucluse, is a French singer and author, best known in non-Francophone countries for her participation in the Eurovision Song Contests of 1966 and 1977.
Michèle won her first singing contest at age fifteen, in 1962, winning the first year's On Chante dans mon Quartier contest in Avignon. Michèle was a tall beautiful woman with actress-like expression, and easily wins the audience over by singing the Édith Piaf song Exodus. Mireille Mathieu was runner-up that year with Les cloches de Lisbonne by . Then in 1963, at age sixteen, Michèle won a recording contract with the Mercury label, and opened for Jacques Brel at the Paris Olympia. She released three EPs (four songs each) throughout 1964, which were aimed at radio and juke-box play. Torr's release of Dans mes bras, oublie ta peine in 1964 was a big hit. Further releases of both original French material, and French covers of British and American hits, proved to be hit and miss. This setting the tone for Torr's career throughout the 60's, as she tried to find her niche. The Mercury contract ended in 1972.
In 1966, Torr was invited to perform the Luxembourgian entry, Ce soir je t'attendais, at the eleventh Eurovision Song Contest. This was permitted as there has never been a requirement at Eurovision for the singer to be native to the country they represent; indeed Luxembourg only very rarely chose a Luxembourgian as their performer. As Luxembourg had won the 1965 contest, the 1966 contest was held in Luxembourg City on 5 March.
Ce soir je t'attendais was a very contemporary-sounding song, but could only manage a surprisingly low tenth place of the eighteen entrants. The performance shows her actress-like facial expressions; however, she stumbles with the lyrics mispronouncing "clos" in the second verse. Her voice then breaks in several places, and sadly turns into a monotone yelling at the end. Overall, the performance at age 19 shows her star quality.
...
Wikipedia