Dany Brillant

Born in Tunisia on December 28, 1965, French pop crooner Dany Brillant built a substantial European audience through his energetic, nostalgia-tinged blend of swing, rockabilly, Latin rhythms, and French chanson. His family left Tunisia for France when he turned one, establishing themselves in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, a suburb close to Paris. At age 14 his grandfather presented him with a guitar; although he still hoped to pursue medicine, he balanced his studies with a growing commitment to music by starting a rock & roll group that performed regularly around Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois. A saxophonist friend asked him to join his jazz ensemble as vocalist, an opportunity that quickly ignited Brillant’s enthusiasm for classic jazz and swing. The group secured a long-term engagement at Les Trois Maillets, where they entertained packed houses for five years. His debut album, C'Est Toi, appeared in 1996 and launched a string of European successes; between that year and 2007 he issued eight charting releases while establishing himself as a major concert draw, filling Paris’ Palais des Congrès for three nights well before the shows took place. In 2009 he issued the salsa-and-mambo-flavored Puerto Rico. Two new projects arrived in 2012: the studio set Viens à Saint-Germain and his first retrospective, titled The Best of Dany Brillant.