Natasha St-Pier

Possessing a breathy vocal delivery, this singer of refined and openly sentimental pop material quickly built a large international following. Natasha St-Pier first achieved recognition in Canada before cultivating a devoted European audience after settling in France.

Born February 10, 1981, in Bathurst, New Brunswick, she trained in piano and dance from an early age and made her professional stage debut at eight. Already experienced on the regional festival circuit, she reached national prominence in 1993 as the youngest finalist in Quebec’s television talent series Le Pouvoir de la Chanson. Her first single, “Le Parcours du Coeur,” appeared shortly afterward, and at fourteen she released her debut album, Emergence.

In 1999 she performed in both the French and English productions of the musical Notre-Dame de Paris. Spring 2000 brought her second album, A Chacun Son Histoire, and at year’s end she joined Garou on his European tour. That exposure led to her selection to represent France at the 2001 Eurovision Song Contest, where Robert Goldman’s “Je N’ai Que Mon Âme” finished fourth. The result established her as a regular guest on French music and talk programs, and A Chacun Son Histoire was certified gold in France.

Around this time she formed a close association with Pascal Obispo, who supplied most of the songs for her next record, De l’Amour le Mieux. Its lead single, “Tu Trouveras,” became a major hit; after the album reached platinum status in France, St-Pier attained superstar standing in Quebec with her first solo concert, Premier Rendez-vous, in mid-2002.

Her Best Newcomer victory at the 2003 Victoires de la Musique preceded an appearance with other major artists at the concert marking Johnny Hallyday’s sixtieth birthday. Later that autumn her fourth album, the Obispo-produced L’Instant d’Après, appeared and yielded the chart-topping single “Tant Que C’est Toi.” She also issued a Spanish-language version of De l’Amour le Mieux before returning in early 2006 with Longueur d’Ondes.

The self-titled sixth studio album arrived in 2008, followed four years later by Bonne Nouvelle. In September 2013 she became host of the French television program Les Chansons D’abord and co-hosted France’s broadcast of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest. She had previously served as a coach on the Belgian edition of The Voice in 2012 and 2013.

Mon Acadie appeared in 2015 and featured her interpretations of classic folk songs. With 2017’s L’alphabet des Animaux she entered children’s music, using animal-themed songs to teach the alphabet.