Viktor Lazlo

Sonia Dronier, a performer known for her elegant and alluring vocal style, first came to prominence as Viktor Lazlo after Belgian producer Francis Depryck spotted her talent and assembled a persona rooted in overt sensuality alongside stark, monochrome cinematic imagery. She entered the world in Lorient, France, then devoted her university period to academic pursuits and runway work in Brussels, Belgium. Once she contributed backing vocals to Depryck’s project Lou & the Hollywood Bananas, he assembled a collection of retro-tinged, shadow-drenched material and rechristened her with the name of a figure from the Humphrey Bogart classic Casablanca. Her polished debut album She reached listeners in 1985, presenting tracks delivered in French, English, and Spanish. One year afterward, her French-language interpretation of Julie London’s “Cry Me a River,” titled “Pleurer des Rivières,” achieved widespread European success. In 1987 she served as host for the televised Eurovision Song Contest, staged that year in Belgium, and also scored another continental success with the duet “Breathless” alongside American singer James Ingram. Following her return to France in 1989, she issued multiple well-received records until the more experimental Verso surfaced in 1996, incorporating funk and dub textures along with contributions from the storied reggae rhythm section Sly & Robbie. Reviewers greeted the album with such enthusiasm that Dronier later noted how promotional discussions at the time centered on her songs rather than her wardrobe for the first time.