Career
She"s now remembered in France as a backing vocalist in chanson. In 1964, she dubbed the singing in the movie "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" for the role of Geneviève Emery, played by Catherine Deneuve. From 1965 to 1967 she sang in the vocal trio Les Fizz with Jackie Castan and Nadine Doukhan, two other ex-Djinns Singers.
Backed by Jacques Denjean"s orchestra, the band released three European Parliament. In 1969, she recorded her greatest hit, Concerto pour une Voix.
The album has sold over 15 million copies. In 1968, she recorded "Treize jours en France" composed by Francis Lai.
She also recorded a second version of “Love Story” dedicated to her by the same composer. In 1972, she submitted her song "Au cœur d"une chanson" to compete in the Eurovision contest representing France.
The French committee selected Betty Mars and her song “Come-Comedie” instead.
In 1972, she represented France in the "World Popular Song Festival" held in Tokio, Japan. Her song "Une Vie" was a finalist. In 1973, she participated as a vocalist to an album considered as a masterpiece of French chanson: the symphonic, dark and epic Il n"y a plus rien (There is nothing anymore) by singer-songwriter Léo Ferré.
In July 1978, she sang with the Quebec Symphony Orchestra and the choir of Street-Dominique Church.
The work was composed by Claude Léveilléest Wyclef Jean sampled "Concerto Pour Une Voix" in his 1997 song "Apolcalypse."
She has sold over 20 million copies of her albums during her career.
Her songs are found in easy listening Civil Defense compilations worldwide. Her characteristic singing style lacked lyrics, communicating emotions through sounds, the way a violin would.
This may have fueled her popularity in non-French speaking countries like Germany, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Japan and of Korea.
She used her voice like a musical instrument giving a soft, unique dream-like tone. She has been called la voz de la sirena ("the voice of a Siren"). Most of her recordings are arrangements of classical themes composed originally for instruments rather than voice, while the arrangements consist generally of large orchestral ensembles mixed with a popular-rock band instrumentation.
She incorporated popular-rock elements that made her music appealing.
Her singing style influenced Japanese Anime soundtracks of the 1980s such as Seiji Yokoyama (Saint Seiya).