Daniel Lavoie, born Joseph-Hubert-Gérald Lavoie on March 17, 1949, is a renowned Canadian musician, actor, and singer, best recognized for his iconic song "Ils s'aiment" and his portrayal of Frollo in the musical Notre-Dame de Paris.
Born in Dunrea, Manitoba, Daniel Lavoie is bilingual, speaking both English and French, having grown up in a small French-speaking community within the predominantly anglophone province. He is the eldest of six children, with his father being a shopkeeper and his mother a housewife. Daniel began his musical education with piano lessons taught by nuns as a young boy and continued his studies at the French-language Jesuit boarding school, Collège de St-Boniface, in St. Boniface, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
In 1967, Daniel Lavoie won the CBC's competition for singer-songwriters, "Jeunesse Oblige," and subsequently embarked on a touring career, performing in Quebec's music clubs with various groups, including Spectre and Dieu de l'amour vous aime. He changed his name from Gérald to Daniel around this time.
Daniel Lavoie released his debut single "Marie connue" in 1973, followed by his second single "S'endormir pour une rose" in 1974. His first album, A court terme, was released in 1975 and achieved moderate success. One of the album's tracks, "J'ai quitté mon île," gained immense popularity in France, Portugal, and Brazil, and was even selected by CBC Radio listeners as one of the top 49 Canadian songs in all genres that best defined the country's image for Barack Obama, to be presented to him on an iPod for his inauguration.
Daniel Lavoie's second album, Berceuse pour un Lion, was released in 1977 and received widespread acclaim in Quebec, featuring several hits, including "Dans le temps des animaux," "La Vérité sur la vérité," and "Berceuse pour un lion." However, it was his third album, Nirvana bleu, released in 1979, that brought him widespread recognition in Quebec. He toured extensively throughout Quebec and also performed in France, including a show at the Théâtre Montparnasse in Paris in 1980. His live performances garnered immense popularity, and he received his first Félix Award for best male singer of the year in 1980.
In 1981, Daniel Lavoie released his first English-language album, Cravings, as well as his fourth French-language album, Aigre doux. The year 1984 marked a turning point in his career with the release of his album Tension Attention, which featured the hit single "Ils s'aiment." This song became a massive hit, selling 2 million copies, and has been translated into several languages and covered by numerous artists, including Ana Belén, Richard Cocciante, Diane Dufresne, Paulo Gonzo, and Ramses Shaffy. "Ils s'aiment" and "Tension Attention" earned Daniel Lavoie multiple awards in both Quebec and France.
