Julien Clerc is the stage name of Paul-Alain Auguste Leclerc, a French singer-songwriter born on 4 October 1947. He rose to fame with the song "La cavalerie" (1968), which captured the rebellious spirit of its era and became an anthem for French youth. Later hits include "Ce n'est rien", "Ma préférence", "Mélissa" and "Hélène". Clerc has performed across Africa, the Americas and Europe, and he later became a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador.
Early career
Born in Paris and raised on classical music, Clerc learned piano as a child and began writing songs during his school and university years. After signing with Pathé Marconi, he changed his name and released his first album in 1968, which won the Académie Charles Cros Record Award. His 1969 debut at the Olympia was well received, and his role in the Paris run of the musical Hair further raised his profile.
Later work and activism
Over the decades Clerc's repertoire has combined his own compositions with classic French songs by Georges Brassens and Edith Piaf. In 1999 he presented an acoustic set at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, and in 2003 he recorded an album of American standards in French. From 2003 he worked with the UN refugee agency on projects for refugees, including a field mission to Chad in 2004.