Kendji Girac

From working as a tree surgeon in the family business to becoming a huge pop heartthrob, Kendji Girac (born Kendji Jason Maillié in Aquitaine, France on July 3, 1996) had his life transformed when he triumphed in the French version of TV talent show The Voice in 2014 and topped the charts with his debut album. Raised in a Catalan gypsy (gitano) family who were based at the Camps des Gilets in Bergerac, he was taught to play traditional flamenco-style guitar by his grandfather, and first posted a video of himself performing rapper Maitre Gims' track "Bella" to YouTube in 2013. He was still only 17 and was spending his daytimes pruning foliage; but, encouraged by the online comments inspired by the track, he decided to perform the song at the blind audition of the third season of The Voice: La Plus Belle Voix. Judge Mika spun his chair around and became his mentor and, after impressing with renditions of "Hotel California" and "Mad World" in the heats, he beat Maximilien Philippe in the final with a performance of "Voltare," and quickly released his first single "Colour Gitano". His album Kendji (2014) went on to reach Number 1, sold over a million copies and produced the hits "Cool" and "Andalouse"; and Girac's bilingual mix of traditional gypsy music and high energy pop helped make him the second highest-selling French artist of 2014. His follow-up album Ensemble in 2015 produced the top ten hits "Conmigo", "Me Quemo", "Les Yeux de la Mama" and "No me Mires Mas", and he also duetted with Ariana Grande on the French release of her single "One Last Time". There was a live record and a small role in the comedy film Chacun Sa Vie et Son Intime Conviction as well, and Girac spent a year away from the limelight before returning in 2018 with third album Amigo featuring chanson singer Claudio Capéo, Belgian rapper Damso and songwriter Vianney. In 2020, Girac unleashed his fourth album Mi Vida.

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