Étienne Daho

Biography

Étienne Daho (; French: [etjɛn dao]; born 14 January 1956) is a French singer-songwriter. He has released a number of synth-driven and rock-surf influenced pop hit singles since 1981.

Career

Daho was born in Oran, French Algeria. He sings in a low, whispery voice somewhat akin to Leonard Cohen or Chet Baker and his music established him as a pop cult hero. He cites Serge Gainsbourg, The Velvet Underground, The Beach Boys and Syd Barrett as his musical influences. All his albums have been certified at least gold or platinum, including "Mythomane×Mythomane1981 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Il ne dira pas4:00A2Ton cinoche3:01A3Mes copains2:28A4On s'fait la gueule4:05A5Va t'en2:38B1Cowboy3:42B2Encore cette chanson2:47B3L'été4:23B4Tu dors encore2:41B5Mythomane2:29" in 1981, "La notte, la notte" in 1984, "Pop satori×Pop Satori1 April 1986 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Satori thème1:522Épaule tattoo4:453Paris, le Flore4:144Pop égérie O.4:035Quelqu'un qui m'ressemble3:556Tombé pour la France4:1974000 années d'horreur4:218(Qui sera) Demain, mieux que moi4:109Pari à l'hôtel4:3610Duel au soleil4:2711Satori Pop Century3:2112Late Night3:04" in 1986, produced with a young William Orbit, "Pour nos vies martiennes×Pour nos vies martiennesJune 1988 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Quatre hivers1:302Bleu comme toi4:493Caribbean Sea4:334Where's My Monkey?3:525Affaire classée3:216Des Ir4:257Stay With Me5:218Le Plaisir de perdre4:119Musc et ambre3:5310Winter Blue3:4411Des heures hindoues4:19" in 1988 and the double platinum "Paris ailleurs×Paris ailleurs1 October 1991 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Des attractions désastre3:102Saudade3:303Comme un igloo3:514Les voyages immobiles3:065Un homme à la mer3:546Interlude à la désirade1:547Toi + moi3:548Rue des petits hôtels3:199La berlue3:1810Double zéro et l'infini4:2611Paris ailleurs3:44" in 1991, recorded in New York.
A best-selling recording artist in his own right in France, Daho is best known in Britain for his appearance on the number 11 Saint Etienne hit single "He's on the Phone", which is an English-language adaptation of his 1984 French-language big hit "Weekend à Rome". He also collaborated with Saint Etienne on the Reserection EP, his album Eden, and his single hit Le Premier Jour×Le Premier JourMarch 1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Le Premier Jour (du reste de ta vie)4:092Me manquer (Londres en été remixé par Air)3:45.
Daho's collaborations and productions both on stage and in the studio with other artists have been extensive. He has worked with Brigitte Fontaine, Arthur Baker, Air, Working Week, '80's new wave bands OMD and Comateens, Jane Birkin, Marianne Faithfull, Françoise Hardy, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Vanessa Paradis, Dani and more. His music has also been remixed, among others, by Air, Fischerspooner, Amon Tobin and William Orbit.
Daho's 1996 album Eden displayed a diverse array of electronic-oriented songs that included downtempo ballads, drum and bass-influenced tracks, and Hi-NRG dance. He duetted with Astrud Gilberto ("Les bords de Seine×Les Bords De Seine1997 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracksA1Les Bords De Seine (Oscar Niemeyer Mix)7:16A2Les Bords De Seine3:29BÉpaule Tatoo (William Orbit Remix)6:04") and was accompanied by The Swingle Singers on "Timide intimité". Backing vocals on several songs were provided by Lyn Byrd of the Comateens, Sarah Cracknell (who co-wrote "Les passagers"), and Elli Medeiros.
Eden was subsequently re-released for the anglophone market with great reviews with the song "A New World", which was an English-language version of "Au Commencement×Au commencement1996 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracksA1Au commencement (Dom T remix)6:51A2Au commencement (album version)3:59B1Au commencement (Mark 'Spike' Stent extended mix)6:11B2Au commencement (instrumental by Jonny L)6:25". Daho performed in a sold out Institute of Contemporary Arts. He also sang at the Marquee in 1989.
After a double platinum greatest hits compilation Best of Singles×Best of SinglesNovember 1998 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Idéal4:072Le premier jour4:093Sur mon cou3:594Au commencement3:515Soudain3:226Jungle Pulse3:517Mon Manège à Moi3:538Comme Un Igloo3:549Les Voyages Immobiles3:0810Des Attractions Désastres3:1211Saudade3:3212Un Homme à La Mer3:5413Des Heures Hindoues3:5114Bleu Comme Toi3:2515Duel au soleil4:2216Epaule Tatoo2:21 in 1998, the number one Corps & armes×Corps & armes17 April 2000 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Ouverture4:102Le Brasier4:003Rendez-vous à Vedra3:434Corps & armes4:085La Nage indienne4:046Les Mauvais Choix3:097L'Année du dragon4:218Make Believe3:309La Baie5:2310La Mémoire vive4:0511San Antonio de la Luna17:41 in 2000 saw Daho eschewing electronics in favour of a more orchestral sound fuelled by traditional instruments: piano, acoustic guitar, horns, directed by Wil Malone. One of the tracks included an English-language duet with Vanessa Daou ("Make Believe"). It includes also "Le brasier×Le brasier31 December 1999 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Le Brasier3:592Make Believe (Plutonium Mix)3:54", "La baie×La baieSingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1La baie5:262Jungle pulse5:063Me manquer3:46" and "Ouverture×OuvertureSingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Ouverture (single edit)3:442La Baie5:25".
Daho shifted gears once again for his dark and moody 2004 album Réévolution×Réévolution3 November 2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Retour à toi (2019 remaster)3:552Réévolution (2019 remaster)3:223L'orage (2019 remaster)3:434If (2019 remaster)3:305Les remparts (2019 remaster)3:096Vis-à-vis (2019 remaster)3:157Le jour et la nuit (2019 remaster)3:498L'inconstant (2019 remaster)3:559Les jalousies (2019 remaster)2:0610Talisman (2019 remaster)3:5111Les liens d'Eros (2019 remaster)4:4112Au Jack au mois d'avril (2019 remaster)2:52, which featured a guitar-heavy rock sound. He released the single hit "If" with Charlotte Gainsbourg as well as the Phil Spector influenced "Retour à toi" and "Les liens d'Eros" with Marianne Faithfull, reading her great-uncle Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's Venus in furs.
In 2005, Daho released a live album Sortir Ce Soir×Sortir Ce Soir1983 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksASortir Ce Soir3:59BSaint Lunaire-Dimanche Matin3:54, which featured many of his greatest hits performed in concert.
In 2007, his new album, L'Invitation×L'Invitation5 November 2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11L'Invitation3:432Cet air étrange4:003Obsession4:284L'adorer4:355Les Fleurs de l'interdit3:336Boulevard des Capucines4:247Toi, jamais toujours2:218Un merveilleux été4:079Sur la terre comme au ciel4:0410La vie continuera4:3711Cap Falcon4:50Disc 21Little Bit of Rain3:462I Can't Escape From You3:113Cirrus Minor2:594My Girl Has Gone2:115Glad to Be Unhappy4:14, which was created with Edith Fambuena, was released to good press reviews. In 2008, a compilation of covers was released, called Tombés pour Daho (after Daho's single, Tombé pour la France). The recording artists include Benjamin Biolay, Doriand, Elli Medeiros, Daniel Darc, and Arnold Turboust. In the same year, on 8 March, Daho received a Victoire de la Musique award in the category Album Pop / Rock of the Year.
Les Chansons de l'innocence retrouvée was released in 2013 and was a critical success in France, being included in several best end-of-year lists, including Les Inrockuptibles and Télérama.
For record sleeves and music videos, Daho has collaborated with Pierre et Gilles, Michel Gondry, Nick Knight, Doug Nichol, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, M/M, Abake, Inez van Lamsweerde and Guy Peellaert among others.
In 2016, Daho was invited by John Cale to sing "I'll Be Your Mirror" at the 50th anniversary celebration of The Velvet Underground and Nico at the Philharmonie de Paris.

Translations and covers

Daho re-recorded the song "Au Commencement×Au commencement1996 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracksA1Au commencement (Dom T remix)6:51A2Au commencement (album version)3:59B1Au commencement (Mark 'Spike' Stent extended mix)6:11B2Au commencement (instrumental by Jonny L)6:25" in English as "A New World" for the Anglophone market.
In the '90s, dance mixes by remixers such as William Orbit were released of some of Daho's '80s singles, such as "Épaule Tattoo".
Spanish singer Luz Casal recorded a cover version of "Duel au soleil×Duel au soleil1986 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksA1Duel au soleil4:24B1Pop égérie O4:02" in Spanish called "Un Nuevo Dia Brillara".
Saint Etienne's single "He's on the Phone" is heavily based on Daho's "Week-end à Rome". Daho also collaborated with the band on several other songs.
Daho also recorded a cover of "My Girl Has Gone", a 1965 hit originally written and recorded by The Miracles.
A fan of Pink Floyd, Daho has recorded versions of "Arnold Layne" and "Cirrus Minor".
Nouvelle Vague recorded a cover version of "Week-end à Rome" with Vanessa Paradis.
Daho's 1998 single "Le Premier Jour du reste de ta vie" is an adaptation of Sarah Cracknell (Saint Etienne's lead singer)'s "Ready or Not" from her first solo album Lipslide (1997).

Albums

(All albums until 2003 under Virgin Records, from 2005 onwards, on Capitol Records )

1981: Mythomane
1984: La notte, la notte
1985: Tombé pour la France (mini album)
1986: Pop satori
1988: Pour nos vies martiennes
1989: Live ED
1991: Paris ailleurs
1993: DahOlympia
1995: Réserection (EP with St. Etienne)
1996: Eden
1998: Singles
2000: Corps & armes
2001: Daho Live
2002: Dans la peau de Daho (long box)
2003: Réévolution
2005: Sortir ce soir (best of live)
2006: Pop satori Deluxe (boxset)
2007: L'invitation
2009: Daho Pleyel Paris (Live)
2010: Le Condamné à mort (with Jeanne Moreau)
2013: Les chansons de l'innocence retrouvée
2014: Diskönoir
2015: L'homme qui marche
2017: Blitz
2023: Tirer la nuit sur les étoiles

Videos

1986: Une Nuit Satori à l'Olympia – VHS – Virgin
1991: Paris Ailleurs – VHS – Virgin
1993: Daholympia – VHS – Virgin
1998: Intégrale des Clips – VHS/DVD – Virgin
2001: Daho Live – VHS/DVD – Virgin
2005: Sortir Ce Soir – DVD – Capitol – Dvd de platine
2008: An Evening with Daho – DVD – Capitol
2009: Daho Pleyel Paris – DVD – Capitol
2015: Etienne Daho KOKO Theater of London – Arte TV

Honours

Knight of the Legion of Honour (2025)
Officer of the Ordre national du Mérite (2011)
Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2022)