Garou

Biography

Pierre Garand (French pronunciation: [pjɛʁ ɡaʁɑ̃]; born 26 June 1972), known by his stage name Garou (French pronunciation: [ɡaʁu]; a diminutive of his last name), is a Canadian singer and actor from Sherbrooke, Québec. He sings in French and English.
He is known for his work in the musical Notre-Dame de Paris (playing Quasimodo in both the original French and English casts) and the No. 1 hits "Belle×Belle1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Belle4:382Déchiré3:18", "Seul", "Sous le vent", and "La Rivière de notre enfance×La Rivière de notre enfanceNovember 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1La Rivière de notre enfance3:242L'Aveu (live)4:433La Rivière de notre enfance (instrumental)3:23".

Life and career

Pierre Garand began playing guitar at the age of three, at the encouragement of his father. He went on to serve in the military and started a band in 1992 called the Untouchables. In 1997, he was discovered by Luc Plamondon while singing American blues tunes in a Sherbrooke bar. He was drafted by Plamondon to play the role of Quasimodo in his musical Notre-Dame de Paris, which made him a star in France and launched his singing career. He went on to play the role for three years.
His first studio album, Seul, became the best-selling French record of 2001 and remains one of the best-selling French albums of all time, achieving two million sales in Europe and going three times Platinum in Canada.
He continued his string of hits with a live album and released a second studio record, Reviens×Reviens2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks1Passe ta route2:542Et si on dormait3:393Hemingway4:124L'aveu3:455Reviens (où te caches-tu ?)3:096Pour l'amour d'une femme3:577Pendant que mes cheveux poussent2:198Les filles3:069Le sucre et le sel3:4710Quand passe la passion3:5411Au cœur de la terre3:3612Prière indienne3:5513Tout cet amour là4:2714Ne me parlez plus d'elle3:4115Ton premier regard4:2516Une dernière fois encore6:1217Sous Le Vent3:2818Criminel3:4619Seul4:5120Au plaisir de ton corps4:35, in 2003. Sales for his third album, Garou, remained strong, and he issued the English crossover record Piece of My Soul in 2008. It debuted at No. 2 in Canada and No. 3 in France. Despite this success, the album became his first in France not to reach Platinum status, although it became his best-selling record in North America in seven years. His next album, Gentleman cambrioleur×Gentleman cambrioleur4 December 2009 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Gentleman Cambrioleur2:282I Love Paris2:333Les dessous chics2:364Sorry3:315New Year's Day4:016Les Champs-Élysées3:267Da Ya Think I'm Sexy3:478Aimer d'amour3:159C'est comme ça3:3210Je veux tout2:4711À ma fille3:4812Sounds Of Silence4:16, featured cover songs in French and English and became his first record to miss the top five in France, where it modestly peaked at No. 35, staying on the charts for 17 weeks. He released Version intégrale in 2010, which became another top 40 hit in France and Canada.
Garou performed the Jean-Pierre Ferland song "Un peu plus haut, un peu plus loin" at the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Vancouver. He has also performed at the charity event Les Enfoirés for the past 19 years.
In 2011, he was cast in the lead role of Zark in the Cirque du Soleil musical Zarkana, in New York City.
Since 2010, Garou has released five further studio albums: Rhythm and Blues×Rhythm and Blues1 January 2012 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Quand tu danses2:572Little Green Bag3:293Le jour se lève3:214Marie-Jeanne4:325I Put a Spell On You3:126Hard to Handle3:297If I Ain't Got You3:538Lonely Boy3:259Cash City4:5110Sur la route3:2011Bad Day3:3712Je voudrais voir New-York4:45 (2012), Au milieu de ma vie×Au milieu de ma vie18 November 2013 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Au milieu de ma vie3:102Avancer4:073Toutes mes erreurs2:584La Félure3:365Je lui pardonne3:556Du vent des mots3:137L'Ange gardien3:148Le Blues dans le sang4:139Avec elle3:3510Seule une femme4:0611Tu sais3:2312Ton paysage3:4313Le Chaînon manquant3:1814Des villes et des visages3:46 (2013), It's Magic×It's Magic24 November 2014 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Xmas Blues Medley: L'Enfant au tambour / Vive le vent / Le Petit Renne au nez rouge / Au royaume du bonhomme hiver4:242Le Bonhomme de neige2:393Blue Christmas2:394White Christmas4:155Petit garçon2:546Mon beau sapin3:457Petit Papa Noël3:068Happy Xmas3:309Sleigh Ride / Promenade en traîneau2:2910Santa Claus Is Coming to Town2:0811Let It Snow ! Let It Snow ! Let It Snow ! / C'est l'hiver2:2812Jingle Bell Rock2:0413The Twelve Days of Christmas4:4814Joyeux Noël2:3515Douce nuit / Silent Night3:42! (2014), Soul City (2019), and Garou joue Dassin (2022).
In 2025, he released Un meilleur lendemain, the first album in his career to consist entirely of songs written by him.

Collaborations

Garou has collaborated with a number of musicians and composers, including with Luc Plamondon in Notre-dame de Paris. The single "Belle×Belle1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Belle4:382Déchiré3:18" was lifted from the musical and stayed atop the French charts for a record-breaking 18 weeks. It remained the most successful song in French history until 2009. In 2000, he had a successful duet with Celine Dion; "Sous le vent" became his third No. 1 single in France. In 2004, he worked with Michel Sardou for his fourth and final No. 1 single, "La Rivière de notre enfance×La Rivière de notre enfanceNovember 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1La Rivière de notre enfance3:242L'Aveu (live)4:433La Rivière de notre enfance (instrumental)3:23". The following year, he appeared with 15-year-old singer Marilou on her song "Tu es comme ça×Tu es comme ça20 June 2005 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Tu es comme ça3:052Tu es comme ça (version karaoké)3:043Tu es comme ça (clip video)". 2008's Piece of My Soul, his first English album, includes a songwriting credit by Rob Thomas on the track "Stand Up×Stand Up18 March 2008 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Stand Up3:52".

Personal life

Garou has a daughter, born in 2001, with an ex-girlfriend. He has also dated former Yemeni singer and entertainer Arwa Jassem, known as Lahlouba. From 2007 to June 2010, he dated French singer Lorie.