Hélène Ségara

Biography

Hélène Ségara (French: [elɛn seɡaʁa]; born Hélène Aurore Alice Rizzo, 26 February 1971) is a French singer who came to prominence playing the role of Esmeralda in the French musical Notre Dame de Paris. She has sold over 10 million records.

Childhood in the French Riviera

Hélène Ségara was born on 26 February 1971 on her grandfather's farm in Six-Fours-les-Plages. Her father, Bernardo Rizzo, is of Italian descent and her mother, Thérèse Kasbarian, is Armenian. She has cited her parents' divorce when she was eight and the death of her grandfather when she was 16 as defining moments of her childhood.
As she wanted to become a singer, she left school and family at the age of 14. As a teenager, her jobs included performing in the piano bars of the French Riviera.
At 18, she gave birth to Raphael, her first son. Drawing on many musical influences she was a prolific songwriter during this period, and her repertoire grew to over a thousand songs in seven languages. In 1993, her first single, "Loin", was released, but failed to achieve success.

Life in Paris

In 1996, accompanied by her young son, she moved to Paris, where she met Christian Loigerot, who became one of her composers. She also met the famous producer Orlando Gigliotti, Dalida's brother, who gave new impetus to her career. Although impressed by the experience and professionalism of this mentor, she was still under contract with her first producer.
Ségara's first success came with "Je vous aime adieu×Je vous aime adieu1996 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Je vous aime adieu3:532Loin3:36," the first single from her debut album, Cœur de verre×Cœur de verre1996 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Les Vallées d'Irlande5:282Une voix dans la nuit4:263Je vous aime adieu3:574Les Larmes4:145Auprès de ceux que j'aimais3:096Pour quelques mots3:377Cœur de verre3:308Voyage dans l'éternité3:519Faut rester ensemble3:5410Des jours et des jours3:5711J'ai tendance à rêver4:1312Oublie-moi3:5413Les Mots, les Gestes4:09 (1996), followed by the duet "Vivo per lei," performed with Andrea Bocelli. Her big break came when she was selected to play Esmeralda in Richard Cocciante's musical Notre Dame de Paris. Although she auditioned for the role in 1997, she wasn't selected until 1999, following the withdrawal of the Israeli singer Noa. "When fate knocks at the door for a second time, we must not let it get away," said Ségara.
However, her career was jeopardized after she was diagnosed with a cyst on her vocal cords although she continued to perform. During a show in Canada, she lost her voice. Her producer then resold her contract to Orlando, while a laser operation was carried out to treat her vocal cords.

A new start

After her recovery, she recorded her second album, Au Nom d'une femme×Au nom d'une femmeJanuary 2000 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Il y a trop de gens qui t'aiment4:272Mrs Jones3:313Il attend la pluie4:204Elle, tu l'aimes5:055Parlez-moi de nous4:036Sempre, sempre4:107Tu vas me quitter4:088Au nom d'une femme3:409Tu peux tout emporter3:5710Je te perdrai4:3411Dites-moi qui je suis3:5712Rebelles4:49 in 2000 which topped the charts in France. Five singles were released from the album. Ségara then began a concert tour that lasted about two years. A video recording of the concert she gave at the Olympia in Paris on this occasion was released. According to a poll made by the IFOP, Segara was the French people's favourite French singer at the time.
In March 2003, she released a third album, Humaine×Humaine10 March 2003 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Humaine5:302Encore une fois3:553L'amour est un soleil4:064Elle rentrait de l'école4:155Regarde3:496On ne dit pas3:367L'île de nous4:158Petite vie4:159On n'oublie jamais rien, on vit avec5:0710Ma vie tient en deux mots3:1011Je n'oublie que toi3:1012Petites douleurs3:2913Tant bien que mal3:2914Je rêve4:01Disc 21Making of autour de l'album "Humaine"26:492Clip "L'amour est un soleil"4:08, including "On n'oublie rien, on vit avec", a duet with Laura Pausini and "L'Amour est un soleil×L'amour est un soleil2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1L'amour est un soleil3:552Petites douleurs3:28", composed by Romano Musumarra. The album sold around 700,000 copies. She began another tour in late 2003 but was forced to stop her performances because of a difficult pregnancy. In August 2003, Ségara married Mathieu Lecat (son of journalist Didier Lecat) in Ajaccio, with whom she had two further children: Matteo and Maïa.
Her fourth studio album, Quand l'éternité ... came out in 2006. The first single from this album, "Méfie-toi de moi", was followed by "Rien n'est comme avant×Rien n'est comme avant2006 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Rien n'est comme avant3:552On dort toujours tout seul3:57". This album has a different style from previous ones, with more pronounced rock influences, with lyrics largely written by the singer, discussing issues such as absence, death and hope. The album eventually achieved gold status three months after its release for more than 200,000 copies sold. In early 2007, she began a new concert tour in France, including the Palais des Sports in Paris.
In 2007, having finished the first part of her tour, two other songs from the album received radio play, despite not being released as singles: "Tu ne seras jamais libre" and "Father". In late 2007, several editions came out: a box set with of 3 CDs (Les 50 plus belles chansons d'Hélène Segara), two boxes consisting of two CDs with a new cover (Cœur de verre + Au Nom d'une femme, Humaine + Quand l'éternité...) and a CD 'Prestige' with 15 tracks. In February 2008, she released "La Moitié de nous×La Moitié de nous18 February 2008 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1La Moitié de nous4:122Je te retiens3:56", a duet with Bruno Pelletier, with a percentage of profits given to the charity Rêves. The tour "Quand l'éternité..." ran until summer 2008, in France and abroad.

Il Divo

In 2014 Hélène performed the song "Memory" from the musical Cats with the quartet Il Divo. The song was included on the group's disc A Musical Affair (2014).

Other activity

In 1998, Ségara performed with Garou a duet for the album Ensemble contre le sida (Eng: Together Against AIDS). The song is a cover version of "L'amour existe encore", composed by Luc Plamondon and Richard Cocciante for Celine Dion.
She is a supporter of the charities Rêves, Les Restos du Cœur, Les Enfants de la Terre et e-enfance.
She sang on the album Le Cœur des femmes in aid of the Association Laurette Fugain, as well as charity programs on France 3.
She is also godmother of the charity Suisse, Espace Adoption, which supports adoptive families and adopted children.
Hélène Ségara has been ambassador of the association Rêves since 1998.
On 4 November 2006, Hélène took part in the Concert for Tolerance in Agadir, Morocco, where she performed alongside artists including Andrea Bocelli, Samira Said, Zucchero, Pascal Obispo, Florent Pagny, Faudel, Cheb Mami, Lorie and Amiina.

Albums

1996: Cœur de verre
1998: Notre Dame de Paris (musical)
2000: Au Nom d'une Femme
2001: En concert à l'Olympia
2002: Hélène (in Spanish-language)
2003: Humaine
2004: Le Best of
2006: Quand l'éternité...
2007: Les 50 plus belles chansons
2007: Collection prestige
2008: Mon pays c'est la terre
2011: Parmi la foule
2013: Et si tu n'existais pas
2014: "Tout commence aujourd'hui"
2016: "Amaretti×Amaretti30 September 2016 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1L'envol (Il Volo)4:262Il Mio Rifugio3:373Svaltutation3:514Perche Lo Faï4:355O Sole Mio4:006Ancora3:267Histoire d'un amour (Historia de un amor)3:498Tant qu'il est temps (Vattene amore)3:549Un chant d'adieu (Caruso)4:5310Le Retour (Tornero)4:0511Uomini Soli3:5512Sara Perche Ti Amo3:2113De Venise à la seine (Ti Amo)4:05" (in Italian-language)
2021: "Karma×Karma11 June 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Nos vies commencent ailleurs3:492Plus jamais3:573Ces ombres3:194Illusion dans le système3:295Hari Om4:546Tout peut s’arrêter6:097Alteration3:338I Love You3:419Never Had a Chance3:5210Quand vient la nuit4:3511Karma9:11"

Singles

1993: "Loin"
1996: "Je vous aime adieu×Je vous aime adieu1996 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Je vous aime adieu3:532Loin3:36"
1996: "Une voix dans la nuit×Une voix dans la nuit1996 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Une voix dans la nuit4:152Oubile-moi3:50"
1997: "Les Larmes" (remix)
1997: "Auprès de ceux que j'aimais"
1997: "Vivo per lei (je vis pour elle)×Vivo per lei (Je vis pour elle)28 August 2026 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Vivo per lei (Je vis pour elle)4:38" (duet with Andrea Bocelli)
1998: "Loin du froid de Décembre" (soundtrack from Anastasia)
1998: "Vivre" (soundtrack from the musical Notre-Dame de Paris)
1999: "Les Vallées d'Irlande×Les vallées d'Irlande28 August 2026 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Les Vallées d'Irlande4:01"
1999: "Il y a trop de gens qui t'aiment×Il y a trop de gens qui t'aiment1999 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Il y a trop de gens qui t'aiment4:272Mrs Jones3:31"
2000: "Elle, tu l'aimes..."
2000: "Parlez-moi de nous×Parlez-moi de nous2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Parlez-moi de nous4:012Dites moi qui je suis3:56"
2001: "Tu vas me quitter×Tu vas me quitter2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Tu vas me quitter3:512Mes rêves disaient la vérité4:31"
2001: "Au nom d'une femme×Au nom d'une femmeJanuary 2000 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Il y a trop de gens qui t'aiment4:272Mrs Jones3:313Il attend la pluie4:204Elle, tu l'aimes5:055Parlez-moi de nous4:036Sempre, sempre4:107Tu vas me quitter4:088Au nom d'une femme3:409Tu peux tout emporter3:5710Je te perdrai4:3411Dites-moi qui je suis3:5712Rebelles4:49" (Remix)
2001: "Mrs Jones" (Live Olympia 2000)
2002: "Donner tout×Donner tout2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Donner tout3:182Il attend la pluie4:22"
2003: "L'Amour est un soleil×L'amour est un soleil2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1L'amour est un soleil3:552Petites douleurs3:28"
2003: "Encore une fois"
2003: "On n'oublie jamais rien, on vit avec" (duet with Laura Pausini)
2004: "Humaine×Humaine10 March 2003 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Humaine5:302Encore une fois3:553L'amour est un soleil4:064Elle rentrait de l'école4:155Regarde3:496On ne dit pas3:367L'île de nous4:158Petite vie4:159On n'oublie jamais rien, on vit avec5:0710Ma vie tient en deux mots3:1011Je n'oublie que toi3:1012Petites douleurs3:2913Tant bien que mal3:2914Je rêve4:01Disc 21Making of autour de l'album "Humaine"26:492Clip "L'amour est un soleil"4:08"
2004: "On ne dit pas×On ne dit pas2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1On ne dit pas3:362Humaine5:283On n'oublie jamais rien, on vit avec5:054L'amour est un soleil4:06"
2004: "Ailleurs comme ici"
2006: "Méfie-toi de moi"
2007: "Rien n'est comme avant×Rien n'est comme avant2006 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Rien n'est comme avant3:552On dort toujours tout seul3:57"
2007: "Tu ne seras jamais libre"
2007: "Father"
2008: "La Moitié de nous×La Moitié de nous18 February 2008 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1La Moitié de nous4:122Je te retiens3:56" (duet with Bruno Pelletier)
2008: "Qu'est-ce qu'on faire avec ce monde (Sodad)"
2009: "Danse à Nouveau"
2011: "La Vie avec toi×La Vie avec toi10 January 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1La Vie avec toi3:12"
2011: "À la renverse"
2013: "Et si tu n'existais pas" (duet with Joe Dassin)
2014: "Memory" (duet with Il Divo.)
2014:"Tout commence aujourd'hui"
2015:"Genre Humain"
2016:"L'envol(Il Envol)"