Élodie Frégé

Count France's luminous Elodie Frégé among the myriad young singers launched to fame via the reality TV phenomenon of the early 21st century. After winning the 2003 season of the French singing competition Star Academy France, the Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire native launched a successful and diverse recording career that spanned pop, jazz, and even Latin, as on her 2013 release, Amuse Bouches. In addition to her musical output, Frégé also found success as a film actress, appearing in comedies like Potiche (2010) and The Easy Way Out (2014), and acting as a judge on the national talent competition Nouvelle Star. Born February 15, 1982, in Nievre, France, she studied guitar and ballet as a child but was working as a medical secretary when in 2003 she successfully auditioned to compete in the third season of the television amateur showcase Star Academy France. While considered a long shot in the face of talents like rival Sofia Essaïdi, Frégé nevertheless pulled off the upset and claimed victory in the series finale. Her self-titled debut LP soon followed, generating the hit singles "De l'Eau" and "Viens Jusqu'à Moi." For her sophomore effort, 2006's Le Jeu des 7 Erreurs, Frégé teamed with acclaimed composer and producer Benjamin Biolay. While not quite rising to the heights of her debut, it was still a chart success. By the time of her next release, 2010's darker-toned La Fille de l'Après-Midi, she had also turned to acting, first appearing in the Belgian-French comedy Potiche, then two years later in Hénaut Président. Following her fourth album, 2013's Latin-infused Amuse Bouches, Frégé appeared in another comedy, 2014's The Easy Way Out, then signed on as a judge for the 11th season of the French reality singing competition Nouvelle Star. Over the next few years, she continued to act and sang a pair of songs on French band Nouvelle Vague's 2016 album, I Could Be Happy. She also joined singer Cyril Mokaiesh for a duet on his 2017 song "Houleux." ~ Timothy Monger & Jason Ankeny