24 Facts About Michel Sardou

Michel Sardou is known not only for his love songs, but for songs dealing with various social and political issues, such as the rights of women in Islamic countries, clerical celibacy, colonialism or the death penalty.

Michel Sardou has been accused of being a racist due to his 1976 song "Le temps des colonies", in which a former colonial soldier proudly tells his memories of colonialism, but Sardou has always claimed the song was sarcastic.

Michel Sardou's 1981 single "Les lacs du Connemara" was an international hit.

Michel Sardou was born on 26 January 1947 in Paris.

Michel Sardou's father, Fernand Sardou, was a singer and an actor while his mother, Jackie Sardou was an actress.

Michel Sardou's paternal grandfather, Valentin Sardou, was a comedian in Marseille, while his grandmother was a singer.

Michel Sardou began working as a waiter in his father's cabaret in Montmartre.

Michel Sardou eventually met Michel Fugain and auditioned for Eddie Barclay.

In 1967, his career really picked up, thanks to censorship: while France left NATO's integrated military command and the Vietnam War was causing anti-American sentiment in France, Michel Sardou released "Les Ricains", a song which stated the debt of gratitude towards the US for the liberation of France.

In view of the mitigated success of his singles, in 1969, Eddie Barclay decided to terminate his contract, estimating that Michel Sardou was not cut out to be a singer.

Michel Sardou really met true success in 1970, when he released his first studio album, J'habite en France.

The controversial song was welcomed by the trade unions and the Communist Party even though Michel Sardou was seen, because of several other songs, as an archetypal reactionary singer.

Michel Sardou was even accused of being a racist and an apologist for colonialism, but he has always insisted that the song is written in character rather than being an expression of his own views.

The next year, in 1977, Michel Sardou moved away from politics.

Michel Sardou chose, for his shows in Paris, the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in 1989,1991,1993,1998 and 2001, and managed to fill this small stadium for a total of 88 times after his tour in 2001, each time with more than 17,000 spectators.

Michel Sardou holds the record of attendances and performances for this stadium.

In 2004, Michel Sardou signed a contract with the record label Universal Music France for a new album entitled Du plaisir, he participated in the French television show Star Academy and he organised an international tour in 2004 and 2005, visiting France, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada.

Michel Sardou released the album Etre une femme on 30 August 2010.

In 2012 and 2013 Michel Sardou gave a show of the same name, showcasing his material all the way back to the mid-1960s.

In November 2022, Michel Sardou announced that he would return to the stage for a new tour with around thirty dates, exclusively in large venues, mainly Zenith arenas.

In September 2023, Michel Sardou released a previously unreleased song, recorded in 1992, titled "En quelle annee Georgia," co-written with Didier Barbelivien and composed by Jean-Pierre Bourtayre.

On March 13,2024, in an interview with Le Parisien, Michel Sardou announced his retirement from the world of music and theater.

Michel Sardou married his second wife, Elizabeth Haas, called "Babette", in October 1977.

Michel Sardou was the owner of the Theatre de la Porte Saint-Martin in Paris from 2001 to 2003.