Christophe is the stage name of Daniel Bevilacqua, a French chanson and pop singer-songwriter from Juvisy-sur-Orge, France, born in 1945 and who died in 2020. He is known for a long career in French popular music, combining chanson française with pop and other styles.

Career

Christophe begins recording in 1963 with Reviens Sophie. He finds major success two years later with Aline, a song that becomes widely associated with summer 1965 in France and much of Europe. An album of the same name follows and includes further hits such as Les marionnettes and Excusez-moi monsieur le professeur. He later records songs including J'ai entendu la mer and Maman.

After leaving Vogue, his record label, Christophe signs to Motors and changes his image, moving away from the clean-cut look that first made him popular and adopting a dandy style. In 1970, he contributes to the soundtrack of the French film La route de Salina; this work includes The girl from Salina, which also gives its name to an album released in only a limited number of territories.

Collaborations and later work

In 1973, Christophe is introduced to Jean-Michel Jarre, then mainly working as a lyricist. Their collaboration produces the albums Les paradis perdus in 1973 and Les mots bleus in 1974, both major successes in France. He continues to experiment on Samourai in 1976, which uses strings in a way he has not done before. Later comeback albums include Bevilacqua in 1996 and Comm'si la terre penchait in 2001, followed by a successful mini-tour and a live album.

Over his career, Christophe also collaborates with Jean-Michel Jarre, Alan Vega, Murcof, Eumir Deodato, Isabelle Adjani, Erik Truffaz and Elisa Point.