Jacques Joseph Victor Higelin (18 October 1940 in Brou-sur-Chantereine, Seine-et-Marne, France – 6 April 2018 in Paris) was a French pop singer who rose to prominence in the early 1970s. Early in his career, many of Higelin's songs were effectively blacklisted from French radio because of his controversial left wing political beliefs, and his association with socialist groups.

Early life

Higelin was born on 18 October 1940. His father Paul, a railway worker and musician of Alsatian descent, introduced his two sons to some forms of music, while his mother, Renée, of Belgian descent, raised them both.

Career

Higelin's entertainment career began at age 14, when he left school to work as a stunt double. While playing a number of small roles in various motion pictures, Higelin was taught to play the guitar by Henri Crolla, a French-Italian jazz guitarist and film composer. By the early sixties, Higelin was attending the René Simon drama school, where he won the François Perier award.

For two years starting in 1961, Higelin served in the French military in various countries. Upon returning to France, he resumed his cinematic career, but increasingly began to focus on music over film. By the end of the decade, he was also very active in the artistic underground in Paris, and he began to channel his music towards radical militancy. He began attracting popular attention through his live concerts, typically held in smaller venues, and released his first solo album, in 1971. By the middle of the 1970s, Higelin had become one of France's most successful musicians, and he remains influential to this day.

Personal life and death

Higelin married to Aziza Zakine in 2011. He had three children, all artists:

• Arthur H, an elder son and a famous French singer (born to Higelin and Nicole Courtois) in 1966
• Kên Higelin, an actor (born to him and Kuelan Nguyen) in 1972
• Izïa Higelin, a daughter, a singer (born to Higelin and Aziza Zakine) in 1990

Higelin died on 6 April 2018 in Paris.

Discography

Studio albums (non-charting)

• 1971 – Jacques "Crabouif" Higelin
• 1976 – Irradié
• 1976 – Alertez les bébés !
• 1978 – No Man's Land
• 1979 – Champagne pour tout le monde, and Caviar pour les autres... (also released as a double album under the title Champagne et Caviar, currently the standard edition)
• 1980 - La Bande du Rex
• 1982 – Higelin 82
• 1985 – Aï (double album)
• 1988 – Tombé du ciel
• 1991 – Illicite
• 1994 – Aux héros de la voltige

Live albums (non-charting)

• 1981: Higelin à Mogador (triple album, 2 CDs)
• 1983: Casino de Paris (1 album, 1 CD)
• 1986: Higelin à Bercy (triple album, 2 CD)
• 1990: Follow the Live (double album, 1 CD)
• 1992: Higelin Le Rex (double album, 1 CD)

Albums with Brigitte Fontaine

• 1966: 12 chansons d'avant le déluge
• 1976: 15 chansons d'avant le déluge, suite et fin

Album with Areski Belkacem

• 1969: Higelin et Areski

Compilations

• 1973 – Jacques Canetti présente Jacques Higelin
• 1980 - Inédits 1970
• 2005 - Entre deux gares

Filmography

• 2004 : Colette, une femme libre, directed by Nadine Trintignant (TV Mini-Series)