Mathieu Mireille, *22 July 1946 Avignon, French singer. She began her career at amateur singing competitions. In 1965, after winning first place in a contest organized by Télé-dimanche, she performed a concert at the Olympia in Paris, which was recorded by Barclay and released on the album En direct de l’Olympia. Mathieu’s first singles (Mon crédo, C’est ton nom, Qu’elle est belle, Le funambule) became hits in France and abroad. In addition to lyrical love songs, she also recorded socially engaged songs (Quand fera-t-il jour camarade?, Soldats sans armes). In 1967, Mathieu won first place in a poll for the most popular French singer. Although she was initially hailed as the “new Edith Piaf,” over time she abandoned her dramatic repertoire in favour of simple, melodic compositions, showcasing her superb vocal technique. Her repertoire includes both traditional French songs and contemporary pop hits. Mathieu tours extensively, records in several languages, and appears on television. Her songs have been featured in films such as The Night of the Generals (dir. A. Litvak, 1967) and Le casse (The Burglars dir. H. Verneuil, 1971). In the late 1970s, P. Anka managed Mathieu’s career in the United States (Mireille Mathieu Sings P. Anka, 1979). She also recorded albums with P. Domingo (Les Contes de cri-cri, 1985) and B. Manilow (Don’t Talk to Me of Love, 1986). Mathieu’s hits included: La dernière valse (1967), Les bicyclettes de Belize, Acropolis adieu (1971), Der Pariser Tango (1971), Corsica, La Paloma adieu (1973), Histoire d’amour, Paris en colère, Good Bye My Love (1984), and Vous Lui Direz… (1995). She recorded for the record labels Barclay, Philips, Ariola, Columbia and Radio Corporation America. Her greatest hits were compiled on the three-disc set Les plus grands succès Mireille Mathieu (1988) and the compilation Une Vie d’Amour (2018). Mathieu has performed in Poland on several occasions, making her first appearance in Warsaw in 1969. The singer runs the record labels Abilene Music and Abilene Disc. She was awarded the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1984), the French Order of the Legion of Honour (1999) and the Order of the Legion of Honour (2011). In 1987, Mathieu’s autobiography, Oui, je crois, was published. Between 2024 and 2025, the artist undertook her farewell tour, 60 Ans d’Amour.
