Thérèse Coquerelle, known professionally as Isabelle Aubret, secured victory at the 1962 Eurovision Song Contest with the song Un premier amour. Born in Marquette-lez-Lille in 1938, she transitioned from a background in competitive gymnastics to a multifaceted career in French music, eventually receiving recognition as a Knight of the Legion of Honour.
Early Development and Athletics
Before her musical debut, Aubret achieved national success in athletics. In 1952, at age fourteen, she won the French Gymnastics Championship. During this period, she left school to work as a winder in a spinning mill in Saint-André, where her father served as a foreman. Her early public performances emerged through local singing competitions and radio programs held within her family home, eventually leading her to join an orchestra in Le Havre by 1956.
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After performing at the Olympia and securing a cabaret engagement in Pigalle, she debuted the single Nous les Amoureux in 1961. Her 1962 Eurovision victory, with music by Claude-Henri Vic and lyrics by Roland Stéphane Valade, established her profile. She later represented France again in 1968 with the song La source, composed by Daniel Faure with lyrics by Henri Dijan and Guy Bonnet. Throughout her career, she participated in various national Eurovision heats, including entries in 1961, 1970, 1976, and 1983.
Professional Challenges and Rehabilitation
Aubret faced significant physical obstacles that interrupted her career. In 1963, a severe car accident involving pianist Serge Sentis left her hospitalized in Autun for multiple surgeries. In 1981, while rehearsing a trapeze act with boxer Jean-Claude Bouttier for a gala, she suffered a fall that resulted in broken legs, requiring a two-year rehabilitation period to regain her ability to walk.
Collaboration and Discography
Her work extended into cinema and collaborative production. In 1972, she co-produced the song C'est Ainsi Que Les Choses Arrivent with Michel Colombier for the Jean-Pierre Melville film Un Flic. Her extensive discography includes albums such as Liberté, Parisabelle, and tributes to various songwriters. In 2001, she marked forty years in the industry with a series of concerts at the Bobino music hall.
Fast facts
- Born: 27 July 1938, Marquette-lez-Lille
- Citizenship: France
- Occupation: Singer
- Eurovision Win: 1962
- Knight of the Legion of Honour: 1992
- Spouse: Gérard Meys
Questions readers ask
What was Isabelle Aubret's first career choice?
She was a competitive gymnast and won the French Gymnastics Championship in 1952.
Which international awards has she received?
She is a Knight of the Legion of Honour, a Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres, and holds the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Achievements
- Knight of the Legion of Honour — 1992
- First prize of the Eurovision Song Contest — 1962
- Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Instruments: voice
- Genres: chanson
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