Daniel Lavoie

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Daniel Lavoie OC (born March 17, 1949) is a Canadian musician, actor, and singer known for the French hit "Ils s'aiment" and for playing Frollo in the musical Notre-Dame de Paris. Born in Dunrea, Manitoba, he rose to fame after winning CBC’s Jeunesse Oblige in 1967 and began performing with Quebec groups before adopting the stage name Daniel.

He released his first singles in the early 1970s and his first album, A court terme, in 1975. His breakthrough in Quebec came with Nirvana bleu (1979), and the 1984 song "Ils s'aiment" became a huge hit, selling millions and earning him international recognition. He also recorded English-language albums, Cravings (1981) and Here in the heart (1992).

In 1998 Lavoie joined Notre-Dame de Paris as Frollo, a role he sang in Paris, on tour, and in other countries. The show and its song "Belle" became widely popular across Europe. He continued to release music and perform in Canada, France, Russia, and beyond, with albums such as Vue sur la mer (1987), Comédies humaines (2004), Mes longs voyages (2016), and La Licorne captive (2014).

Beyond singing, Lavoie has acted in films and television, written music for films, and produced albums for other artists. He published poetry books Finutilité (2011) and Particulités (2015), hosted the radio show Lavoie libre from 2010 to 2013, and lives in Montreal.