Catherine Lara

Today, the spotlighted artist is a French violinist, composer and singer. She recorded her first album at 27. Her name is Catherine Lara.

Catherine Lara, born Catherine Baudet near Paris, was the daughter of a doctor (and amateur violinist). Her mother brought up Catherine, her sister and two brothers in a musical household. Catherine started playing the violin at age 11 and entered the conservatoire at Versailles, leaving two years later with a first prize in 1966.

She played and composed for famous singers before starting to sing herself. Her first album, Ad libitum was released in 1972. Here's the title track:

From the same album, here's Morituri:

Also in 1972, she recorded another album called Marche Dans Le Temps. Here's the title track:

Her next album, in 1974, was La Craie Dans L'encrier. Here's the title track:

From her 1975 album called Nil, here's L'enfant Maya:

From her 1976 album called Jeu De Société, here's Si Tu Penses:

From 1977, here's Babylon, with Claude Engel, in a live recording on a later date:

Since her 1979 album Coup d'feel, her songs are more influenced by Rock music. From this album, here's Petit Homme:

Her first album in the 80s was Geronimo. From this album, here's La Femme Nue:

At that time, she worte a song for a film called Le Rebelle. The song, Johan, appeared in her 1981 album of the same name:

The 1983 album La Rockeuse De Diamant provided a major success with the single of the same name:

This album also includes Autonome, in which she says : "[I'm] free to love a woman or a man". Unfortunately, I couldn't find the song online, so that we could all listen to it.

In 1986, she made a breakthrough with the single Nuit Magique, her biggest hit that brought her fame and made her win a Victoires de la Musique (French Grammy Awards) for best female singer of the year.

In 1991, she worked on a Rock Opera where she embodied female writer George Sand, titled Sand Et Les Romantiques. As a part of the show, she released a duet with her friend Véronique Sanson, entitled Entre Elle Et Moi.

From the same album, here's Les Romantiques:

From her 1999 album, Aral, here's the title track. It's a tune where one can fully appreciate her prowess with the violin:

The single taken from this album was Marayeva:

In 2002, she co-wrote a song for the France national football team, called Tous Ensemble, sung by Johnny Hallyday. The same year Lara was named Officer of the Ordre de la Légion d'honneur. Here's Tous Ensemble:

In 2011 she released the album Une Voix Pour Ferré, taking on the oeuvre of Leo Ferré. Here's opening track Avec Le Temps:

Her last album, in 2012, Au Coeur De L'Âme Yiddish, is a collaboration with the Sirba Octet. here's her take on Goran Bregovic's Ederlezi:

Catherine Lara is openly lesbian. When asked in a TV show what she would look at first in a man, she answered "his wife". In the late 80s she entered in a long-term relationship with comedian Muriel Robin. A few years later, they separated amicably. For the last 20 years or so, she's in a relationship with Samantha, ex-director of the music department of French TV channel TF1. As Lara herself said: "Notre lien est formidable. Jusqu'à 47 ans, j'ai aimé être aimée. Avec elle, j'ai aimé donner. Ensemble, nous ne sommes pas dans un rapport de force, comme on peut l'être avec un homme", which means, translated by me: "We are in an extraordinary relationship. For 47 years, I loved to be loved. With her, I love to give love. Together, there's no forcefulness, as is often the case in a relationship with a man."