Maurane, swinging French chansonnière
Throughout her career, Maurane has sold more than 3 million albums and singles, among which 1.7 million in France. She is known for her French chansons with a jazzy, swinging touch.
Maurane, whose real name is Claudine Luypaert, was born on 12 November 1960 in Ixelles, Brussels. From a very early age she was brought up on music by both her parents, her father, Guy Luypaerts, being a composer and director of the Music academy of Verviers and her mother, Jeannie Patureaux, a piano teacher. At the age of 8 Maurane got her first violin lessons, after which she learned to play the piano and the guitar all by herself.
Like so many youngsters, she participated in talent shows, while singing under the pseudonym of Claudie Claude. In 1979 she played a part in a musical in honour of Brel: Brel en mille temps. There, she not only meets songwriter Daria de Martynoff, with whom she would often cooperate later, but also the French composer and producer Pierre Baruch, who believes in the talent of this young Brussels artist and offers her a contract for his label, Saravah.
In 1980, her first single ‘J'me roule en boule’ is released by the same label. At first she performs under the name Claude Maurane, a reference to film director Francis Morane. The real breakthrough in her career came in 1985 with her performance in ‘Sentier des Halles’ in Paris. A year later her first album was released: Danser. In 1986 she played the role of Marie-Jeanne in the 2nd version of the rock opera Starmania.
Her second album ‘Maurane’ is releaed in 1989 and surpasses platinum status 5 times. Especially the single ‘Toutes les mamas’ scores high in the charts. The success album ‘Ami ou Ennemi’ from 1991 achieved 15 platinum records. Well-known hits from this record are ‘Du Mal’, ‘Mentir’ an especially ‘Sur un prélude de Bach’.
They are followed by ‘Différente’ (1995), ‘L’un pour l’autre’ (1998), ‘Toi du Monde’ (2000), ‘Quand l’humain danse’ (2003), ‘Nougaro ou l’espérance en l’homme’ (2009), ‘Fais-moi une fleur’ (2011) and ‘Ouvre’ (2014).
Besides, Maurane recorded two albums together with Steve Houben and Charles Loos under the name ‘HLM’. She often sings duets with artists like Lara Fabian or Michel Fugain.
Maurane is also known for her willing cooperation to benefit concerts organized e.g. for the fight against aids, to the benefit of ‘les Restos du Cœur’ (an organization committed to helping homeless people) and to support the hostages in the world.
In 2012 she became a jury member for ‘la Nouvelle Star’ (a French version of Pop Idol) on D8 tv. She did so for two seasons.
In 2001 Maurane was awarded the title of Knight in the French Order of Arts and Letters and in 2011 she received the title of Officer in the same order. In 2003 she was awarded the title of Knight in the Order of the Crown of Belgium.
After more than two years of absence, Maurane returns on stage May 5, 2018 and sings in honor of Jacques Brel during a concert in Brussels with other artists. She also takes the opportunity to announce her album project dedicated to the Belgian singer.
Unfortunately, Maurane is found dead at her home on Monday, May 7, 2018.
© Photos: Guillaume Cosson + Mediascene