Olivia Ruiz
Encyclopedia
Olivia Blanc known as Olivia Ruiz is a female French pop singer of partial Spanish origin belonging to the nouvelle chanson
genre.
, daughter of musician Didier Blanc though later taking her grandmother's maiden name Ruiz. In 2001, she was a prominent contestant in the first French edition of Star Academy, a popular TV reality-show and musical contest. She was defeated in the semi-final by eventual winner Jenifer Bartoli
but according to an interview on Europe 1 she claimed that she never wanted to win and, following a post-series tour, worked to distance herself from the Star Ac image.
For her second studio album La Femme Chocolat, Olivia Ruiz was recognised by the Victoires de la Musique
as the Female Artist of the Year in 2007. For the live performances accompanying the record, she also received the prize in the category of Musical Show, Tour or Concert of the Year. The album topped the French chart and was certified as a diamond record for selling more than 750,000 copies in France and made it to the top 50 of the Walloon and Swiss charts. Off the album, the music videos of the tracks "J'traine des pieds" and "La femme chocolat" were placed on rotation on the MCM French TV channel in 2006. The singles made it to the top 50 of the French and Walloon charts.
Olivia Ruiz wrote all the lyrics for her third studio album Miss Météores, co-orchestrated the music and employed a crew of guest stars including the rapper Buck 65
, the indie band Noisettes
and the folk
and dark cabaret
project Lonely Drifter Karen
and featured the styles of nouvelle chanson, punk, folk and Hispanic rock
. The record topped the French and Walloon album charts in 2009. Off the album, the single "Elle panique", with the music written by Buck 65 peaked at #2 of the Walloon chart. The music video of the song was placed on rotation on the MCM in May 2009. Her partner is Mathias Malzieu
, the lead singer of the band Dionysos
.
Nouvelle Chanson
Nouvelle Chanson or 'New Chanson' is a recently coined buzzword used to define a new style of music emerging in France, one which takes clear inspiration from the forefathers of French Chanson , albeit in an updated style...
genre.
Biography
Ruiz was born at CarcassonneCarcassonne
Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude department, of which it is the prefecture, in the former province of Languedoc.It is divided into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. Carcassone was founded by the Visigoths in the fifth century,...
, daughter of musician Didier Blanc though later taking her grandmother's maiden name Ruiz. In 2001, she was a prominent contestant in the first French edition of Star Academy, a popular TV reality-show and musical contest. She was defeated in the semi-final by eventual winner Jenifer Bartoli
Jenifer Bartoli
Jenifer Yaël Dadouche-Bartoli , better known as simply Jenifer, is a pop singer who has, since 2002, had a number of hit singles in the French, Belgium and Swiss charts...
but according to an interview on Europe 1 she claimed that she never wanted to win and, following a post-series tour, worked to distance herself from the Star Ac image.
For her second studio album La Femme Chocolat, Olivia Ruiz was recognised by the Victoires de la Musique
Victoires de la Musique
Victoires de la musique , is an annual French award ceremony that recognizes the best musical artists of the year.- Male artist of the year :*1985 : Michel Jonasz*1986 : Jean-Jacques Goldman*1987 : Johnny Hallyday...
as the Female Artist of the Year in 2007. For the live performances accompanying the record, she also received the prize in the category of Musical Show, Tour or Concert of the Year. The album topped the French chart and was certified as a diamond record for selling more than 750,000 copies in France and made it to the top 50 of the Walloon and Swiss charts. Off the album, the music videos of the tracks "J'traine des pieds" and "La femme chocolat" were placed on rotation on the MCM French TV channel in 2006. The singles made it to the top 50 of the French and Walloon charts.
Olivia Ruiz wrote all the lyrics for her third studio album Miss Météores, co-orchestrated the music and employed a crew of guest stars including the rapper Buck 65
Buck 65
Richard Terfry , who uses the stage name Buck 65, is a Canadian experimental artist, MC and turntablist. Underpinned by an extensive background in abstract hip hop, his more recent music has extensively incorporated blues, country, rock, folk and avant garde influences.Terfry is also a radio host,...
, the indie band Noisettes
Noisettes
Noisettes are an English indie rock band from London, comprising singer and bassist Shingai Shoniwa, guitarist Dan Smith, and drummer Jamie Morrison...
and the folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and dark cabaret
Dark Cabaret
Dark cabaret may be a simple description of the theme and mood of a cabaret performance, but more recently has come to define a particular musical genre which draws on the aesthetics of the decadent, risqué German Weimar-era cabarets, burlesque and vaudeville shows with the stylings of post-1970s...
project Lonely Drifter Karen
Lonely Drifter Karen
Lonely Drifter Karen was born from the union of three people with different musical backgrounds, from folk and dream pop to cabaret, experimental, classical, rock and more...
and featured the styles of nouvelle chanson, punk, folk and Hispanic rock
Chicano rock
Chicano rock is rock music performed by Mexican American groups or music with themes derived from Chicano culture. Chicano Rock, to a great extent, does not refer to any single style or approach. Some of these groups do not sing in Spanish at all, or use many specifically Latin instruments or sounds...
. The record topped the French and Walloon album charts in 2009. Off the album, the single "Elle panique", with the music written by Buck 65 peaked at #2 of the Walloon chart. The music video of the song was placed on rotation on the MCM in May 2009. Her partner is Mathias Malzieu
Mathias Malzieu
Mathias Malzieu , the lead singer of the French band Dionysos, co-founded the group in 1993 when he lived in Valence in Drôme. Three of his school-friends , comprised the original band membership.-Books:Malzieu has written the following books:* 38 mini westerns avec des fantômes * Maintenant qu'il...
, the lead singer of the band Dionysos
Dionysos (French band)
Dionysos is a French rock band formed in 1993 in Valence, Drôme; they formed at their lycée. They perform songs in both French and English, and have released six studio albums. They are well known in France for their surrealism and eccentricity....
.
Albums
- 2003 : J'aime pas l'Amour, produced by Iso Diop & Mitch Olivier
- 2005 : La Femme Chocolat, produced by Alain Cluzeau, Mathias MalzieuMathias MalzieuMathias Malzieu , the lead singer of the French band Dionysos, co-founded the group in 1993 when he lived in Valence in Drôme. Three of his school-friends , comprised the original band membership.-Books:Malzieu has written the following books:* 38 mini westerns avec des fantômes * Maintenant qu'il...
(DionysosDionysos (French band)Dionysos is a French rock band formed in 1993 in Valence, Drôme; they formed at their lycée. They perform songs in both French and English, and have released six studio albums. They are well known in France for their surrealism and eccentricity....
) & Olivia Ruiz - 2007 : Chocolat Show
- 2008 : La Chica Chocolate (La femme chocolat)
- 2009 : Miss Météores
- 2010 : Miss Météores Live
Singles
- 2001 : Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! ", originally titled "Been and Gone and Done It", is one of Swedish pop group ABBA's biggest disco hits. It was recorded and released in 1979 with "The King Has Lost His Crown" as the B-side. It appears on ABBA's Greatest Hits Vol...
, an AbbaAbbaABBA is the name of a former Swedish pop music group.Abba may also refer to:* ABBA , a self-titled album by the Swedish pop music group ABBA* "Abba ", a song by Christian pop and rock artist, Rebecca St...
cover sung by a group of Star Academy contestants including Ruiz and Jenifer BartoliJenifer BartoliJenifer Yaël Dadouche-Bartoli , better known as simply Jenifer, is a pop singer who has, since 2002, had a number of hit singles in the French, Belgium and Swiss charts...
that reached No 1 in the French charts - 2002 : Paris, songwriter ChetChetChet is a first month of the Nanakshahi calendar, which govern the activities within Sikhism. This month coincides with March and April in the Gregorian and Julian calendars and is 31 days long...
. - 2003 : J'aime pas l'amour, songwriter JulietteJuliette NoureddineJuliette Noureddine, better known by her stage name of Juliette, is a French singer, songwriter and composer.-Biography:She was born on September 25, 1962 in the 17th arrondissement of Paris. Her grandfather, of Algerian origin, arrived in France during the 1920s. Her father, Jacques Noureddine,...
. - 2003 : Pas si vieille, songwriter Philippe Prohom.
- 2003 : Qui sommes nous ?, songwriter ChetChetChet is a first month of the Nanakshahi calendar, which govern the activities within Sikhism. This month coincides with March and April in the Gregorian and Julian calendars and is 31 days long...
and Jérôme Rebotier. - 2004 : Le tango du qui, songwriter Stéphane Balmino and Denis Hénault-Parizel.
- 2004 : Les vieux amoureux, songwriter ChetChetChet is a first month of the Nanakshahi calendar, which govern the activities within Sikhism. This month coincides with March and April in the Gregorian and Julian calendars and is 31 days long...
and Jérôme Rebotier. - 2005 : J'traîne des pieds, songwriter Olivia Ruiz and Ben Ricour.
- 2006 : La femme chocolat, songwriter Mathias MalzieuMathias MalzieuMathias Malzieu , the lead singer of the French band Dionysos, co-founded the group in 1993 when he lived in Valence in Drôme. Three of his school-friends , comprised the original band membership.-Books:Malzieu has written the following books:* 38 mini westerns avec des fantômes * Maintenant qu'il...
. - 2007 : Non dits, songwriter Christian Olivier.
- 2007 : Goutez-moi, songwriter Mathias MalzieuMathias MalzieuMathias Malzieu , the lead singer of the French band Dionysos, co-founded the group in 1993 when he lived in Valence in Drôme. Three of his school-friends , comprised the original band membership.-Books:Malzieu has written the following books:* 38 mini westerns avec des fantômes * Maintenant qu'il...
. - 2007 : Thérapie de Groupe
- 2009 : Elle panique
- 2009 : Belle a en crever
- 2010 : Les crêpes aux champignons
- 2010 : Elle panique (Live)
Albums
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Sales and certifications | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... (Wal) |
FRA France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
SWI Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
|||
| 2001 | Star Academy, L'Album | 1 | 1 | 3 | Ruiz appears as one of the Star Academy team |
| 2001 | Star Academy, Le Live | 7 | 16 | 38 | Live versions of the Star Academy songs, Ruiz sings Paris |
| 2003 | J'aime pas l'amour | 95 | 87 | – | Silver record (more than 50,000 sold) in France |
| 2005 | La Femme Chocolat | 6 | 1 | 33 | Diamond record (more than 750,000 sold) in France |
| 2007 | Chocolat Show! | 54 | Live Album | ||
| 2008-9 | Chica Chocolate | 60 | 185 | La Femme Chocolat rerecorded in Spanish | |
| 2009 | Miss Météores | 1 | 1 | 7 | Over 400,000 copies sold |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL BEL BEL can be an abbreviation for:* The ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 country code for Belgium* BEL or bell character in the C0 control code set* Belarusian language, in the ISO 639-2 and SIL country code lists* Bharat Electronics Limited... (Wal) |
FRA France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
SWI | |||
| 2001 | Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) | 11 | 1 | – | as Star Ac 1 with Jenifer Bartoli Jenifer Bartoli Jenifer Yaël Dadouche-Bartoli , better known as simply Jenifer, is a pop singer who has, since 2002, had a number of hit singles in the French, Belgium and Swiss charts... and Carine Haddadou |
| 2007 | La Femme Chocolat | 31 | 42 | – | La Femme Chocolat |
| 2007 | J'traîne des pieds | 23 | 37 | – | La Femme Chocolat |
| 2009 | Elle panique | 2 | 9 | 74 | Miss Météores |
| Belle à en crever | 13 | 3 | Miss Météores | ||
| 2010 | Les crêpes aux champignons | 22 | Miss Météores | ||
External links
- Official Olivia Ruiz Website
- Review of Miss Meteores
- Chronicle of an amateur song (french)