Unknown to the general public, Romain Didier is one of the most prolific French songwriters. He is secretive, like his music. Nevertheless, he writes charming and poetic songs.
It does not matter to him whether he writes for himself or the general public. The common denominator for all his works is humanism.
Biographical sconduct About Romaine Didier
In 1949, Romain Didier's father (a composer by profession) received the prestigious Rome Prize (Prix de Rome). As it should be, to get something, you need to work hard. That is why Papa Romen lived and worked in a villa in the heart of the capital of Italy.
In the same place and in the same 1949, Didier Petit was born into a family of creative personalities. Father, as already mentioned, was a composer and violinist, and mother was an opera singer. His stage name Romain comes from the city where the singer was born.
Together with his brother Claude, Romain grew up in Paris, in a musical environment. Not having a particular craving for piano lessons, he nevertheless mastered this instrument.
After receiving a bachelor's degree, Romain entered the Faculty of Philology, earning a living playing the piano.
He played to order while studying the work of his favorite artists: Brel, Brassens, Ferré, Aznavour and Trenet. So he lived in the early 1970s. Soon, Romain met his future wife, with whom he later had two daughters.
Fateful meeting
Together with songwriter Patrice Mitua, Romain Didier wrote more and more songs. They are trying to find people who will be interested in their work.
In 1980, Nicole Croisil was the first person to fall in love with the voice of Romain Didier. She then decided to sing the songs Allo Mélo and Ma folie. Romain Didier finally got into the world of real music.
Nicole Croisil taught him almost all the intricacies of singing, and then hired him as a musician. Soon, Nicole invited Romain to play in the first part of her show.
Luck seemed to turn to face Romain, and he was given the opportunity to make his first recordings at the RCA studio. However, they were not successful.
At the same time, he worked on television, composing music for films, puppet shows and a mini-opera for children, La Chouette.
The first success came in 1981. It was the work of Amnesie. His career took off from the first concert at the Théâtre du Petit Montparnasse. In the company of five musicians, Romain Didier excelled on his debut performance.
The critics and the public were delighted. He soon won three top prizes in Belgium at the Festival de Spa (Spa Festival).
In 1982 he released his second album Candeur et décadences. The album's successful single L'Aéroport de Fiumicino is a tribute to its Italian roots. The concert schedule has become really busy.
Romain was constantly and quite successfully in contact with the public, even if his popularity did not increase exponentially.
In general, popularity was not his main concern. In 1982, Romain performed at the Olympia (one of the most prestigious stages in Paris) as an opening act for the comedian Popek.
Awards
New success followed in 1982 with his album Le Monde entre mes bras and the work Señor ou Señorita. This album took him directly to the stage of Olympia for a solo piano performance of an excerpt from a piece of music.
In 1985, almost all possible awards will crown the talent of Romain Didier - the Raoul Breton Prize from the Sacem (Society of Authors-Composers) and the Georges Brassens Prize (Le Prix Georges Brassens) at the festival in Sète.
But in 1985 there was an encounter with Allen Lepreste (singer-songwriter), whose musical and artistic sensibility is a real addition to the work of Romain Didier.
The two men became pen pals and began a collaboration. Many songs and albums came out thanks to this friendship.
In 1986, Romain Didier found a new Parisian establishment, where he subsequently appeared regularly. We are talking about the Municipal Theater du Chatelet in the center of the capital. Sitting alone at the piano, he continued to impress his faithful audience.
In the same year, the singer recorded a double live album consisting of performances in Brussels. Released commercially by Public Piano, the album earned Romain the outstanding Charles Cros award, a confirmation of professional recognition.
Generously appreciated by his colleagues, Romain was invited by some of them to work together. That's how he started collaborating with Pierre Perret, (of course) with Allen Lepreste, and Francis Lemark, the author of the famous song À Paris.
With Lemark, the artist will remain in warm friendly relations. In addition to orchestral work, he also wrote songs for some singers such as: Annie Cordy, Sabine Paterel, Natalie Lhermitte.
Travel life
In 1988, Romain Didier returned to the Théâtre de la Ville with a play set in Kazakhstan! He also released a new CD, Romain Didier 88, also called Man Wave in English.
The following year, Romain worked with Allen Leprest to record Place de l'Europe 1992. This album takes the singer on a long tour and also performs at many festivals: Paleo festival in Nyon (Switzerland), Francofolies de La Rochelle in France, Spa in Belgium and Sofia in Bulgaria.
In Paris, his tour lasted about two years. During the performances, Romain also visited many small towns in France.
In 1992, Didier began working at the Théâtre de 10 heures, where he performed for two months. In the same year, after a career of more than ten years, he decided to re-record 60 of his songs on three CDs under the title D'hier à deux mains.
The new album Maux d'amour, consisting of fourteen songs recorded with the Enesco Philharmonic Orchestra of Budapest, was released in 1994.
Versatility of talent
In 1997, Romain Didier received the second Charles Cros Prize for the album En concert, recorded in Sarrebrück, Germany a few months earlier.
At the same time, he continued an unusual professional activity in the field of music. It's about teaching. He did teach music at conservatories and music schools.
As he did a few years earlier, Romain took to the children's show again with the written musical tale Pantin Pantine in 1998. Allen Leprest started collaborating with Didier again.
While Pantin Pantine crossed France, Romain Didier returned to jazz with his new album J'ai noté..., which was released in the spring. One Romain Didier has never been on stage.
Its accompanists are even well-known jazzmen such as: Andre Ceccarelli (drums) and Christian Escude (guitar).
Romain Didier now
Romain Didier released a new Délassé opus in February 2003. From February 28, he performed for a month at the Théâtre d'Ivry-sur-Seine-Antoine Vitez in one of the Parisian regions. In the spring he began touring.
Not to mention side projects, in 2004 Romain Didier took up writing the show Les Copains d'abord ("Friends First"), which he first demonstrated on stage at Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray.
The show was attended by his longtime close friends: Néry, Enzo Enzo, Kent and Allen Leprest. With the last three, Didier worked on their own albums.
In November 2005, Romain Didier released the studio album Chapitre neuf ("Chapter 9"). In this regard, he asked Pascal Mathieu to write most of the lyrics for the record.
From 28 November to 3 December he performed in Paris at Divan du Monde with a new show Deux de cordée in duet with guitarist Thierry Garcia.
