Patricia Kaas

Chanteuse Patricia Kaas was born in France's Lorraine region, where she began performing as a youth; by age 11, she even held a residency at the Rumpelkammer Club in Sarrebrucken, Germany, over time honing a distinct style updating the French chanson tradition with elements of pop, blues, and jazz. Scoring her first national hit in 1987 with "Mademoiselle Chante le Blues," Kaas' debut album Mademoiselle Chante earned platinum status in France, Belgium, and Switzerland; the follow-up, Scene de Vie, topped the French charts for three months. Je Te Dis Vous followed in 1993, and the following year, Kaas issued her first live effort, Tour de Charme. Upon completing 1997's Phil Ramone-produced Dans Ma Chair, Kaas recorded the live Rendez-Vous in 1998. Her debut for Sony Classical, Christmas in Vienna, appeared in 1999. She continued touring and recording live albums into the 2010s. ~ Jason Ankeny