- Born
- Nickname
- Mimi
- Height5′ 0¼″ (1.53 m)
- From the beginning, Mireille Mathieu was born to be a singer. As she herself would say, her professional career, which begain on November 21, 1965, has for over 40 years been "a fairy tale come true." Born in Avignon the eldest daughter of Marcelle and Roger Mathieu's 14 children, Mireille gave her first public performance when she was 4 years old at Midnight Mass! Her father, a stonecutter for the cemetery, had also dreamed of singing with his tenor voice. As a child, Mireille saved her pay for her factory job so she could pay for singing lessons. Voice instructor Laure Collière accepted Mireille as a student. In her biography "Mon Credo", during a time of distress she asked "that God please create a miracle" for her to arise from poverty. In the early '60s, French pop vocalist Johnny Hallyday's manager Johnny Stark noticed Mireille's enchanting vocal beauty when she appeared on the TV show "Jeu de la Chance" and won first place. The American impresario later mentored her when she signed a contract with him. With lots of hard work and many nights when she was only able to sleep for four hours and she needed to do a concert, Mireille performed brilliantly and was on her way to success. She was quickly hailed as the next Édith Piaf and her 1965 performance run at the Paris Olympia sparked her recording relationship with Barclay Records, where her first album sold over 1 million copies in a very short time! With much stamina, Mireille forged ahead to make her career in France, Germany, the United States, Russia, and the rest of the world. In 1974 she won the German "Bambi" Music Award, which is equivalent to the American Grammy Award.
In 1997, Mireille was nominated and given the "Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite et des Arts et des Lettres" and decorated with "The Legion of Honor" for her service to the Nation of France." Of her reception by Pope John Paul II, His Holiness has said, "She is the singer of love and peace." For me, Mireille is "un cadeau d' un Dieu" as her last name literally translates.
- IMDb mini biography by: jk_thompson@hotmail.com
- Parents
- Her urchin hairstyle
- Short stature
- Sang duets with international stars such as Charles Aznavour, Barry Manilow, Paul Anka, Plácido Domingo, Elvis Presley, Patrick Duffy, Tom Jones and Dean Martin.
- Has been guest of state leaders such as Queen Elizabeth II and Ronald Reagan.
- Sister of Simone Mathieu.
- Was Marianne de France from 1978 to 1985. Marianne is the bust of the most beautiful woman of a decade in France and she is placed in every City Hall of France. Marianne also represents liberty and republic.
- Was made Knight of the French Legion of Honor in 1999.
- When I'am recording a disk or going out on the stage, I'am agitated just the same like for the first time. I arrive at the theatre four hours before the beginning of the performance. I must get accustomed to the hall even if I know it well. The most remarkable moment is when you go out on the stage and you hear the applause of the audience!
- Who is happy with his appearance? I find many drawbacks of myself. But, each time when I visit Lourdes, I receive a lesson of reconciliation. When you see ill people or invalids around, you realize that it is a sin to complain!
- LOVE in capital letters is important. It is impossible to live without love. You must have the feeling of being loved. All artists need love - from the audience, friends and relatives. But true and faithful friends are exceptionally rare.
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