Kendji Girac
{{short description|French singer}}
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{BLP sources|date=July 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image = KendjiGirac.jpg
| caption = Kendji in 2022
| birth_name = Kendji Jason Maillié
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1996|07|03}}
| birth_place = Périgueux, Aquitaine, France
| genre = {{hlist|Pop|flamenco}}
| occupation = Singer
| years_active = 2014–present
| label = Mercury
| associated_acts =
| website = {{URL|http://kendji.fr/}}
}}
Kendji "Girac" Jason Maillié ({{IPA|fr|kɛndʒi ʒiʁak dʒɛzɔn maje}}; born 3 July 1996), also known mononymously as Kendji, is a French singer. He is the winner of season 3 of the music competition The Voice: la plus belle voix as part of Team Mika.{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/6251770/kendji-girac/biography|title=Kendji Girac - Biography {{!}} Billboard|website=www.billboard.com|language=en|access-date=2017-04-10}} He has released six studio albums, Kendji, Ensemble, Amigo, Mi Vida, L'école de la vie, and Vivre... as well as a string of hit singles.
Biography
=Beginnings=
The youngest of a Catalan Gitano family, Kendji grew up in Saint-Astier and was taught to play the guitar and sing by his grandfather. He left school at 16 to follow the family business as an arborist.[http://www.leparisien.fr/tv/video-kendji-avant-the-voice-j-avais-une-vie-de-gitan-12-05-2014-3834509.php VIDEO. Kendji: « Avant The Voice, j'avais une vie de gitan »] {{in lang|fr}} He speaks Catalan with his parents.[http://www.purebreak.com/news/kendji-girac-et-le-francais-parfois-c-est-un-peu-complique-pour-moi/75252#lt_source=external,manual Kendji Girac et le français : "Parfois, c'est un peu compliqué pour moi"] {{in lang|fr}} He gained some fame through publishing materials online. His Romanes version of "Bella" by Maître Gims filmed by a friend went viral. His video garnered 5.8 million views.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INTK-HvRznA|title=Bella (maître Gims) version Gitane par Kendji Girac|last=fugitif73|date=10 August 2013|via=YouTube}} Another popular song he uploaded was "Si j'étais président", a cover of Gérard Lenorman.
=''The Voice''=
For season 3 of The Voice: la plus belle voix, he auditioned with the song "Bella" by Maître Gims in the second episode of season 3, broadcast on 18 January, with only judge Mika turning his chair, whereas the three others, Florent Pagny, Jenifer and Garou refrained.
In the Musical Battles Round broadcast on 8 March 2014, Mika put him against Youness both singing "Tous les mêmes" by Stromae. Kendji moved to "L'épreuve ultime" round, in which he performed "Hotel California by The Eagles in the 29 March 2014 emission.
In the live rounds he performed "Ma philosophie" by Amel Bent (5 April 2014), "Mad World" from Tears for Fears (19 April 2014) and "Allumer le feu" by Johnny Hallyday (19 April 2014). In the semi-final on 3 May 2014, he sang "Belle" by Garou and Daniel Lavoie qualified for the finals as Team Mika's finalist.
=Career=
Image:Kendji Girac Belval 2016.jpg
His first official single the bilingual French/Spanish "Color Gitano", was released in June 2014 from his eponymous EP,[http://www.metronews.fr/culture/the-voice-decouvrez-color-gitano-le-premier-single-de-kendji-girac/mnfn!5uANILEA5jAr/ MetroNews (Paris): "The Voice" : Découvrez Color Gitano, le premier single de Kendji Girac] {{in lang|fr}}[http://www.chartsinfrance.net/Kendji/news-92520.html Charts in France: Clip de "Color Gitano" : Kendji Girac ("The Voice") profite de la vie et impose son style] {{in lang|fr}} followed by his official album release in September. In December 2014, he won two NRJ Music Awards for Francophone Breakthrough of the Year and "Color Gitano" as Francophone Song of the Year.[http://www.leparisien.fr/musique/en-images-les-grands-vainqueurs-des-nrj-music-awards-sont-13-12-2014-4371905.php Les grands vainqueurs des NRJ Music Awards sont...] sur le site leparisien.fr His album Kendji sold 600,000 copies by January 2015,[http://www.chartsinfrance.net/Kendji-Girac/news-95599.html Kendji franchit le seuil des 600.000 ventes avec son premier album] {{in lang|fr}} and over 1 million copies by October 2015,{{cite web|title = Kendji Girac franchit le cap du million d'albums vendus|url = http://www.lefigaro.fr/musique/2015/10/13/03006-20151013ARTFIG00148-kendji-girac-franchit-le-cap-du-million-d-albums-vendus.php|website = Le Figaro| date=13 October 2015 |access-date = 2015-10-15}} certifying Diamond and becoming France's second-highest selling album of 2014 after Racine carrée by Stromae. He is currently the biggest-selling The Voice alumnus worldwide. His follow-up single "Andalouse" proved even more successful commercially. Other notable singles included "Conmigo" from the repackaged version of Kendji released on 4 May 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.melty.fr/kendji-girac-bientot-une-nouvelle-reedition-de-son-premier-album-a396227.html|title=Kendji Girac : Bientôt une nouvelle réédition de son premier album !|date=31 March 2015}}
A second album titled Ensemble was released on 30 October 2015.{{cite web|title = Kendji : "Ensemble", son deuxième album, bientôt dans les bacs|url = http://www.chartsinfrance.net/Kendji-Girac/news-98933.html|website = chartsinfrance.net| date=17 September 2015 |access-date = 2015-10-15}} Notable singles from his second album include "Me Quemo", "Les yeux de la mama" and "No Me Mires Más" (jointly with Soprano).
On 31 August 2018, his third album, titled Amigo was released. It started at number one on the French sales chart with 48,408 sales.{{cite web|url=http://www.chartsinfrance.net/Kendji-Girac/news-107974.html|title="Amigo" : Kendji Girac numéro un des ventes avec son nouvel album|website=chartsinfrance.net|date=7 September 2018 |access-date=2018-09-07}}
On 22 August 2020, he joined the cast of The Voice Kids France, becoming the first French former contestant to join the jury of the French franchise of the show, alongside Jenifer, Patrick Fiori, and Soprano.{{Cite web|last=Média|first=Prisma|title=The Voice Kids : Kendji Girac fera ses premiers pas de coach le… - Voici|url=https://www.voici.fr/news-people/actu-people/the-voice-kids-kendji-girac-fera-ses-premiers-pas-de-coach-le-685601|access-date=2020-08-16|website=Voici.fr|date=5 August 2020 |language=fr}}
= Charity work =
In 2017, Kendji joined the Enfoirés, a team of high-grossing artists involved in the hugely popular charity mission Restos du Coeur, which hosts yearly concerts to raise money for one of France's most respected soup kitchen networks.{{Cite web|title=Kendji Girac rejoint la troupe des Enfoirés - Vidéo Dailymotion|url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x54f6w8|website=Dailymotion|date=5 December 2016 |language=en|access-date=2020-05-04}}
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:11em;" | Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;" | Album details ! scope="col" colspan="5" | Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2" |Sales ! rowspan="2" |Certifications |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | FRA {{cite web|url=https://lescharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Kendji+Girac|title=lescharts.com - Discographie Kendji Girac|website=lescharts.com}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | BEL ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | BEL ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | NLD ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | SWI |
| scope="row" |Kendji
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 119 | style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 53 | style="text-align:center;"| 22 |
|
|
| scope="row" |Ensemble
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 88 | style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 1 |
| |
| scope="row" |Amigo
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 69 | style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 7 | | |
| scope="row" | Mi Vida
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 2 | style="text-align:center;"| 83 | style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 5 | | |
| scope="row" | L'école de la vie
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 3 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 11 | | |
| scope="row" | Vivre...
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 3{{cite web|url=https://snepmusique.com/les-tops/le-top-de-la-semaine/top-albums/?semaine=42?&annee=2024&categorie=Top%20Albums|title=Top Albums (Week 42, 2024)|publisher=Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique|language=French|accessdate=21 October 2024}} | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 3 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 14 | | |
=Live albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:11em;" | Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;" | Album details ! scope="col" colspan="5" | Peak chart positions |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | FRA ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | BEL |
| scope="row" |Ensemble / Le Live
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 15 | style="text-align:center;"| 5 |
=Other album releases=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:11em;" | Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;" | Album details ! scope="col" | Peak chart positions |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | FRA |
| scope="row" |Kendji / Ensemble / Kendji Girac, de l'ombre à la lumière
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 123 |
| scope="row" |Kendji / Ensemble
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 69 |
| scope="row" |L'Intégrale
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 64 |
=EPs=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:11em;" | Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;" | EP details ! scope="col"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;" | Notes |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | FRA |
| scope="row" |Kendji Girac EP
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 44 | {{hide|Tracklist|
|
=Singles=
==As lead artist==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of singles, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:2.5em;"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="4"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:10em;"| Album |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | FRA ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | BEL ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | BEL ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | POL |
|---|
| scope="row" |"Color Gitano"
|rowspan=6|2014 | style="text-align:center;"| 11 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 12 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="5"|Kendji |
| scope="row" |"Cool"
| style="text-align:center;"| 20 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 17 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"Andalouse"
| style="text-align:center;"| 3 | style="text-align:center;"| 14* | style="text-align:center;"| 3 | style="text-align:center;"| 10 |
| scope="row" |"Elle m'a aimé"
| style="text-align:center;"| 22 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 53* | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"Je m'abandonne"
| style="text-align:center;"| 25 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"La bohème"
| style="text-align:center;"| 61 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| Aznavour, sa jeunesse |
| scope="row" |"Conmigo"
|rowspan=4|2015 | style="text-align:center;"| 7 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 6 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| Kendji (2015 reissue) |
| scope="row" |"Les richesses du cœur"
| style="text-align:center;"| 57 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"Me Quemo"
| style="text-align:center;"| 7 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 8 | style="text-align:center;"| — |rowspan="5"| Ensemble |
| scope="row" |"Les yeux de la mama"
| style="text-align:center;"| 5 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"No me mirès màs" {{small|(with Soprano)}} |rowspan="2"|2016 | style="text-align:center;"| 9 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 11 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"Sonrisa"
| style="text-align:center;"| 25 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 42 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"Ma câlina"
| rowspan="2"| 2017 | style="text-align:center;"| 40 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 15 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"L'envie"
| style="text-align:center;"| 53 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 26* | style="text-align:center;"| — |{{n/a|Non-album single}} |
| scope="row" |"Maria Maria"
|rowspan="3"|2018 | style="text-align:center;"| 8 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 19 | style="text-align:center;"| — |rowspan="4"| Amigo |
| scope="row" |"Pour oublier"
| style="text-align:center;"| 7 | style="text-align:center;"| 23* | style="text-align:center;"| 3 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"Tiago"
| style="text-align:center;"| 12 | style="text-align:center;"| 34* | style="text-align:center;"| 5 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"Tu vas manquer"
| rowspan=3|2020 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 10* | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"Habibi"
| style="text-align:center;"| 109 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 2* | style="text-align:center;"| — | rowspan="4"| Mi Vida |
| scope="row" |"Dernier métro" (featuring Gims) | style="text-align:center;"| 79 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 11 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row"| "Dans mes bras" (with Dadju)
| rowspan="2"| 2021 | style="text-align:center;"| 43 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 12 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row"| "Conquistador"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 32 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row"| "Eva"
| 2022 | style="text-align:center;"| 104 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 14 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3"| L'école de la vie |
| scope="row"| "Desperado"
| rowspan="3"| 2023 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 29 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row"| "Le feu" {{small|(with Vianney)}} | style="text-align:center;"| 29 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 9 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row"| "Je suis fou" {{small|(with Vianney and Soprano)}} | style="text-align:center;"| 61 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 42 | style="text-align:center;"| — | À 2 à 3 |
| scope="row"| "Si seulement..."
| 2024 | style="text-align:center;"| 38{{cite web|url=http://snepmusique.com/les-tops/le-top-de-la-semaine/top-albums/?semaine=43?&annee=2024&categorie=Top%20Singles|title=Top Singles (Week 43, 2024)|publisher=Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique|language=fr|access-date=29 October 2024}} | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 16 | style="text-align:center;"| — | rowspan="2"| Vivre... |
| scope="row"| "J'ai changé"
| 2025 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 41 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
*Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts.
==As featured artist==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of singles, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:2.5em;"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="2"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:10em;"| Album |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | FRA ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | BEL |
|---|
| scope="row" | "One Last Time (Attends-moi)" (Ariana Grande featuring Kendji Girac) | 2015 | style="text-align:center;" | 11 | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | My Everything |
| scope="row" |"{{lang|fr|Fais comme ça|i=no}}" (Vitaa and Slimane featuring Kendji Girac) | 2019 | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | VersuS |
=Other charted songs=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:2.5em;"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="2"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:10em;"| Album |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | FRA ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | BEL |
| scope="row" |"Amor de mis amores" / "Volare" (credited as Kendji) | rowspan=7|2014 | style="text-align:center;"| 94 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|The Voice 3 - La Plus Belle Voix (2014) |
| scope="row" |"Belle" (credited as Kendji) | style="text-align:center;"| 96 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"Mi amor"
| style="text-align:center;"| 118 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="5"|Kendji |
| scope="row" |"Avec toi"
| style="text-align:center;"| 179 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"Baïla amigo"
| style="text-align:center;"| 187 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"Mon univers"
| style="text-align:center;"| 192 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"Au sommet"
| style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"Ma solitude"
| rowspan=3|2015 | style="text-align:center;"| 130 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="6"|Ensemble |
| scope="row" |"C'est trop"
| style="text-align:center;"| 142 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"Besame"
| style="text-align:center;"| 198 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row"| "Tu y yo"
| rowspan="3"| 2016 | style="text-align:center;"| 153 | style="text-align:center;"| 8* |
| scope="row" |"Elle a tout"
| style="text-align:center;"| 80 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"Jamais à genoux"
| style="text-align:center;"| 85 | style="text-align:center;"| — |
| scope="row" |"Que Dieu me pardonne" (with Claudio Capéo) | 2018 | style="text-align:center;"| 31 | style="text-align:center;"| Amigo |
| scope="row" |"Dans mes bras" (with Dadju) | 2020 | style="text-align:center;"| 119 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;" rowspan=3| Mi Vida |
| scope="row" |"Évidemment"
| rowspan=2|2021 | style="text-align:center;"| 87 | style="text-align:center;"| 13 |
| scope="row" |"Bebeto" (with Soolking) | style="text-align:center;"| 33 | style="text-align:center;"| 10 |
*Did not appear in the official Belgian Ultratop 50 charts, but rather in the bubbling under Ultratip charts.
Awards
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
!Award !Song |
|---|
| 2014
|NRJ Music Awards/Francophone Song of the Year | rowspan="2" |"Color Gitano" |
| 2014
|NRJ Music Awards/Francophone Breakthrough of the Year |
| 2015
|[http://nrjmusicawards.nrj.fr/ NRJ Music Awards]/Nominated for Best French Male Artist of the Year |Album Kendji |
Filmography
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commonscat}}
- [http://kendji.fr/ Official website]
{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box
| title = The Voice: la plus belle voix Winner
| years = 2014
| before = Yoann Fréget
| after = Lilian Renaud
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Kendji Girac}}
{{The Voice: la plus belle voix}}
{{MTV EMA for Best French Act}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Girac, Kendji}}
Category:People from Périgueux
Category:MTV Europe Music Award winners
Category:The Voice (franchise) winners
Category:Spanish-language singers of France
Category:French people of Romani descent
Category:French folk-pop singers
Category:21st-century French singers