Born in Paris, Clémentine inherited a deep love for jazz from her father. Her early travels to Mexico exposed her to Latin rhythms, shaping her musical style. After studying jazz piano at CIM in Paris, she honed her voice performing works by George Benson and Al Jarreau. In 1988, her debut single Absolument Jazz gained widespread radio play in Japan, which led her to be signed by Mizue Mase, the Artistic Director of Sony Japan. She went on to sell four million albums in Japan, becoming an icon of French music there. She even published a popular travel guide to France in Japanese. Over the years, Clémentine has collaborated with Mad Professor, Marcos Valle, Carlos Lyra, Aswad, Ben Sidran and Kenny Drew, among others, further establishing her in the international jazz and chanson scene.
Featured Song:
"Un Noël à Rio" (A Christmas in Rio) is a playful song that reimagines Santa Claus enjoying a tropical visit to Rio de Janeiro. “I don’t know / Where you are hiding / Santa Claus, old fellow / We’re looking for you everywhere / You’re certainly not drinking Caipirinha? / It’s ok / What happens in Rio, stays in Rio.”
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