Claude François

Claude François, nicknamed «Cloclo», was a French singer, dancer, musician and producer who became one of the most beloved and commercially dominant French pop artists of the 1960s and 70s. Born in Ismaïlia, Egypt, he later settled in France, where his flamboyant stage shows, precisely choreographed dance routines and glossy production set him apart from his contemporaries and made him a defining figure of French variété.

His catalog produced some of the most enduring songs in French popular music, including «Comme d'habitude» — later reworked in English as «My Way» and made a global standard — alongside hits like «Alexandrie, Alexandra», «Le téléphone pleure» and «Le lundi au soleil». Beyond singing, he was closely involved in producing his own records and stage productions, and his backing dancers, Les Clodettes, became an iconic part of his live image.

François's career was cut short by his sudden death in 1978, but his influence on French pop only grew afterward: his songs remain widely covered and referenced, and his showmanship helped shape the visual language of French television variety performance for decades.