Corneille (singer)

Corneille

Cornelius Nyungura (born March 24, 1977) is a singer who performs under the name Corneille. He was born in Germany to Rwandan parents, though he currently holds a Canadian passport and sings in French and English. His work is greatly influenced by American funk and soul music; among those he admires are Prince, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder.

Biography

Early life

Corneille was born in Freiburg, Germany where his parents were studying, though he spent most of his childhood in Rwanda. He discovered his passion for music in 1993, and so joined an R&B group, who won the Découverte 1993 competition. This also introduced him to songwriting and musical composition. However, his life changed after the genocide in 1994. His father, Émile Nyungura, was a leader of the political party (PSD); as a result, his parents and some of his relatives were killed in the massacre. Corneille fled to Germany, where some of his parents' friends took him in.

Career

In July 1997, Corneille decided to leave Germany in order to pursue studies in communication, and moved to Montreal, Quebec (Canada) to attend Concordia University. During this time, he founded O.N.E., an R&B band, with Pierre Gage and Martin Gardy, whom he had met shortly after arriving in Quebec. Zoukin, one of the group's songs written by Corneille, rose to first place in Canadian airplay. Then, at the beginning of 2001, Corneille left the group, wishing to pursue a solo career. He began to center his songs on his past.

During 2002, Corneille worked on various projects. He wrote and composed the songs "Ce soir" for the Cocktail R&B 2 compilation (Ghetto R&B, Sony Music) and "Si seulement on s'aimait" for Hip Hop Folies (Sony Music). Invited by Dave Stewart, he performed at his first showcase at the Réservoir in Paris, and had the chance to sing with Jimmy Cliff. In January 2003, he was invited to perform the first part of Cunnie Williams at Olympia. His first public concert at Opus Club followed shortly thereafter.

Corneille's first album, the Canadian version of Parce qu'on vient de loin, was released on September 10, 2002. It was little known. The French version, which included numerous bonuses on the second disc, was released on October 20, 2003. It quickly became successful. To date, the album sold more than a million copies.

In April 2003, Corneille sang with Craig David, repeating a verse in French in the song Rise and Fall. He underwent his first tour during May 2003, receiving a full house in Paris, Marseilles, Lyon and Bordeaux. In March 2005, the singer participated in the concert Africa Live, which was organised to fight against paludism. This is the first time that he has returned to his home continent since the genocide.

Les marchands de rêves, Corneille's second album, was released in November 2005.

Corneille is working with the Canadian Red Cross to raise awareness of children who are victims of war. He finished recording his first English-language album, The Birth Of Cornelius, which was released in July 2007. The first single is called "Back To Life".

Personal life

Corneille officially became a Canadian citizen on November 8, 2004.

He married Sofia de Medeiros, his girlfriend of four years, on September 9, 2006 in a small and private ceremony by the lake at the Quintessence hotel, 130 km north of Montreal. She is a model and actress of Canadian and Portuguese parentage.

Discography

Albums

• 2002: Parce qu'on vient de loin (Canadian version)

1. "Seul au monde"
2. "Terre"
3. "Sans rancune"
4. "Ca m'va"
5. "Rêves de star"
6. "Avec classe"
7. "Parce qu'on vient de loin"
8. "On regarde"
9. "Tout va bien"
10. "Ensemble"
11. "Toi"
12. "Va (On se verra)"
13. "Qu'est-ce que tu fais?"
14. "Comme un fils"
15. "Parce qu'on vient de loin" (version acoustique)
16. "D'amour ou d'amitié"

• 2003: Parce qu'on vient de loin (two discs)

Disc 1:

1. "Seul au monde"
2. "Terre"
3. "Sans rancune"
4. "Ca me va"
5. "Rêves de star"
6. "Avec classe"
7. "Parce qu'on vient de loin"
8. "On regarde"
9. "Tout va bien"
10. "Ensemble"
11. "Toi"
12. "Va (On se verra)"
13. "Qu'est-ce que tu fais?"
14. "Comme un fils"
15. "Laissez-nous vivre"
16. "Avec classe" (version acoustique)

Disc 2:

1. "Sans rancune" (version acoustique)
2. "Parce qu'on vient de loin" (version acoustique)
3. "Seul au monde" (version acoustique)
4. "Rêves de star" (version acoustique)
5. "Qu'est-ce que tu fais?" (version acoustique)

Video bonus:

• Clip "Avec Classe"
• Clip "Ensemble"
• Clip "Rêves de star"
• Making of "Rêves de star"

• 2005 : Live (double album)

Disc 1:

1. "Redemption Song"
2. "Terre"
3. "Sans rancune"
4. "Laissez-nous vivre"
5. "Toi"
6. "On regarde"
7. "Seul au monde"
8. "Roxanne"
9. "Ça me va"
10. "Rêves de star"
11. "Avec classe"
12. "Va (on se verra)"
13. "Tout va bien"
14. "Parce qu'on vient de loin"

Disc 1:

1. "Comme un fils"
2. "Qu'est-ce que tu te fais?"
3. "Overjoyed"
4. "Sexual healing / Let's get it on"
5. "Ensemble

• 2005: Les Marchands de rêves

1. "Reposez en paix"
2. "Lettre à la maison blanche"
3. "Si tu savais"
4. "Sur la tombe de mes gens"
5. "Petite sœur"
6. "Le bon Dieu est une femme"
7. "Les marchands de rêves"
8. "Notre jour viendra"
9. "A vie"
10. "Iwacu"
11. "Toujours le même"
12. "Ca arrive"
13. "Quand on aime tant"
14. "Viens"

• 2007: The Birth of Corneillius

1. "Back to Life"
2. "All of My Love"
3. "Liberation"
4. "A Man of This World"
5. "Murder"
6. "Foolish Heart"
7. "Too Much of Everything"
8. "Home Is By You"
9. "I'll Never Call You Home Again"
10. "Sweet Dependency"
11. "Heaven"

• 2009: Sans Titre

1. "Elle Me Ment"
2. "En Attendant"
3. "Sans Nous"
4. "Ma Comedie"
5. "Le Parasite"
6. "Pauvre Cynique"
7. "Voleuse De Lendemain"
8. "Stat! Vite Fait!"
9. "Viellir Avec Toi"
10. "Je Me Pardonne"

Singles

• March 20, 2006: "Les marchands de rêves"
• November 2005: "Le bon Dieu est une femme"
• November 15, 2004: "Comme un fils"
• May 17, 2004: "Seul au monde"
• January 13, 2004: "Parce qu'on vient de loin"
• January 13, 2004: "Rêves de star"
• January 13, 2004: "Ensemble"
• January 13, 2004: "Avec classe"

DVDs

• 2005: Live (Released on April 5, 2005 in Canada and February 28, 2005 in France)

1. "Redemption Song"
2. "Terre"
3. 'Sans rancune"
4. "Johnny is cool"
5. "Toi"
6. "On regarde"
7. "Seul au monde"
8. "Roxanne"
9. "Ça me va"
10. "Rêves de star"
11. "Avec classe"
12. "Va (on se verra)"
13. "Tout va bien"
14. "Parce qu'on vient de loin"
15. "Comme un fils"
16. "Qu'est-ce que tu te fais?"
17. "Overjoyed"
18. "Sexual healing / Let's get it on"
19. "Ensemble"
20. "Aids"
21. my fuzzy weiner

Awards

• NRJ Music Awards (le VIe)
  • Clip de l'année with Parce qu'on vient de loin (2005)

MSSC Awards 2004

See also

• List of Francophone male singers
• Virginie Pouchain, who represented France at the Eurovision singing competition of 2006, where she finished in 22nd place on 24 with Il était temps, a song written by Corneille.

External links

• News and discussions on Corneille
• Corneille's official website
• Template:Fr icon CorneilleZone Unofficial Fan Site
• Template:Fr icon Corneille Online
• Template:Fr icon Audio Interview
• Template:Fr icon Red Cross Article - Corneille et des jeunes du secondaire mobilisent les élèves de l’école Le Carrefour en faveur des enfants victimes de conflits armés