Alain Barrière (born Alain Bellec; 18 November 1935 â€" 18 December
2019) was a French singer, who was active from the 1950s until his
death and was known for participating in the 1963 Eurovision Song
Contest.After growing up in a small town on the coast of Brittany, in
1955 Barrière enrolled in the École nationale supérieure d'arts et
métiers in Angers. As a student he bought a guitar and started to
write songs. After graduating in engineering in 1960, he moved to
Paris to take up employment, and started to perform in the evenings at
small clubs around the capital. He won a song contest in 1961 with the
self-penned song "Cathy"; his style was chanson-based with no
concession to the burgeoning yé-yé scene, but nonetheless he was
soon signed to a recording contract and started to release singles
regularly, enabling him to give up his job and make at least a modest
living from music.In 1963, Barrière's song "Elle était si jolie"
("She Was So Pretty") was chosen as the French representative in the
eighth Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 23 March in London.
"Elle était si jolie" finished fifth of 16 entries.
2019) was a French singer, who was active from the 1950s until his
death and was known for participating in the 1963 Eurovision Song
Contest.After growing up in a small town on the coast of Brittany, in
1955 Barrière enrolled in the École nationale supérieure d'arts et
métiers in Angers. As a student he bought a guitar and started to
write songs. After graduating in engineering in 1960, he moved to
Paris to take up employment, and started to perform in the evenings at
small clubs around the capital. He won a song contest in 1961 with the
self-penned song "Cathy"; his style was chanson-based with no
concession to the burgeoning yé-yé scene, but nonetheless he was
soon signed to a recording contract and started to release singles
regularly, enabling him to give up his job and make at least a modest
living from music.In 1963, Barrière's song "Elle était si jolie"
("She Was So Pretty") was chosen as the French representative in the
eighth Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 23 March in London.
"Elle était si jolie" finished fifth of 16 entries.
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