On this Thursday, November 28, 2024, Michel Berger would have celebrated his 77th birthday. An anniversary which recalls the indelible mark he left on the world of French music.
As a reminder, the artist died on August 2, 1992 in Ramatuelle (Var) of a heart attack, which occurred after a game of tennis.
Although passed away too soon, his musical legacy continues to live on through his unforgettable songs and collaborations.
Michel Berger: his secret story brought to light
In addition to his timeless hits, it is his love story with France Gall that has long aroused the interest of fans. But if the two lovebirds seemed to share an undeniable bond on stage, the atmosphere was significantly less relaxed in their personal lives.
Before his death, Michel Berger even had plans to leave his beloved for another woman. “In the early 90s, things weren't really going well between Michel and France.“, revealed Fabien Lecoeuvre on the airwaves ofEurope 1 this Thursday. “Worse, the singer had started a relationship with another woman. He planned to leave France Gall to experience his new romance in broad daylight“.
According to the press officer and columnist, the interpreter of The Pianist's Groupie had fallen under the spell of the former German model, Beatrice Grimm during a dinner organized by Jean-Paul Baudecroux, the founder and main shareholder of the French audiovisual group NRJ Group. Information confirmed by Yves Bigot in 2022 in the columns of Point.
An 18 month relationship
“Beatrice Grimm lives in Paris at the corner of the passage where Michel and France have their studio, in the Batignolles district“, he wrote in a biography dedicated to the singer. “They talk, get to know each other. And saw each other again at greater length in 1991, when Michel was in Los Angeles to set up and produce an American rock group. He looks for voices, he auditions and he calls Beatrice…“
The young woman would have repeated You’ve Got a Friend with the artist. “This is where their story really begins. It will last almost 18 months, until the singer's sudden death“, he added.
According to him, Michel Berger even planned “to settle in the United States. He was looking for a school for his children, but he was also prospecting in Switzerland… you have to understand that Michel compartmentalized his life and his conversations with everyone very well. He managed his relationships and projects in his own wayvery discreetly. I can very well imagine him exploring several hypotheses at this time.“
