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jordy
  • Born: January 14, 1988 in Caen, France
  • Years Active: 1990s
  • Genre: Rock & Alternative

The youngest performer ever to have a number one record anywhere in the world, Jordy topped the charts in his native France when he was just four and a half years old. His dancefloor hit "Dur Dur D'Être Bébé" (translated approximately as "It's Tough to Be a Baby") also made him the youngest ever to reach the charts in the U.S., though the novelty of hearing a preschooler chanting French lyrics wasn't quite as broadly appealing to American ears. Jordy was born Jordy Lemoine on January 14, 1988, in the town of Caen, in France's Brittany region. His parents were Claude Lemoine, a record producer best known in France for his work with the glam-influenced Rockets, and Patricia Clerget, a songwriter and former singer who'd released a couple of records in the early '80s. By the time he was a toddler, Jordy was already singing along with records of classic French chansonniers, and his performances became a popular gimmick at his parents' parties. Soon they hit upon the idea of turning Jordy into a commercial recording artist. Jordy's performance abilities impressed executives at Columbia Records, which released Jordy's debut single, "Dur Dur D'Être Bébé," in 1992. It rocketed to the top of the French charts and sold over two million copies on its way to becoming a hit across Europe and Japan. The album Pochette Surprise (Surprise Package) followed on its heels, and it too sold well, despite a bit of padding with remixes. Released in the U.S., "Dur Dur D'Être Bébé" didn't fare quite as well, but it did manage to chart, topping out at number 58. Jordy spent parts of 1993-1994 in the U.S., recording some of the material that became his second album, Potion Magique. Released in 1994, it was heavy on Christmas material, including his title song for the French film Allo Maman, C'est Noël. However, reports were beginning to surface that suggested a lapse in parental responsibilities; amid some more disturbing allegations, the French government -- concerned that Jordy was simply being exploited for commercial gain -- stepped in and banned his music from radio and television for his own good. Under the ban, his third album, La Récréation, sank without a trace. In 1996, his parents opened a children's tourist attraction called La Ferme de Jordy (Jordy's Farm). It was an unmitigated financial failure, and when it closed down, Jordy's parents divorced. Jordy was legally emancipated and spent the remainder of his teen years living on a farm near Caen, where he studied dance and drumming; he also developed a fondness for techno, and was rumored to be attempting an acting career. ~ Steve Huey, Rovi

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