Bruno Nicolini (born 16 June 1969), better known by his stage name Bénabar, is a French songwriter and singer, who could be compared to Vincent Delerm and other singers from his generation. As many of them he was influenced by Georges Brassens, Renaud, Jacques Higelin and also Tom Waits. His songs describe day-to-day life events with humour and a tender cynicism. His songs are influenced by French chanson and a heavy influence is placed on the piano or the accordion and on typical French fanfare (brass band) for the most upbeat of them. This genre of music is very typically French and differs from most in that emphasis is placed on appreciation of the lyrics and that it is linked to a specific culture of modern "guinche" (slang for "guinguette") appreciated a lot by Bobos among others.
Bruno Nicolini (born 16 June 1969), better known by his stage name Bénabar, is a French songwriter and singer, who could be compared to Vincent Delerm and other singers from his generation. As many of them he was influenced by Georges Brassens, Renaud, Jacques Higelin and also Tom Waits. His songs describe day-to-day life events with humour and a tender cynicism. His songs are influenced by French chanson and a heavy influence is placed on the piano or the accordion and on typical French fanfare (brass band) for the most upbeat of them. This genre of music is very typically French and differs from most in that emphasis is placed on appreciation of the lyrics and that it is linked to a specific culture of modern "guinche" (slang for "guinguette") appreciated a lot by Bobos among others.
Bénabar began his career in the cinema, working as an assistant on Le Brasier (1991) before directing three short subjects: Nada Lezard (1991), José Jeannette (1992) and Sursum corda (1994). He then turned to music, working for some time with his friend Patchol who gave him his nickname (Bénabar being the "verlan" of Barnabé, the name he was using on stage). With "Les associés" he sang for several years in small places in France, Belgium, and Switzerland before the release of Bénabar (2001), which raised his profile sufficiently to make him the opening act for Henri Salvador. He was nominated as a Revelation for the "Victoires de la musique 2003" but did not win it. In 2004, after the successful release of Les risques du métier, he won the award for "album "chanson/variété" of the year". His next album Reprise des négociations sold better than the previous ones: according to Le Figaro, Bénabar reached number 4 for CD sales in France, with 2.18 million euros sales in 2006. In 2007 he won the awards for "Male group or artist of the year" and "original song of the year" (for Le dîner).
He has two brothers named Patrick and Sébastien. He has a son born in 2004 named Manolo and a daughter born in 2009.
Bénabar is a member of the Les Enfoirés charity ensemble since 2007.
Source: Article "Bénabar" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm1327729
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q555311
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Filmography (Movies)
La Grande Soirée du 31 de Paris
Character:Self : Guest
Release Date:31/12/2025
Serge Lama, le dernier rappel
Character:Self
Release Date:21/11/2025
Vos 40 chansons préférées des Enfoirés
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:15/11/2025
La Grande Fête de Carcassonne
Character:Self
Release Date:06/09/2025
Laurent Gerra, l'anniversaire-événement
Character:Self
Release Date:07/06/2025
Ici Nougaro ! Le concert évènement
Character:Self
Release Date:27/12/2024
Taratata fête les 40 ans de Bercy
Character:Self
Release Date:25/10/2024
Éternel Aznavour : le concert événement
Character:
Release Date:18/10/2024
Indochine, une révolution musicale
Character:Self
Release Date:19/04/2024
Renaud, souvenirs, souvenirs
Character:Self
Release Date:03/08/2023
Tété à la Cigale : À la faveur des rencontres
Character:Self
Release Date:03/05/2023
The Grand Restaurant IV
Character:
Release Date:15/12/2022
Tous Inconnus
Character:("Perdu de recherche" segment)
Release Date:14/11/2022
Bénabar - Tournée des indociles
Character:
Release Date:29/06/2022
Joyeux anniversaire Renaud
Character:Self
Release Date:10/05/2022
They Love Each Other... Well, Almost!
Character:Hypolite
Release Date:30/03/2022
Les Enfoirés 2022 - Un air d'Enfoirés
Character:
Release Date:04/03/2022
Le bal des Bodin's
Character:Self - Chanteur
Release Date:09/02/2022
Jean-Jacques Goldman : la grande soirée anniversaire / la soirée continue
Character:Self
Release Date:06/10/2021
My Out-Laws
Character:Harold Becker
Release Date:19/06/2019
Victor & Célia
Character:Max
Release Date:24/04/2019
Les Enfoirés 2019 - Le Monde des Enfoirés
Character:
Release Date:08/03/2019
Les Enfoirés 2018 - Musique !
Character:
Release Date:09/03/2018
Taratata fête ses 25 ans 100% live au Zénith
Character:Self
Release Date:28/10/2017
Les Enfoirés 2017 - Mission Enfoirés
Character:
Release Date:03/03/2017
Je vous écoute
Character:
Release Date:22/10/2016
Les Enfoirés 2016 - Au rendez-vous des Enfoirés
Character:
Release Date:11/03/2016
The Night Watchmen
Character:Pedro
Release Date:08/04/2015
Les Enfoirés 2015 - Sur la route des Enfoirés
Character:
Release Date:13/03/2015
Les copains d'abord font du ski
Character:Self
Release Date:25/12/2014
Les Enfoirés - Les Enfoirés en chœur de 1985 à aujourd'hui
Character:
Release Date:13/12/2014
Les Enfoirés 2014 - Bon anniversaire Les Enfoirés
Character:
Release Date:14/03/2014
Bénabar : Bien l'bonsoir m'sieurs dames
Character:Self
Release Date:06/05/2013
Les Enfoirés 2013 - La Boîte à Musique des Enfoirés
Character:
Release Date:15/03/2013
Les Enfoirés 2010 - Les Enfoirés... la Crise de Nerfs
Character:
Release Date:12/03/2010
The Great Restaurant
Character:Michel - un client du restaurant
Release Date:20/02/2010
Incognito
Character:Lucas
Release Date:28/04/2009
Les Enfoirés 2008 - Les secrets des Enfoirés
Character:
Release Date:07/03/2008
Michel Delpech &... live at the Grand Rex, Paris
Character:Self
Release Date:12/11/2007
The Pink Soldier
Character:Le Petit Chimiste
Release Date:24/12/2006
Bénabar - Tournée 2006
Character:Self
Release Date:26/11/2006
Bénabar - Live au Grand Rex
Character:Self
Release Date:01/01/2004
Television Appearances
Chez Lolo
Character:
The Unexpected Getaway
Character:Self
Les plus belles comptines d'Okoo
Character:
La Boîte à secrets
Character:Self
Basique, le concert
Character:Self
Le Secret d'Élise
Character:Jean-Pierre Letilleul - 1969
Folie passagère
Character:Self
Capitaine Marleau
Character:Yannick Murat
Open Bar
Character:Self
On n'est pas couché
Character:Self - Guest
Infrarouge
Character:Self
La chanson de l'année
Character:Self
Burger Quiz
Character:Self
Vivement dimanche
Character:Self
Taratata
Character:Self
Victoires de la musique
Character:Self
Champs-Elysées
Character:Self
Images
