André Manoukian

André Manoukian, a French jazz musician, composer, and producer of Armenian heritage, first reached listeners with his debut solo album Inkala on Virgin Music France in 2008, though he remains most widely recognized for serving as a judge on the reality series Nouvelle Star. Born in Lyon on April 9, 1957, he took up piano at seven and later attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston. His work as a composer and producer gained momentum during the 1980s through his partnership with vocalist Liane Foly, for whom he supplied compositions, productions, arrangements, and instrumental performances. The pair launched her recording career with The Man I Love in 1988 and its notable single “Ça Va, Ça Vient,” then continued across Rêve Orange (1990), Les Petites Notes (1993), Sweet Mystery (1994), Lumières (1994), and La Chanteuse de Bal (2004). Manoukian also contributed to albums by Malia, including Yellow Daffodils (2002), Echos of Dreams (2004), and Young Bones (2007), as well as Jazznavour (1998) by Charles Aznavour, Faut Faire Avec (1999) by Gilbert Bécaud, La Vie Devant Toi (2006) by Myriam Abel, Cheyenne Song (2008) by Gaetane Abrial, and additional projects. Even so, his greatest public profile stems from Nouvelle Star, the French adaptation of Pop Idol. He joined the original panel of four judges in 2002, remained for subsequent seasons, earned a reputation for philosophical commentary, and occasionally performed on the program. Already a familiar French media figure by that time, he issued his first full-length solo album, Inkala, in 2008.