Sophie

Our pick of the pops

French singer Sophie released just six EPs in the 1960s – and in true yé-yé girl style, much of their content included interpretations of international hits. Sadly, however, Sophie frequently lost out in sales wars with other artists.

She was born Arlette Heckett in 1944 and grew up in Dax, in south western France.

In the early 1960s she joined the group Les Champions, with whom she performed at Paris’ prestigious Olympia venue in December 1962. This performance led to impresario Johnny Stark offering to manage the young singer.

Under his guidance, she adopted the name Sophie and was offered a contract with the Decca label. She was a competent vocalist, though her vocals weren’t as instantly recognisable as those of some of her contemporaries.

In April 1963, she released her first solo EP, which contained Quand un air vous possède, a stab at the Drifters’ When my little girl is smiling, backed by an orchestra led by Eddie Vartan (the brother of yé-yé star Sylvie Vartan). Unfortunately her sales faltered when Johnny Hallyday, the Belgian-born king of French rock, issued a version of the same song.

Undeterred, she went back into the studio, and recorded T’es pas seul au monde, a cover of Paul Anka’s Remember Diana, which was released in June 1963.

In the summer of 1964, she followed it up with and EP featuring Tente de chance, a cover of Dusty Springfield’s Wishin’ and hopin’, as the lead track, though the release is probably just as noteworthy for including Quand ton regard sur moi se pose, which had been co-written by Johnny Hallyday.

When this failed, she took almost a year out before returning with Je ne fais pas d’histoires, a cover of Tom Jones’s It’s not unusual. Its lack of success saw her leave Decca and take a job working in radio.

She made a brief comeback attempt in 1975 when she represented Monaco at the Eurovision song contest. However, her Une chanson c’est une lettre failed to recapture the success of Séverine’s Un banc, un arbre, une rue, the tiny principality’s only ever winner, and finished 13th.

Je n'y peux rien

1964

Reviens vite et oublie

1963

Ton au revoir est un adieu

1964

Quand un air vous possède

1963

In October 1963, she had a sense of déjà vu when her version of the Ronettes’ Be my baby, Reviens vite et oublie, was beaten in a chart battle with Madagascan brother and sister

six-some Les Surfs.

She went on to appear alongside the group and other stars of the day, including Sylvie Vartan, Frank Alamo and Eddy Mitchell, in the film Cherchez l’idole, a light-hearted tale of a hunt to find a diamond hidden in a guitar.

Sophie released Je n’y peux rien, a song written by Charles Aznavour and Georges Garvarentz and featured in the film’s soundtrack, in February 1964.

Cover cuts

Je ne fais pas d'histoires

1965

Tente de chance

1964

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Sophie

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