French legend Charles Aznavour dies at 94

Each art has its own style that caters to different tastes. Few are able to attract wide audiences and music is the same. Every style and every performer has an audience. Charles Aznavour, who died yesterday, was the epitome of simplicity, a melodic singer. But without doubt he, and his music reached across every spectrum. Much more than love songs, his were also cries of despair, nostalgia and rebellion. But more than anything it was how he expressing all of this with such singularity which set him aside from the rest: his elegance.

Born in Paris to Armenian parents, Aznavour made his debut as a singer in 1933 aged 11 with his sister Aída, but his real career did not begin until 1941 when he met Pierre Roche and they began to write songs. The early days were difficult despite being near the greats, such as Edith Piaf. His break came in 1953, when he performed at the Olympia theater, and “Sur ma vie” became a hit.

Aznavour quickly rose to fame on stage and in theatre and film, and before long he was performing internationally alongside the likes of Frank Sinatra. Fame however, never seemed to change the man. A popular figure on stage in Catalonia, his final concert here was in April of this year at the Liceo. Among the songs he sang that night was “What makes a man” ...