Charlélie Couture

Charlélie Couture (born Bertrand Charles Elie Couture, 26 February 1956) is a French and American musician and multi-disciplinary artist, who has recorded over 25 albums and 17 film soundtracks, and has held a number of exhibitions of paintings and photographs. He has also worked as a poster designer, and has published about 15 books of reflections, drawings and photographs.

He was born in Nancy, and graduated from l'École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts. He released his first album, 12 Chansons dans la Sciure ("12 Songs in the Sawdust") in 1978, followed by Le Pêcheur ("The Fisherman") in 1979 and Pochette surprise ("Lucky Dip") in 1981. He was then signed by Chris Blackwell to Island Records, becoming the first French artist on the label. He recorded the album Poèmes Rock in New York, and also contributed a track to the album A Christmas Record issued by ZE Records, an affiliate of the Island label. He had a hit single in France with the track Comme un Avion Sans Aile.

Also in 1981, he founded, in Nancy, the Local à Louer group of photographers, painters, poets, and stated in his "Art Rock manifesto" that "Art must make the junction between the functionalism of industrial society and the aspirations of pop culture". He also launched an art journal, Le Télégramme. In 1983, he wrote his first complete film soundtrack, for the movie Tchao Pantin ("So Long, Stooge"), for which he was nominated for a César Award. He held his first exhibition of drawings and watercolours in Paris in 1985, and continued to record and tour. In 1990–91 he visited Australia, recording two albums there, Melbourne Aussie and Victoria Spirit.