Daniel Lavoie

2026 Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award (Popular Music)

Singer–songwriter, performer and poet

Daniel Lavoie has had a profound impact on popular music in Canada and on our country’s cultural landscape. A Franco-Manitoban of great integrity and authenticity, he has won the hearts of audiences worldwide with his pop-rock songs, performed in both French and English. In particular, “Ils s’aiment” was a massive hit in Canada and Europe, and “Jours de plaine” has become an anthem of sorts for Francophones in Western Canada. Alongside his award-winning albums, he is acclaimed for his live performances of his original compositions and for his dynamic portrayal of Frollo in the blockbuster musical Notre-Dame de Paris.
 
Mr. Lavoie was born in 1949 in Dunrea, Manitoba. After winning a Radio-Canada talent contest in 1967, he moved to Quebec, where he began performing in small venues and developing his songwriting style, characterized by introspective lyrics, sophisticated melodies, and emotionally sensitive vocal delivery. Describing himself as a non-careerist, he has allowed himself to be guided by whatever opportunities come his way, willingly venturing outside his comfort zone and firmly establishing his reputation as an engaging and versatile performer.
 
He released his debut album, À court terme, in 1975, but it was the 1981 album Cravings and especially Tension attention (1983) that propelled him to international recognition. The latter featured the hope-filled “Ils s’aiment,” which remains one of the most enduring and widely covered Francophone songs.
 
He reached a global audience in 1998 when he originated the role of the priest Claude Frollo in Notre-Dame de Paris. The musical’s phenomenally successful original run was followed by performances in Montréal and London, an international tour, concert versions, and several revivals. To date, he has portrayed the archdeacon over 1,200 times.
 
Mr. Lavoie has also written for other artists, composed music for film, television, and theatre, and published two poetry collections and a book of fables.
 
“I feel very privileged to have been able to earn a living by making music,” he says. “It’s truly a wonderful thing.”
 
Daniel Lavoie is an Officer of the Order of Canada. He has sold millions of records worldwide, won numerous Félix, SOCAN and Victoire de la musique awards, and been inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.