# Isabelle Boulay

Isabelle Boulay, CQ (French pronunciation:; born 6 July 1972) is a Canadian singer.

## Biography

Born in Sainte-Félicité, Quebec, where her parents owned a restaurant, Boulay moved to the nearby city of Matane at the start of her adolescence, and studied literature at Cégep Limoilou. In 1988, her friends signed her up, without her knowledge, for a singing contest in Matane, where she made the acquaintance of Josélito Michaud, who later became her agent. In 1990, at the Petite-Vallée song festival, she won an award for her performance of "Les gens de mon pays" (Gilles Vigneault). The following year, in 1991, she won the Granby Song Festival for her renditions of "Amsterdam" (Jacques Brel) and "Naufrage" (Dan Bigras). She was also invited to take part in the festival Les FrancoFolies de Montréal. In 1992, she performed in France at the Théâtre Dejazet, introducing Bill Deraime. In 1993, she represented Radio Canada at the "Truffe de Périgueux" festival held in Périgord, France, and was awarded the prize for Best Singer in the "Chanson francophone" category.
Following Boulay's success in France, she was noticed by songwriter Luc Plamondon, who was looking for emerging talents to perform in a new production of his rock opera Starmania. There, Boulay portrayed the role of Marie-Jeanne from 1995 to 1998. She also provided the singing voice for Quebec singer Alys Robi in the TV miniseries of the same name, adding to her popularity in Quebec.
In 1996, Boulay released her debut album, Fallait pas, written and produced by Daniel DeShaime. She also participated again in Les FrancoFolies de Montréal. She began recording her second album, États d'amour, in 1997; it was released in Quebec in February 1998 and sold well, being certified gold by September. The album was released in France in November. In 1998, she was also nominated for four Félix Awards but failed to win any. In 1999, the single "Je t'oublierai, je t'oublierai" from États d'amour peaked at No. 33 on the French charts. Boulay made a number of media appearances in France in 1999, and, in the summer, sang again in the FrancoFolies de Montréal, where the live album Scènes d'amour was recorded. She also performed with Serge Lama at the Olympia and introduced Francis Cabrel on tour, as well as Julien Clerc during his tour in Montreal. In October, she was given the Félix Award for female singer of the year.
Since then, Boulay has had considerable success both in Quebec and in Europe. Her biggest-selling album in France was the 2000 release Parle-moi. On 14 February 2008, she was presented with the medal of the National Assembly of Quebec by the mayor of her hometown, in recognition of her contribution to the arts. Beginning 2001-2004, the French media began referring to Boulay as one of the grandes voix québécoises (great Quebecois voices) at the centre of contemporary trends in popular music. Other singers grouped in this category included Lara Fabian, Céline Dion, Natasha St-Pier, Garou, Daniel Lavoie, Lynda Lemay, Bruno Pelletier and Roch Voisine. However, the musicologist Catherine Rudent concludes that only Fabian, Dion and St-Pier truly resemble Boulay in répertoire, voice and techniques of interpretation. These singers have in common a style inherited from soul music, in which expressive vocality takes priority over the text, making full use of registers of the chest and head, vocal ornamentation and improvisation.
Boulay was a coach on La Voix for its second, third, and fifth editions. In March 2019, she was one of 11 singers from Quebec, alongside Ginette Reno, Diane Dufresne, Céline Dion, Luce Dufault, Louise Forestier, Laurence Jalbert, Catherine Major, Ariane Moffatt, Marie Denise Pelletier and Marie-Élaine Thibert, who participated in a supergroup recording of Renée Claude's 1971 single "Tu trouveras la paix" after Claude's diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease was announced.

### Personal life

In October 2008, Boulay and her producer Marc-Andre Chicoine, had their first child together, Marcus Andrew.
She is living in 2020 with the French Minister of Justice, Éric Dupond-Moretti.

## Awards and recognition

* 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008: Félix Award: Female singer of the year
* 2000: Félix Award: Pop album of the year (Scènes d'amour)
* 2001: Victoires de la musique: discovery of the year for artist and album (Mieux qu'ici-bas)
* 2001: Félix Awards: Pop album of the year (Mieux qu'ici-bas)
* 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008: Félix Award: Show of the year (singer)
* 2001: Juno Awards: nomination for Best Female Artist, two nominations for Best Selling Francophone Album (Mieux qu'ici bas, Scènes d'Amour)
* 2005, 2008: Félix Award: Quebec artist best known outside Quebec
* 2007: Félix Award: Country album of the year (De retour à la source)
* 2008: Juno Awards: nomination for Francophone Album of the Year (De retour à la source)
* 2012: Made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec
* 2012: Made a knight of the Order of La Pléiade

## Discography
### Studio albums

| Year | Title | Certification (France) | Certification (Canada) | Peak positions | Peak positions | Peak positions | Peak positions | Peak positions |
| Year | Title | Certification (France) | Certification (Canada) | FR | FR (DD) | BE (WA) | SWI | CAN |
| 1996 | Fallait pas | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1998 | États d'amour | Gold (2002) | Platinum (1999) | 60 | — | — | — | |
| 2000 | Mieux qu'ici-bas | Diamond (2002) | — | 6 | — | 4 | 65 | 4 |
| 2004 | Tout un jour | 2xGold (2004) | Gold (2004) | 4 | — | 3 | 11 | 2 |
| 2007 | De retour à la source | — | Platinum (2007) | 87 | — | 32 | 65 | 2 |
| 2008 | Nos Lendemains | — | Gold (2009) | 7 | 4 | 7 | 22 | 1 |
| 2009 | Chansons pour les mois d'hiver | — | Gold (2010) | 173 | — | — | — | 6 |
| 2011 | Les grands espaces | Platinum (2012) | Gold (2012) | 12 | — | 16 | 69 | 9 |
| 2014 | Merci Serge Reggiani | | Gold (2015) | 5 | — | 8 | 40 | — |
| 2017 | En vérité | | | 8 | — | 5 | 16 | 9 |
| 2019 | En attendant Noël | | | 71 | — | — | — | 5 |
| 2023 | Boulay chante Bashung | | | 88 | — | 35 | 73 | — |

### Live albums

| Year | Title | Certification (France) | Peak position | Peak position | Peak position | Peak position | Peak position |
| Year | Title | Certification (France) | FR | FR (DD) | BE (WA) | SWI | CAN |
| 2000 | Scènes d'amour | — | — | — | — | — | 9 |
| 2002 | Au moment d'être à vous | Platinum (2004) | 4 | — | 5 | 8 | 7 |
| 2005 | Du Temps pour toi | — | 16 | 7 | 7 | 42 | |

### Compilations

| Year | Title | Peak position |
| Year | Title | CAN |
| 2002 | Ses plus belles histoires | 10 |
| 2012 | Master série | — |

### Soundtracks

| Year | Title |
| 1995 | Alys Robi |
| 2002 | Séraphin: un homme et son péché |

### Singles

| Year | Title | Certification (France) | Peak position | Peak position | Peak position | Album |
| Year | Title | Certification (France) | FR | BE (WA) | SWI | Album |
| 1996 | "J'enrage" | — | — | — | — | Fallait pas |
| 1996 | "Et mon cœur en prend plein la gueule" | | | | | Fallait pas |
| 1996 | "Un peu d'innocence" | | | 41 | | Fallait pas |
| 1998 | "Je t'oublierai, je t'oublierai" | — | 33 | — | — | États d'amour |
| 1998 | "Le Saule" | — | — | — | — | États d'amour |
| 1998 | "La Lune" | — | — | — | — | États d'amour |
| 1998 | "États d'amour" | — | — | — | — | États d'amour |
| 2000 | "Parle-moi" | Gold (2000) | 2 | 1 | — | Mieux qu'ici-bas |
| 2001 | "Un Jour ou l'autre" | — | 31 | 22 | — | Mieux qu'ici-bas |
| 2001 | "Quelques pleurs" | — | — | — | — | Mieux qu'ici-bas |
| 2001 | "Jamais assez loin" | — | — | — | — | Mieux qu'ici-bas |
| 2001 | "Mieux qu'ici-bas" | — | — | — | — | Mieux qu'ici-bas |
| 2002 | "Sans toi" (live) | — | — | — | — | Au moment d'être à vous |
| 2003 | "Depuis le premier jour" | — | — | — | — | Séraphin: un homme et son péché |
| 2004 | "C'est quoi, c'est l'habitude" | — | — | — | — | Tout un jour |
| 2004 | "Tout au bout de nos peines" | Silver (2004) | 3 | 7 | 23 | Tout un jour |
| 2005 | "Une Autre Vie" | — | — | — | — | Du temps pour toi |
| 2008 | "Ton Histoire" | — | 14 | 39 | — | Nos Lendemains |
| 2009 | "Chanson pour les mois d'hiver" | | | | | Chansons pour les mois d'hiver |
| 2011 | "Fin octobre, début novembre" | | 78 | 44 | | Les grands espaces |
| 2014 | "Il suffirait de presque rien" | | 165 | — | — | Merci Serge Reggiani |