Carla Bruni Biography

Singer-songwriter Carla Bruni was born in Turin, Italy, in 1967. Although Bruni entered the international spotlight most prominently after marrying Nicolas Sarkozy, becoming the first lady of France, for many years prior she was well-known throughout Europe as a singer. Carla grew up in a musical household; her father was a classical composer and her mother a concert pianist. It was no surprise that she would eventually follow in her parents footsteps, although her earliest entry into the world of entertainment was as a model, having signed with City Models while still a teenager.

Throughout her twenties, Carla Bruni’s likeness graced the campaigns of such notable designers as Yves Saint-Laurent, Versace, Christian Dior, and Guess? But by the late 1990’s, Bruni was eager to return to her first love, and so she began writing music in preparation for her debut album. Quelqu’un m’a dit was released in 2002 and experienced tremendous success; the title track was featured in the film 500 Days of Summer and three other films were included in the film Conversations with Other Women.

The album brought Carla Bruni a European Border Breakers Award and set the stage for No Promises, her follow-up album. No Promises was released in 2007, followed by: Comme si de rien n’etait (2008) and Little French Songs (2013.) Although most of Bruni’s singles did not chart in the United States, many singles rose into the top forty throughout Europe, including: “Qu’est-ce que tu crois?,” “Those Dancing Days Are Gone,” “L’Amoureuse,” “Mon Raymond,” and “Le pingouin.”

Most recently, Carla Bruni appeared in a small role in the award-winning film Midnight In Paris (2011), in the role of the museum guide to which Owen Wilson’s character directs many of his questions about art and life. Carl Bruni continues to perform and record; her most recent album, A l’Olympia Bruno Coquatrix, was released in 2014.