20 April 2002(2002-04-20) (aged 53) Verviers, Belgium
Genres
Pop
Occupation
Singer-songwriter
Musical artist
Pierre Rapsat (born Pierre Raepsaet, 28 May 1948 – 20 April 2002) was a Belgian singer-songwriter who had a very successful career in his homeland and also spells of popularity in other Francophone countries. Outside these areas, he is best known for his participation in the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest.
Rapsat was born in the Ixelles municipality of Brussels to a Flemish father and a mother of Asturian descent. His father spent two years in the Dachauconcentration camp, and his mother fled her country during the civil war.[1] When Rapsat was 10 years old the family moved to Verviers, which remained his home for the rest of his life.
Pierre Rapsat began writing songs at the age of 13, influenced by British pop music, including The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, as well as French chanson, particularly the works of Léo Ferré and Georges Brassens. He also acquired his first guitar at that age. By 18, he had decided to pursue a career in music, focusing on songwriting and composition.[1]
In the early stages of his career, Rapsat performed with various dance orchestras and musical groups. In 1970, he founded his first band, Laurélie, which released one album before disbanding. He subsequently joined the Brussels-based group Jenghiz Khan and recorded the album Welt Cult. The group also disbanded shortly thereafter.[1]
Following these experiences, Rapsat chose to pursue a solo career in 1973. His musical style was eclectic, ranging from rock to chanson, but at this stage earned him little success.
In 1976 Rapsat's self-composed song "Judy et Cie" ("Judy and Co.") was chosen as the Belgian entry for the twenty first Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 3 April in The Hague. With its haunting melody and melancholy lyrics, it was an unusual and atypical song for Eurovision at that time.[2] In a strong field, it finished the evening in eighth place out of 18 entries, and is often cited by Eurovision fans as being among Belgium's best.
Rapsat's first major success post-Eurovision came in 1982 with the album Lâchez les fauves which sold 30,000 copies in Wallonia. The albums Ligne claire (1984) and J'aime ça (1986) also sold well, and marked Rapsat's first success in the French market. He continued to release albums to critical acclaim in Belgium throughout the 1990s, although during this period his French success abated. It was not until the release of Dazibao in 2001 that he broke out of the Belgian market once again to enjoy widespread success and acclaim in other Francophone countries. Dazibao marked a major comeback for Rapsat in France and was also very popular in Switzerland and Luxembourg.
In 2001 Rapsat was diagnosed with cancer and was forced to cut down on live appearances while he underwent chemotherapy. He made his final live appearance at a concert in Ath on 1 March 2002. Rapsat died at his home in Verviers on 20 April 2002, aged 53.[3]
In 2002, the Prix Québec/Wallonie-Bruxelles, established in 1984, was renamed the Rapsat-Lelièvre Prize in tribute to Pierre Rapsat and Sylvain Lelièvre, a Québécois singer and poet.[4] The two artists, both highly regarded in the Francophone world, died within days of each other.[5] Rapsat had been the first recipient of the award in 1984.[6]
In 2005 the Belgian television channel RTBF broadcast a show called Le plus grand Belge (The Greatest Belgian) in which viewers were invited to cast their vote by Internet, SMS or telephone. Rapsat was voted into 51st place.
To mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Rapsat, artists were invited to perform one of his songs during the 2012 edition of the Les Francofolies de Spa festival.[7]
In 2022, marking the twentieth anniversary of his death, Pierre Rapsat was posthumously awarded the Knight's Medal of the Order of La Pléiade in Spa,[8] as well as the title of Commander of the Walloon Order of Merit.[9]
The municipal school of Stembert (Verviers) was named "Pierre Rapsat" in his honor.[10]
