1946 · Saigon — Rome · Paris
Singer-songwriter, composer and theatrical visionary. The voice of Margherita, Se stiamo insieme and Notre-Dame de Paris.
Biography
Riccardo Cocciante was born on 20 September 1946 in Saigon, Vietnam, to an Italian father and a French-Vietnamese mother. Raised in Rome, he grew up fluent in both Italian and French, a duality that would define his entire career.
In the 1970s he emerged as one of the most original voices of the Italian cantautore scene, blending classical melodies, rock energy and deeply romantic lyrics. Songs like Bella senz'anima and Margherita became instant classics and remain among the most beloved songs in Italian pop.
In 1991 he won the Sanremo Music Festival with Se stiamo insieme. But it was in 1998, with the music for the global phenomenon Notre-Dame de Paris, that Cocciante conquered the world stage, selling millions of albums and filling theatres on four continents.
Timeline
Son of an Italian father and a French-Vietnamese mother; moves to Rome as a child.
His first LP introduces a singular songwriting voice to the Italian scene.
His breakout hit makes him a household name across Italy.
One of the most iconic songs in Italian pop history, still beloved today.
As Richard Cocciante he builds a successful career in France, with hits like Le Coup de soleil.
Wins the Sanremo Music Festival with Se stiamo insieme, cementing his legacy.
Composes the music for the musical based on Victor Hugo's novel. A worldwide phenomenon, with Belle breaking records everywhere.
New productions of Notre-Dame, tributes, and continued recognition as one of Italy's greatest composers.
Discography
1972
1974 · Bella senz'anima
1976 · Margherita
1980
1983
1994
1998 · soundtrack
2000s–present
Theatre
Cocciante's magnum opus: a musical adaptation of Victor Hugo's novel, with lyrics by Luc Plamondon. Premiered in Paris in 1998, it has been performed in more than twenty countries, seen by millions, and its song Belle became one of the best-selling French-language singles ever.
In his own words
“La musica è la mia vita, la mia ragione di essere. Ogni canzone è un pezzo di cuore.”
— Riccardo Cocciante
“I have always written music that comes from the heart. If it touches one person, it has already done its job.”