Marianne James

Marianne James (born 18 February 1962) is a French singer, writer, actress, TV host and fashion designer. She has co-presented the French coverage of the "Eurovision Song Contest".
Early life.
Born in Montélimar, Marianne Gandolfi grew up in the family shop, Place du Marché, with her father Maurice, chocolatier pastry chef and nougatier, her mother Jacqueline, whose Italian origins she had, and her sister Pascale, four years older than her.
She took guitar lessons at the age of 11 with Antoine Petrucciani, known as "Tony", a renowned jazz guitarist and father of pianist Michel Petrucciani. From the age of 15 to 23, she enjoys her holidays to sing in the streets with her sister and a friend.
In 1980, after creating her first group "The Swingums", she graduated in musicology at the Sorbonne University and won a first prize for singing at the Conservatoire de Paris.
In 1981, Marianne James integrates the band "Les Démones Loulou" with whom she did the first part of William Sheller at the Olympia. Then she continues to sing in the streets of Paris and Italy.