Jean Leclerc (born May 14, 1961) is a Québécois singer-songwriter and author from Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Canada. He is popularly known as Jean Leloup (which he likes to translate to John the Wolf), a stage name he kept using until 2006, when he temporarily changed his name to Jean Leclerc, only to resurrect his wolf character in August 2008. He is known for his colourful personality and unique musical style in the francophone rock community.
Born in Sainte-Foy in 1961[1] to Quebec parents, Jean Leclerc grew up in Africa, more precisely in Togo and Algeria. It was during this period of his life that the culture and way of life of his host country influenced him, and we will find the mark of it later in several of his songs.
He learned to play guitar by listening to the Rolling Stones, the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix. He was also influenced by colorful French music icons such as Jacques Dutronc, Jacques Higelin, Serge Gainsbourg and Michel Polnareff.[2]
He returned to Quebec in 1976, and appeared on the music scene in the 1980s, making waves with his provocative lyrics—in his song “1990”, he compares the high-tech actions of Desert Storm to his sexual activities with his girlfriend.
He was noticed at the Festival international de la chanson de Granby in 1983 and participated in the rock opera Starmania in 1986, which he quickly distanced himself from because of its “clean” character. Opting for the stage name of Jean Leloup (nicknamed John the Wolf by fans and by himself), he appeared on stage in Montreal in the late 1980s. From the beginning of his career, he made waves with his songs with provocative lyrics.[3]
His 1990 album L’amour est sans pitié was a hit outside of Quebec, and was released in the rest of Canada, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Japan.
He was the recipient of a Félix Award in 1997, following the success of his 1996 album Le Dôme.
At the end of 2003, Leclerc retired the name Jean Leloup and went on hiatus from his recording career. In August 2005, he announced his temporary return to the music scene with a collaboration with a band called the Porn Flakes. A first single called “Les Corneilles” has been heard on Quebec’s radio stations.
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