- published: 12 Oct 2015
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Mylène Farmer (pronounced: [milɛn faʁmœʁ]), born Mylène Jeanne Gautier[milɛn ɡotje]; born 12 September 1961), is a French singer, songwriter, occasional actress and author.
She has sold more than 30 million records and is among the most successful recording artists of all time in France. She holds the record for the most number one hits in the French charts, with twelve to date, eight of which were consecutive.
Mylène Farmer was born in Pierrefonds, Quebec, Canada. Her parents moved from France in the late 1950s as Farmer's father, Max, pursued an engineering contract on a dam. Her family returned to France when she was eight, settling in the Parisian suburb of Ville d'Avray. In her teenage years, Farmer was passionate about horse-riding, qualifying as a riding instructor at the equestrian centre in Saumur. At the age of 17, however, Farmer discovered acting and she abandoned the stables to take a three-year course at the Cours Florent, a drama school in Paris. Changing her name to Mylène Farmer as a tribute to her idol, 1930s Hollywood actress Frances Farmer, she began to earn a living as a model acting in several TV ads such as Fiskars, Caisse d'Epargne etc.