Amanda Lear
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Amanda Lear (; born 1939) is a French singer, songwriter, painter, television presenter, actress, and former model. She began her professional career as a fashion model in the mid-1960s, and went on to model for Paco Rabanne,
Ossie Clark Raymond "Ossie" Clark (9 June 1942 – 6 August 1996) was a British fashion designer who was a major figure in the Swinging Sixties scene in London and the fashion industry in that era. Clark is now renowned for his vintage designs by present- ...
, and others. She met Spanish
surrealist Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to l ...
painter
Salvador Dalí Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (; ; ; 11 May 190423 January 1989) was a Spanish Surrealism, surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, and the striking and bizarr ...
, and remained his closest friend and
muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...
for the next 15 years. Lear first came into the public eye as the cover model for
Roxy Music Roxy Music are an English rock music, rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry—who became the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter—and bassist Graham Simpson (musician), Graham Simpson. The other longtime members are Phil Manzanera ...
's album ''
For Your Pleasure ''For Your Pleasure'' is the second album by English rock band Roxy Music, released by Island Records in 1973. It was their last to feature synthesiser and sound specialist Brian Eno. Production The group was able to spend more studio time on ...
'' in 1973. From the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, she was a million-album-selling disco queen, mainly in Continental Europe and Scandinavia, signed to
Ariola Records Ariola (also known as Ariola Records, Ariola-Eurodisc and BMG Ariola) is a German record label. In the late 1980s, it was a subsidiary label of the Bertelsmann Music Group, which in turn has become a part of the international media conglomerat ...
. Lear's first four albums earned her mainstream popularity, charting in the top 10 of European charts, including the best-selling '' Sweet Revenge'' (1978). Her bigger hits included "
Blood and Honey "Blood and Honey" is a song performed by French singer Amanda Lear, released as a single in 1976 by Ariola Records and later included on her debut album '' I Am a Photograph''. The song was a chart success in Europe and now remains one of Lear's t ...
", " Tomorrow", "
Queen of Chinatown "Queen of Chinatown" (also typed "Queen of China-Town") is a song by French singer Amanda Lear, released in 1977 by Ariola Records. It met with a big chart success and remains one of Lear's biggest hits to date. The song's lyrics were written by Le ...
", " Follow Me", "
Enigma (Give a Bit of Mmh to Me) "Enigma (Give a Bit of Mmh to Me)" is a song by French singer Amanda Lear from her second album '' Sweet Revenge'', released as a single in 1978. It was a chart success upon its original release and enjoyed a resurgence of popularity in 2004 after ...
", "
The Sphinx The Great Sphinx of Giza is a limestone statue of a reclining sphinx, a legendary creature, mythical creature with the head of a human, and the body of a lion. Facing directly from west to east, it stands on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of ...
", and "
Fashion Pack "Fashion Pack" (also known as "Fashion Pack (Studio 54)") is a song by French singer Amanda Lear from her third album ''Never Trust a Pretty Face'', released in 1979 by Ariola Records. Song information The song was composed and produced by Lear' ...
". By the mid-1980s, Lear had become a leading media personality in Italy, where she hosted many popular TV shows. Although television took priority over musical activity, she continued to record, experimenting with different genres and trying to revive her career by re-recording and remixing earlier hits to various levels of success. Lear has also developed a successful career in painting, which she has long described as her biggest passion, and regularly exhibited her works in galleries across Europe and beyond since the early 1980s. She has also written a number of autobiographies, including ''
My Life with Dalí ''My Life with Dalí'' is an autobiography by French singer Amanda Lear, first released in 1984, which tells about her relationship with Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dalí. The book, which had Dalí's full approval, gave detailed insights i ...
''. Since the 1990s, her time has been divided among music, television, movies, and painting. Despite regular album releases, she failed to achieve major success in charts with her music, but her television career has remained stellar, and she has hosted numerous primetime TV shows, mostly in Italy and France, occasionally making guest appearances in TV series. She has performed acting and dubbing roles in independent, as well as major, film productions. In the late 2000s, Lear reinvented herself as a theatrical actress, performing in long-running stage plays in France. To date, she allegedly has sold over 27 million records worldwide. Lear is also a widely recognized
gay icon A gay icon is a public figure who is regarded as a cultural icon of some members of the LGBT community. The most widely recognized gay icons are often actresses and singers who garnered large LGBT fanbases, such as Judy Garland, Madonna, Diana Ros ...
.


Early life

Lear's origins are unclear, with the singer providing different information about her background and keeping her birth year a secret from her long-term husband. Contested facts include her birth date and place, the gender she was assigned at birth, names and nationalities of her parents, and the location of her upbringing. Most sources claim 18 June 1939, including
Bibliothèque nationale de France The Bibliothèque nationale de France (, 'National Library of France'; BnF) is the national library of France, located in Paris on two main sites known respectively as ''Richelieu'' and ''François-Mitterrand''. It is the national repository ...
or 18 November 1939 to be her birth date, including GEMA. Her birth year, though, has variously been given as 1941, 1946, and 1950. During a 2010 interview with French newspaper ''
Libération ''Libération'' (), popularly known as ''Libé'' (), is a daily newspaper in France, founded in Paris by Jean-Paul Sartre and Serge July in 1973 in the wake of the protest movements of May 1968. Initially positioned on the far-left of France's ...
'', Lear presented her identity card to the journalist, and it read: "born 18 November 1950 in Saigon". This date, however, appears to be a fabrication, as public records show that she began university in September 1964, and that she married in December 1965.
Georges Claude Guilbert Georges-Claude Guilbert (born May 18, 1959) is a French literary critic and academic who teaches American literature, gender studies, and popular culture. He is Professor in American Studies at the University of Havre, France. He was one of the e ...
claims, "Most biographers believe she was born in 1939, whatever she might declare to the contrary." As for her birthplace, Saigon and British Hong Kong appear to be most credible versions, but places like Singapore, Switzerland, and even Transylvania have been rumoured as the singer's birthplace. She was reportedly the only child of her parents, who later divorced. Most sources, including Lear's 1965 wedding certificate from the
Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
registry office, confirm that her father was a French army officer (possibly of British origin). Her mother appears to have had a Russian-Asian background. According to the
General Register Office for England and Wales The General Register Office for England and Wales (GRO) is the section of the United Kingdom HM Passport Office responsible for the civil registration of births (including stillbirths), adoptions, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths in Englan ...
, her birth surname was Tap. ANC-05/1965M4-L-0513.jpg For the original file : click on the icon "View the original" According to the
French Republic France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, her birth surname was Tapp. In a 1976 interview with
Carmen Thomas Carmen Thomas (born 7 May 1946) is a German journalist, radio and television presenter, author and lecturer. On television, she was the first woman to present the ZDF's ''das aktuelle Sportstudio''. She worked for public radio, running '' Hallo ...
for a German television show, Lear confirmed that her father was British and mother was Russian and that they both had died. However, she later claimed that her mother had a French background. In 2021, she confirmed she was born in Saigon. Lear allegedly grew up in the South of France and in Switzerland, or between London and Paris, or in Nice. She learned English, German, Spanish and Italian in her teens, and would use multilingualism in her professional life. The academic
Georges Claude Guilbert Georges-Claude Guilbert (born May 18, 1959) is a French literary critic and academic who teaches American literature, gender studies, and popular culture. He is Professor in American Studies at the University of Havre, France. He was one of the e ...
claims, "Linguists observe that she has a French accent when she speaks (and sings) in English". ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', on 24 December 2000, summarized the information relating to these aspects of Lear's life as follows:


Gender identity

Allegations claiming that Lear was a
drag queen A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have usually been gay men, and part of ...
or
intersex Intersex people are individuals born with any of several sex characteristics including chromosome patterns, gonads, or genitals that, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, "do not fit typical bina ...
circulated from the beginning of Lear's modelling and singing careers. Her alleged
transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through tr ...
background was commented on by
Salvador Dalí Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (; ; ; 11 May 190423 January 1989) was a Spanish Surrealism, surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, and the striking and bizarr ...
himself, and remarked upon in the media and in the biographies of those who knew Lear earlier in her life, including Dalí; author Ian Gibson devoted an entire chapter to Lear in his biography of Dalí.
April Ashley April Ashley (29 April 1935 – 27 December 2021) was an English model. She was outed as a transgender woman by ''The Sunday People'' newspaper in 1961 and is one of the earliest British people known to have had sex reassignment surgery. Her ...
, a transgender entertainer and model, claimed that in the 1950s and early 1960s, Lear, whose birth name she stated was "Alain Tap",Simone Vazzan

« La Stampa », ''I 70 anni (ma anche no) di Amanda Lear, storia di un mistero'', 18 November 2016
had worked with her in the Parisian
transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through tr ...
revues
Madame Arthur Madame Arthur is a drag cabaret venue in the Rue des Martyrs, 18th arrondissement of Paris. It is named after the synonymous song. History Madame Arthur opened in 1946 as the first transvestite cabaret, which took its name from the famous song ...
and Le Carrousel. In her book ''April Ashley's Odyssey'', Ashley recalls Lear performing
drag act The term "drag" refers to the performance of exaggerated masculinity, femininity, or other forms of gender expression, usually for entertainment purposes. A drag queen is someone (usually male) who performs femininity and a drag king is someone ...
s under the
stage name A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...
"Peki d'Oslo". Similar facts have been reported by
Romy Haag Romy is a given name, often a diminutive form of names such as Rosemary (given name), Rosemary or Roman (given name), Roman or Romeo (given name), Romeo. https://nameberry.com/babyname/romy/boy People with the name include: Men *Romy Cachola, n ...
, a transgender artist living in Germany, who ran the popular nightclub Chez Romy in
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
and knew Lear. Some sources claim that Dalí sponsored Lear's
sex reassignment surgery Gender-affirming surgery (GAS) is a surgical procedure, or series of procedures, that alters a transgender or transsexual person's physical appearance and sexual characteristics to resemble those associated with their identified gender, and alle ...
in
Casablanca Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...
in 1963, carried out by
Georges Burou Georges Burou (6 September 1910 – 17 December 1989) was a French gynecologist who managed a clinic in Casablanca, Morocco, and is widely credited with innovating modern sex reassignment surgery for trans women.Staff report (January 21, 1974)Pris ...
, and also that Dalí invented the stage name for her, a
pun A pun, also known as paronomasia, is a form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use of homophoni ...
of the
Catalan language Catalan (; autonym: , ), known in the Valencian Community and Carche as ''Valencian'' (autonym: ), is a Western Romance language. It is the official language of Andorra, and an official language of three autonomous communities in eastern Spa ...
('Dalí's lover'). In 1978, Lear posed nude for ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...
''. Despite Lear contradicting transgender allegations on numerous occasions and explaining they were part of a strategy to draw public attention, the allegations continued to persist. In 1976, Lear stated that it was "a crazy idea from some journalist", and later claimed that the rumour had been started by Dalí or even herself. However, French, British and Italian newspapers and magazines in the 1960s and 1970s, and more recently in 2008 and 2011 and in a 2016 article in ''
La Stampa ''La Stampa'' (meaning ''The Press'' in English) is an Italian daily newspaper published in Turin, Italy. It is distributed in Italy and other European nations. It is one of the oldest newspapers in Italy. History and profile The paper was fou ...
'', included passport details and a reproduction of a copy of Lear's birth certificate, which states that she was assigned the name Alain Maurice Louis René Tap on 18 June 1939 in Saigon. The articles included a picture of Lear before her supposed transition.


Career


1965–1974: Modelling and the Swinging London period

In Paris, Amanda Lear was introduced to the eccentric Spanish surrealist painter
Salvador Dalí Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (; ; ; 11 May 190423 January 1989) was a Spanish Surrealism, surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, and the striking and bizarr ...
. The self-proclaimed enfant terrible in the world of art, 35 years her senior, was struck by her looks and found a soul mate in her. She has since described their close and unconventional relationship as a "spiritual marriage" and remained Dalí's confidante, protégée and the closest friend through the next sixteen years. She spent every summer with Dalí at his home at
Port Lligat Portlligat is a small village located in a small bay on Cap de Creus peninsula, on the Costa Brava of the Mediterranean Sea, in the municipality of Cadaqués in the Alt Empordà comarca, in Catalonia, Spain. The island of Portlligat is locat ...
in Catalonia and accompanied him and his wife on trips to Barcelona, Madrid, Paris and New York. She also took part in his art projects, posing for a number of Dalí's drawings and paintings, including ''The Dream of Hypnos'' (1965), ''Venus in Furs'' (1968), ''Angélique Rescued from the Dragon'' and ''Bateau Anthotropic''. In 1965 Lear moved to London and began working as a cabaret artist. A July 1965 newspaper report about a robbery at her home described her as the strip-tease artist "Amanda Tapp, professionally known as Peki d'Oslo". An American newspaper described her in October 1965 as "one of the leading stripping stars on the European cabaret circuit". On 11 December 1965 in the UK, she married Morgan Paul Lear, a Scottish architecture student, and adopted his name. After showing up at
Lucie Daouphars Lucie Daouphars (1922-1963) was a French fashion model known as Lucky, who worked extensively for Christian Dior Christian Ernest Dior (; 21 January 1905 – 24 October 1957) was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of t ...
' Parisian model school (known as Lucky), she was sent by Gérald Nanty to
Karl Lagerfeld Karl Otto Lagerfeld (; 10 September 1933 – 19 February 2019) was a German fashion designer, creative director, artist and photographer. He was known as the creative director of the French fashion house Chanel, a position held from 1983 ...
's then model maker at
Jean Patou Jean Patou (; 27 September 1887 – 8 March 1936) was a French fashion designer, and founder of the Jean Patou brand. Early life Patou was born in Paris, France in 1887. Patou's family's business was tanning and furs. Patou worked with his ...
's. Amanda Lear was a runway model for Lagerfeld and meets Catherine Harlé, the head of a modelling agency, who offered her a contract. With her modelling assignment, she walked for rising star Paco Rabanne in 1967. Just as Harlé had predicted, her looks were very much in demand. Soon after her debut Lear was photographed by
Helmut Newton Helmut Newton (born Helmut Neustädter; 31 October 192023 January 2004) was a German-Australian photographer. The ''New York Times'' described him as a "prolific, widely imitated fashion photographer whose provocative, erotically charged black-a ...
, Charles Paul Wilp and Antoine Giacomoni for magazines such as ''Beau'' (1966), ''mr.'' (1966), '' Le Nouveau Candide'', '' Cinémonde'' (1967), ''Scandal'', ', ''
Nova A nova (plural novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", which is Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. Causes of the dramati ...
'', ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was fo ...
'', ''
Stern The stern is the back or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite the bow, the foremost part of a ship. Ori ...
'', ''
Bravo Bravo(s) or The Bravo(s) may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Groups and labels *Bravo (band), a Russian rock band * Bravo (Spanish group), represented Spain at Eurovision 1984 *Bravo Music, an American concert band music publishing company ...
'' and ''
Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...
''. She modelled for fashion designers including Yves Saint Laurent and
Coco Chanel Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel ( , ; 19 August 1883 – 10 January 1971) was a French fashion designer and businesswoman. The founder and namesake of the Chanel brand, she was credited in the post-World War I era with popularizing a sporty, c ...
in Paris and
Mary Quant Dame Barbara Mary Quant, Mrs Plunket Greene, (born 11 February 1930)The Mary Quant exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 2019-20 stated her year of birth as 1930, and that she became a student at Goldsmiths College around 1950. is a ...
,
Ossie Clark Raymond "Ossie" Clark (9 June 1942 – 6 August 1996) was a British fashion designer who was a major figure in the Swinging Sixties scene in London and the fashion industry in that era. Clark is now renowned for his vintage designs by present- ...
and
Antony Price Antony Price is an English fashion designer best known for evening wear and suits, and for being as much an "image-maker" as a designer. He has collaborated with a number of high-profile musicians, including David Bowie, Robert Palmer, Iva D ...
in London. After some time, Lear dropped out of art school to model full-time and went on to lead a bohemian and flamboyant life in the
Swinging London The Swinging Sixties was a youth-driven cultural revolution that took place in the United Kingdom during the mid-to-late 1960s, emphasising modernity and fun-loving hedonism, with Swinging London as its centre. It saw a flourishing in art, mus ...
of the 1960s. Lear's acquaintances included
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
and fellow top models
Twiggy Dame Lesley Lawson (''née'' Hornby; born 19 September 1949) is an English model, actress, and singer, widely known by the nickname Twiggy. She was a British cultural icon and a prominent teenaged model during the swinging '60s in London. ...
,
Pattie Boyd Patricia Anne Boyd (born 17 March 1944) is an English model and photographer. She was one of the leading international models during the 1960s and, with Jean Shrimpton, epitomised the British female look of the era. Boyd married George Harri ...
and
Anita Pallenberg Anita Pallenberg (6 April 1942 – 13 June 2017) was a German-Italian actress, artist, and model. A style icon and "It Girl" of the 1960s and 1970s, Pallenberg was credited as the muse of the Rolling Stones: she was the romantic partner of the ...
. In late 1966, she began dating
Brian Jones Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones (28 February 1942 – 3 July 1969) was an English multi-instrumentalist and singer best known as the founder, rhythm/lead guitarist, and original leader of the Rolling Stones. Initially a guitarist, he went on to prov ...
whom she first met prior through
Tara Browne Tara Browne (4 March 1945 – 18 December 1966) was a London-based Irish socialite and heir to the Guinness fortune. His December 1966 death in a car crash was an inspiration for the Beatles' song " A Day in the Life". Early life Browne was ...
. Their relationship inspired
Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
and
Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943), often referred to during the 1960s and 1970s as "Keith Richard", is an English musician and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-princi ...
for the track "Miss Amanda Jones" from ''
Between the Buttons ''Between the Buttons'' is the fifth British and seventh American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 20 January 1967 in the UK and on 11 February in the US as the follow-up to '' Aftermath''. It reflected the S ...
'', alluding the romance between Jones and Lear as she's described as "Ms. Jones". She became a "stalwart of London's
demimonde is French for "half-world". The term derives from a play called , by Alexandre Dumas , published in 1855. The play dealt with the way that prostitution at that time threatened the institution of marriage. The was the world occupied by elite me ...
", an exotic name on the nightclub circuit and a regular fixture in the gossip columns. The model was arrested in 1967 by the police with drugs belonging to
The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
. Lear appeared in several advertisements for major brands, modelling among others for a Chantelle underwear range and the Detchema fragrance by a French company
Révillon Frères Révillon () is a former commune in the department of Aisne in northern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune Les Septvallons.Ne jouez pas avec les Martiens ''Ne jouez pas avec les Martiens'' or Don't Play with Martians is a 1967 comedy film starring Jean Rochefort and Macha Méril shot in Crozon. Synopsis The incompetent journalist René Mastier and photographer Paddy working for the Gazette de P ...
'' and also in the 1968 British psychedelic film '' Wonderwall''. In 1971, Lear modelled for a special Christmas issue of the French edition of ''
Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...
'', edited entirely by Salvador Dalí, and was photographed by David Bailey. She performed in a short-lived play along with the singer
P.J. Proby * Pajamas, or PJs Arts and entertainment * ''P.J.'' (film), a 1968 film starring George Peppard * P.J. (Disney), Pete Junior, a Disney cartoon character * P.J. (comics), a character in ''The Family Circus'' comic strip * PJ (singer), Paris Ale ...
in an
Islington Islington () is a district in the north of Greater London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the ar ...
pub in London and 1972 saw her first on-stage appearance when she introduced
Roxy Music Roxy Music are an English rock music, rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry—who became the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter—and bassist Graham Simpson (musician), Graham Simpson. The other longtime members are Phil Manzanera ...
and
Lloyd Watson Lloyd Watson (19 October 1949 – 19 November 2019) was an English rock and blues guitarist. Life and career Born to a Jamaican father and an English mother in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England, Watson's early influences covered the whole ...
at the Rainbow Theatre in London in August. Lear has been briefly engaged to
Bryan Ferry Bryan Ferry CBE (born 26 September 1945) is an English singer and songwriter. His voice has been described as an "elegant, seductive croon". He also established a distinctive image and sartorial style: according to ''The Independent'', Ferry an ...
of Roxy Music and was famously depicted posing in a skintight leather dress leading a black panther on a leash on the cover of the band's art rock album ''
For Your Pleasure ''For Your Pleasure'' is the second album by English rock band Roxy Music, released by Island Records in 1973. It was their last to feature synthesiser and sound specialist Brian Eno. Production The group was able to spend more studio time on ...
'', released in March 1973, an image that has been described as "as famous as the album itself". Following the exposure to the music world she gained from the album cover, Lear went on to have an affair with the married
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
and appeared in the live performance of his hit song " Sorrow" in ''
The 1980 Floor Show The 1980 Floor Show was a rock musical spectacle featuring English rock musician David Bowie as the protagonist, held at the Marquee Club in Soho, London, on October 18–20, 1973. It was broadcast in the United States by NBC on November 16, 197 ...
'' held in October 1973, broadcast in November 1973 as part of '' The Midnight Special'' TV series. Lear then contributed to the Dalí Museum, opened in the painter's home town
Figueres Figueres (, ; , es, Figueras, ) is the capital of the ''comarca'' of Alt Empordà, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. The town is the birthplace of artist Salvador Dalí, and houses the Teatre-Museu Gala Salvador Dalí, a large museu ...
in September 1974, by producing a series of collages decorating the doors of the museum, and was offered writing a monthly gossip column by a British magazine ''
Tatler ''Tatler'' is a British magazine published by Condé Nast Publications focusing on fashion and lifestyle, as well as coverage of high society and politics. It is targeted towards the British upper-middle class and upper class, and those interes ...
''.


1974–1983: The disco period with Ariola Records

In 1974, disillusioned by a shallow and conservative fashion industry and encouraged by her boyfriend Bowie, who paid for singing and dancing lessons, Lear decided to launch a career in music. Bowie recommended a Hungarian voice coach Florence Wiese-Norberg, with whom he also worked, and the pair subsequently recorded a demo track called "Star", which remains unreleased to date. Lear's debut single, "
Trouble Trouble may refer to: Film and television * ''Trouble'' (1922 film), an American silent comedy-drama film directed by Albert Austin * ''Trouble'' (1933 film), a British comedy film * ''Trouble'' (1977 film), a Soviet drama film * ''Trouble'' ...
", a pop-rock cover of
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
's 1958 classic, was released unsuccessfully by minor label
Creole Records Creole Records was a UK record label that found most of its success in the disco and reggae genres in the mid-1970s to early 1980s. Bruce White and Tony Cousins, who used the collective pseudonym Bruce Anthony, originally set up Commercial ...
in the United Kingdom. A French-language version of the track, " La Bagarre", was released on
Polydor Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
in France and while equally unsuccessful there, it became a minor disco hit in West Germany in early 1976. The track caught the attention of the singer, composer and producer
Anthony Monn Anthony Monn (also known as Tony Monn, born March 17, 1944) is a German singer, composer, and record producer. Biography Monn started his career as a singer in the German schlager genre in the early 1970s. Among his best-known songs from tha ...
and label
Ariola Ariola (also known as Ariola Records, Ariola-Eurodisc and BMG Ariola) is a German record label. In the late 1980s, it was a subsidiary label of the Bertelsmann Music Group, which in turn has become a part of the international media conglomerat ...
, which offered her a seven-year, six-album recording contract for a sum of money that Lear since has described as "astronomic". Her debut album, '' I Am a Photograph'', released in 1977, was recorded in Munich with most songs composed by Monn who later produced majority of her material in the disco era. The album included Lear's first European hit "
Blood and Honey "Blood and Honey" is a song performed by French singer Amanda Lear, released as a single in 1976 by Ariola Records and later included on her debut album '' I Am a Photograph''. The song was a chart success in Europe and now remains one of Lear's t ...
", as well as the follow-up Italian no. 1 single " Tomorrow", and covers of
Nancy Sinatra Nancy Sandra Sinatra (born June 8, 1940) is an American singer and actress. She is the elder daughter of Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra ( Barbato), and is best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'. Nancy Sinatra ...
's "
These Boots Are Made for Walkin' "These Boots Are Made for Walkin' is a hit song written by Lee Hazlewood and recorded by American singer Nancy Sinatra. It charted on January 22, 1966, and reached No.1 in the United States ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and in the UK Singles Chart. Su ...
" and
Leroy Anderson Leroy Anderson ( ) (June 29, 1908 – May 18, 1975) was an American composer of short, light concert pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler. John Williams described him as ...
's "
Blue Tango "Blue Tango" is an instrumental composition by Leroy Anderson, written for orchestra in 1951 and published in 1952. It was later turned into a popular song with lyrics by Mitchell Parish. Numerous artists have since covered "Blue Tango". Song his ...
". ''I Am a Photograph''s mixture of lush disco, schlager,
kitsch Kitsch ( ; loanword from German) is a term applied to art and design that is perceived as naïve imitation, overly-eccentric, gratuitous, or of banal taste. The avant-garde opposed kitsch as melodramatic and superficial affiliation with ...
and
camp Camp may refer to: Outdoor accommodation and recreation * Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site * a temporary settlement for nomads * Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descri ...
, topped with Lear's deep half-spoken, half-sung vocals and her characteristic
Franglais Franglais (; also Frenglish ) is a French blend that referred first to the overuse of English words by French speakers and later to diglossia or the macaronic mixture of French () and English (). Etymology The word ''Franglais'' was first at ...
accent was a successful combination. The second edition of ''I Am a Photograph'', which also contained German no. 2 hit "
Queen of Chinatown "Queen of Chinatown" (also typed "Queen of China-Town") is a song by French singer Amanda Lear, released in 1977 by Ariola Records. It met with a big chart success and remains one of Lear's biggest hits to date. The song's lyrics were written by Le ...
", included a free
pin-up A pin-up model (known as a pin-up girl for a female and less commonly male pin-up for a male) is a model whose mass-produced pictures see widespread appeal as part of popular culture. Pin-up models were variously glamour models, fashion models ...
poster with Lear posing
topless Toplessness refers to the state in which a woman's breasts, including her areolas and nipples, are exposed, especially in a public place or in a visual medium. The male equivalent is barechestedness, also commonly called shirtlessness. Expose ...
, a photo originally featured in a ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...
'' spread. Lear allegedly had affairs with
Keith Moon Keith John Moon (23 August 19467 September 1978) was an English drummer for the rock band the Who. He was noted for his unique style of playing and his eccentric, often self-destructive behaviour and addiction to drugs and alcohol. Moon grew ...
and Jimmy Page. In 1978, Lear continued her line of disco hits with '' Sweet Revenge'', an album that opens with a concept medley about a
Faust Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust ( 1480–1540). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroads ...
ian fairy tale of a girl who sells her soul to the devil for fame and fortune, and in her eventual revenge over the devil's offer finds true love. The first single from ''Sweet Revenge'', " Follow Me", powered by Lear's characteristic deep and recitative voice and the theme of the devil, was an instant smash hit. It reached the top 3 in the West German singles chart as well as top 10 in many European countries, and has been Lear's signature tune ever since. The ''Sweet Revenge'' album was certified
gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
in West Germany and France, and went on to sell in excess of four million copies, spawning further European hit singles "Gold (Amanda Lear song), Gold" and "
Enigma (Give a Bit of Mmh to Me) "Enigma (Give a Bit of Mmh to Me)" is a song by French singer Amanda Lear from her second album '' Sweet Revenge'', released as a single in 1978. It was a chart success upon its original release and enjoyed a resurgence of popularity in 2004 after ...
". Lear took part in three Italian productions in 1978: a war-time parody ''Loggerheads (1978 film), Zio Adolfo in arte Führer'', a softcore pornography, softporn documentary ''Follie di notte'' directed by Joe D'Amato, and a six-episode controversial TV show ''Stryx''. Later in 1978, Lear and Monn teamed for ''Never Trust a Pretty Face''. The album featured a variety of genre exercises like the dance version of a war-time classic "Lili Marleen", the interpersonal ballad "
The Sphinx The Great Sphinx of Giza is a limestone statue of a reclining sphinx, a legendary creature, mythical creature with the head of a human, and the body of a lion. Facing directly from west to east, it stands on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of ...
", the cabaret-esque "Miroir", futuristic tracks "Black Holes" and "Intellectually", as well as the hit disco single "Fashion Pack, Fashion Pack (Studio 54)". In late 1978 at a fashionable Parisian discothèque Le Palace, a French equivalent of Studio 54, Amanda Lear met bisexual French aristocrat Alain-Philippe Malagnac d'Argens de Villèle, the former lover and then adopted son of diplomat and controversial gay novelist Roger Peyrefitte. She married him on 13 March 1979, while on a trip to the United States. The marriage lasted twenty-one years, until Malagnac's death on 16 December 2000, when he was killed by smoke in a fire at their farm house in Saint-Étienne-du-Grès. He died just six weeks after Roger Peyrefitte. This marriage is not official for the French state. Dalí and his wife Gala both strongly disapproved of the relationship and attempted to persuade Lear to have the marriage annulled. As a consequence of this, and also the time taken up by Lear's successful career in music and television, she and her mentor began drifting apart. They sporadically kept in touch via letters and telephone through the early and mid-1980s, especially after Gala's death in 1982. Lear visited Dalí one last time at Púbol, Spain a few years before the painter died. In the early '80s, she had her first art exhibition in Paris. According to Lear, it happened in 1979. In late 1979, Lear recorded ''Diamonds for Breakfast'', which was her commercial breakthrough on the Scandinavian market (top 10 in both Sweden and Norway), producing hits "Fabulous (Lover, Love Me)" and "Diamonds (Amanda Lear song), Diamonds", plus regional single releases "Japan", "When" and the autoeroticism, autoerotic "Ho fatto l'amore con me". The album abandoned the Munich disco sound with its lush strings and brass arrangements in favour of an electronic New wave music, new wave rock style. Lear spent most of 1980 on European promotional tours for the album and its many accompanying single releases, from Greece to Finland. She also made her first visit to Japan, where both the single "Queen of Chinatown" and the ''Sweet Revenge'' album had charted. Two non-album singles followed the ''Diamonds for Breakfast'' album in late 1980: a pop cover of Eric "Monty" Morris's early ska hit "Solomon Gundie" and the chanson-esque "Le Chat de gouttière", the latter with both music and lyrics written by Lear and recorded for francophone markets. The Lear/Monn album success saga neared its end in 1981, when Lear had become increasingly uncomfortable with the expectations and pressures of the music business in general and her own record label in particular. At the artistic and commercial peak of her international career, but with the so-called "Disco, anti-disco backlash" beginning to take its toll, she had tentatively started recording tracks for a forthcoming album with producer Trevor Horn in London. However, Ariola did not approve of the material and informed Lear that she was to return to Munich and provide the company and the market with another Monn product. The result of these sessions was ''Incognito (Amanda Lear album), Incognito'', only partly co-written by Lear, with new wave material fueled with rock and electronic elements. ''Incognito'' generated only one minor hit, the French language ballad "Égal (song), Égal", and still met with relative success in Scandinavia. It was also her breakthrough album in South America, with three tracks recorded in Spanish: "Igual", "Dama de Berlin" and "Ninfomanía". Another non-album single followed in early 1982, a synthpop take on the pop classic "Fever (Little Willie John song), Fever". This was Lear's final collaboration with producer Anthony Monn. Shortly thereafter she took legal action against the Ariola label on the grounds of artistic differences to be released from her recording contract. The lawsuit was unsuccessful and she remained with Ariola until the end of 1983, as stipulated in the original contract. In 1982, another Italian language single, the ballad "Incredibilmente donna", was released on the greatest hits compilation ''Ieri, oggi''. The double A-side single "Love Your Body"/"Darkness and Light", released in the spring of 1983, was produced by Monn's sound engineer Peter Lüdemann rather than Monn. These were Lear's final Munich recordings for Ariola and her final promotional appearance on West Germany's most important music TV show at the time, ''Musikladen'', in June 1983. Lear's international career momentum was slowing and effectively came to an end in December 1983 with her sixth and final Ariola album under contractual obligation. ''Tam-Tam (album), Tam-Tam'', a collaboration with Italian composers and producers, was a modern and minimalist early 1980s synthpop album with a soundscape dominated by Roland TR-808 drum machines and sequencer-programmed synthesizers. Lear again wrote all the English lyrics for the album. Although she performed some of the songs from the album on the popular Italian TV show ', she did not promote ''Tam-Tam'' in West Germany or any other parts of Europe and neither did the record company. As a consequence, ''Tam-Tam'' passed by unnoticed by the international record-buying public.


1983–1999: Television career and comeback attempts

Lear launched a very successful and lucrative career as a TV presenter in Italy, thanks to the future prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, soon becoming something of a household name in that country. She hosted many successful TV shows there, including ''Premiatissima'' and ''W le donne'' (the latter adapted in France as ''Cherchez la femme''), in which she frequently promoted her music. The singer recorded a string of dance singles for various European labels: "Assassino" and "Ritmo Salsa" in 1984, followed by "No Credit Card" and "Women (Amanda Lear song), Women" in 1985. A minialbum titled ''A L'', with four covers of classic songs, including Marilyn Monroe's "Bye Bye Baby" and "As Time Goes By (song), As Time Goes By" from the film ''Casablanca (film), Casablanca'', was recorded for Five Records and released in 1985. Her music career, however, had waned by that point and she failed to find chart success with her recordings at that time. In late 1985, Lear appeared in a series of TV spots for Fiat. She had written her first book, the autobiography ''
My Life with Dalí ''My Life with Dalí'' is an autobiography by French singer Amanda Lear, first released in 1984, which tells about her relationship with Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dalí. The book, which had Dalí's full approval, gave detailed insights i ...
'', which told about her long relationship with the famous painter. Originally published in French, the book was translated into other languages in the second half of the 1980s. After several years as a TV entertainer in Italy on Canale 5 and France on La Cinq, Lear returned to music. Her next album, ''Secret Passion (Amanda Lear album), Secret Passion'', a post-disco Hi-NRG affair produced by Christian De Walden, was recorded in Los Angeles and Rome for major French label Carrere Records. The album was to be her comeback in Continental Europe, Scandinavia, the Eastern Bloc, South America and Japan, as well as a breakthrough attempt in English-speaking countries. These were the only major markets that Lear had not conquered during the Ariola years. The launch was planned for January 1987, however, just before promotion began, Lear was seriously injured in a near-fatal car accident and took months to recover, unable to promote the record properly. ''Secret Passion''s commercial success was less than hoped for, and the lead single "Wild Thing (The Troggs song), Wild Thing" was ultimately released in a few countries such as France, Italy and Greece. While in hospital, Lear began writing a novel, ''L'Immortelle'', a surrealistic tale of the torments of a woman doomed to eternal youth and beauty. Watching everyone else grow older and eventually losing all her loved ones, the woman is still as beautiful but unable to stop the merciless passage of time. A series of re-recordings of her old hits appeared on the market in the late 1980s, starting with a synthpop take of the biggest hit, "Follow Me", in 1987. The following year, Italian band CCCP Fedeli alla linea recorded a cover of her song "Tomorrow", retitled "Tomorrow (Voulez-vous un rendez-vous)", for which Lear contributed guest vocals. The single was a minor hit in Italy and Amanda's first chart success in that country in six years. In 1989, DJ Ian Levine remixed "Follow Me" and "Gold" in a Hi-NRG fashion, while Lear hosted ''Ars Amanda'' on Rai 3, an Italian chat show where she interviewed both Italian and international celebrities and politicians in bed. From the late 1980s, Lear has been a regular participant in the popular French radio show ''Les Grosses Têtes'' on RTL (French radio), RTL, televised on Paris Première. To maintain her popularity in Italy, she recorded ''Uomini più uomini'', an all-Italian language album, which included mainstream pop material written among others by , Paolo Conte's brother No single was released to promote the album and it turned out a commercial failure. The same year, Amanda re-recorded some of the songs in French and cut the dance single "Métamorphose" for the French-Italian re-release of the album ''Tant qu'il y aura des hommes''. In 1990, she released an up-tempo, promotional-only single "Do You Remember Me?" and took part in Thierry Mugler's fashion show. Lear continued to record more dancefloor-friendly repertoire in the 1990s, starting with the 1992 song "Fantasy", which became a hit in clubs around Europe. ''Cadavrexquis'', her next album, was released in 1993 and featured heavily club-oriented material, including "Fantasy" and re-recordings of three songs from the disco era. Both the single and the album failed to enter any mainstream charts. Meanwhile, Lear hosted the TV show ''Méfiez-vous des blondes'' on TF1 and appeared in 's TV drama ''Une Femme pour moi'' in France. In 1994, she modeled for the fashion house Grès in Paris and again for Thierry Mugler in Berlin the following year. In May 1995, Lear debuted her new, erotic Late night television, late night TV show ''Peep!'' in Germany, also known as ''Beware of the Blondes'', which she hosted for one year. The show, which used her song "Peep!" as the opening music theme, became remarkably popular in Germany, achieving over 50% of market share. In June 1995, she performed at a 1970s disco music tribute concert ''La fièvre du disco'' in Paris alongside Boney M. and Gloria Gaynor In autumn, the singer released ''Alter Ego (Amanda Lear album), Alter Ego'', an upbeat eurodance offering. The album again was not successful and did not produce any hits. As an active supporter of people suffering from HIV/AIDS, Lear made an appearance in 1996 as a model for Paco Rabanne during an annual charity event Life Ball. During her November 1996 concert at Le Palace in Paris, the singer announced her definitive departure from touring and performing live, and although she sporadically gave concerts in the following years, her live acts have been limited mostly to short TV appearances. Lear released ''Back in Your Arms'' in Spring 1998, an album consisting of re-recordings of her own 1970s disco hits and remixed versions of tracks from the 1995 album ''Alter Ego''. The album failed to make much impact on the market, but the re-recordings have been featured on many mid-price compilations in Europe. ''Back in Your Arms'' was re-released with a slightly different track list and title, and a remix of "Blood and Honey" was released as the single. Her next acting and television ventures were the French movie ''Bimboland'', in which she starred alongside Gérard Depardieu, and an Italian makeover reality television series, makeover TV show ''Il brutto anatroccolo''. The theme tune to the latter was "Nuda", a cover version of Melina Mercouri's 1960 recording "Never on Sunday (song), Never on Sunday", which Lear recorded but never released commercially. On the set of ''Il brutto anatroccolo'' Lear met model and actor , some 30 years her junior. Lear and Casella began a long-term relationship and were featured prominently in the Tabloid journalism, tabloid press in both France and Italy, before splitting in 2008.


2000–present: recent career

Lear contributed vocals for a cover of Giorgio Moroder's 1970s hit "From Here to Eternity (Giorgio Moroder song), From Here to Eternity", recorded in 2000 with Eric D. Clark. In the morning of 16 December 2000, a fire broke out in Lear's house in Saint-Étienne-du-Grès, killing her husband Alain-Philippe, and his friend Didier Dieufis. At the time of the accident, Lear was in Milan, where she was hosting a TV show. The fire left the house in ruins, destroying personal memorabilia and a number of Dalí's paintings. As a result of the accident, she fell into depression, but soon returned to work and put on an art exhibition titled ''Not a. Lear''. At the end of 2001, she returned with the album ''Heart (Amanda Lear album), Heart'', dedicated to the late husband. The album offered a cover of "Love Boat (song), Love Boat", the title song from the 1970s The Love Boat, TV series of the same name, and the club-friendly track "I Just Wanna Dance Again", both issued as singles featuring remixes by some prominent names in the world of French dance music, such as Laurent Wolf and Junior Vasquez. In 2002, Lear starred in ''Le Défi'', a musical movie written and directed by choreographer Blanca Li about an 18-year-old dropout who dreams of becoming a star in breakdancing and the ensuing conflicts with his conservative mother. Lear played the mother's understanding and encouraging best friend. She cut the title song for her Italian TV show ''Cocktail d'amore'' in which she interviewed some of Italy's most famous 1980s music stars, and released the single "Beats of Love" with the Belgian boy band Get Ready! Both tracks were included in the 2003 re-release of ''Heart'', retitled ''Tendance''. Next year, Lear dubbed the voice of Edna Mode in the French and Italian versions of the The Walt Disney Company, Disney/Pixar's blockbuster ''The Incredibles'', and her 1978 song "Enigma" enjoyed success in Central and Eastern Europe after exposure in the Kinder Bueno TV advert. In 2005, the singer became a judge on ''Ballando con le stelle'', the Italian version of ''Dancing with the Stars'', and released two dance singles, "Paris by Night (song), Paris by Night" and the remake of Barry Manilow's "Copacabana (song), Copacabana", as well as two compilations, ''Forever Glam!'' and ''Sings Evergreens''. In 2006, Lear opened an art exhibition in New York, titled ''Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's Amanda Lear'', and was decorated with the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres in recognition of her contributions to French arts and sciences. A compilation was released, the 3 CD ''The Sphinx – Das Beste aus den Jahren 1976–1983'', fully covering the singer's Ariola output. In October, the album ''With Love (Amanda Lear album), With Love'' was released in France. It won critical acclaim in France and was released in the rest of Europe in early 2007. Lear made several appearances in movies, including acting in ''Oliviero Rising'' and dubbing for the French version of ''Dragon Hunters (film), Dragon Hunters''. In 2008, she hosted several TV shows in Italy and France. In 2009, Lear accepted the part of Cécile in the comedy ''Panique au ministère'', which debuted at the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin in Paris. The show turned out a huge success and was taken on tour. The same year, she dubbed the voice of Fish in the German movie ''Lacoma'' directed by Christopher Roth. Her next album ''Brief Encounters'', was released in autumn 2009, preceded by the single "Someone Else's Eyes", a duet with Italian singer-producer Deadstar. The following month, Lear released the autobiography ''Je ne suis pas celle que vous croyez...'' and the EP ''Brand New Love Affair (EP), Brand New Love Affair''. The title song was released as the lead single, accompanied with an animated music video. ''Brief Encounters'' was partly re-recorded and remixed and then released in ''Acoustique'' and ''Reloaded'' versions. Boy George remixed "Someone Else's Eyes" in 2010. In April 2011, Lear released the single "Chinese Walk", and joined the judging panel of the Italian TV show ''Ciak... si canta!'' on Rai 1. She dubbed the voice of Janet the Lioness in the French version of ''Zookeeper (film), Zookeeper''. In September, Lear returned to theatre for the lead role in ''Lady Oscar'', an adaptation of Claude Magnier's 1958 play ''Oscar'', at the Théâtre de la Renaissance in Paris. The play was another success and was taken on tour. Her album ''I Don't Like Disco'' was released in January 2012, and the single "La Bête et la Belle" sparked controversy due to its Eroticism, erotic imagery. In September 2012, Lear appeared as a catwalk model on Jean Paul Gaultier's fashion show in Paris and in 2013 started playing the leading part in the play ''Divina'' at the Théâtre des Variétés in Paris. In Spring 2014, she released ''My Happiness (album), My Happiness'', a tribute album with covers of
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
's songs, promoted by the single and video "Suspicious Minds". In 2015, she recorded the duet "Mai più" with Italian singer for his album ''L'universo elegante''. The pair then teamed for the ballad "Prima del tuo cuore" for Lear's next album ''Let Me Entertain You (Amanda Lear album), Let Me Entertain You'', released in May 2016. Her play ''La Candidate'', a sequel to ''Panique au ministère'', opened in 2016 at the Théâtre de la Michodière and was subsequently taken on tour across France. At the time of an interview in the Italian program ''Domenica in'' on 16 October 2016, Lear had planned a retirement immediately after completing the ''La Candidate'' tour in Spring 2017, however, she had to cancel a number of final dates due to health issues. In 2018, she worked on the dubbing for French and Italian versions of ''Incredibles 2'', hosted the TV show ''Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ?'' on Cielo (TV channel), Cielo, and released another book, ''Délires''. In 2019, Lear joined the judging panel of the Italian TV show ''Sanremo Young'' on Rai 1. In 2020, Lear starred in ''Si Muore Solo Da Vivi'' directed by Alberto Rizzi and in ''Miss'' directed by Ruben Alves. In 2021, she appears in TV drama ' in France. In September, Lear returned to theatre to play Joan Crawford in ', Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin, in Paris, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford in the war they fought on the set of ''What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (film), What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'', directed by Robert Aldrich She released ''Tuberose (album), Tuberose'' in 2021 and her character is played by Andreja Pejić in ''Dalíland''.


Discography

;Studio albums and main compilations: * 1977: '' I Am a Photograph'' * 1978: '' Sweet Revenge'' * 1979: ''Never Trust a Pretty Face'' * 1980: ''Diamonds for Breakfast'' * 1981: ''Incognito (Amanda Lear album), Incognito'' * 1982: ''Ieri, oggi'' * 1983: ''Tam-Tam (album), Tam-Tam'' * 1985: ''A L'' * 1986: ''Secret Passion (Amanda Lear album), Secret Passion'' * 1989: ''Uomini più uomini'' * 1989: ''Tant qu'il y aura des hommes'' * 1989: ''Super 20'' * 1991: ''The Collection (Amanda Lear album), The Collection'' * 1993: ''Cadavrexquis'' * 1995: ''Alter Ego (Amanda Lear album), Alter Ego'' * 1998: ''Back in Your Arms'' * 2001: ''Heart (Amanda Lear album), Heart'' * 2003: ''Tendance'' * 2005: ''Forever Glam!'' * 2005: ''Sings Evergreens'' * 2006: ''The Sphinx – Das Beste aus den Jahren 1976–1983'' * 2006: ''With Love (Amanda Lear album), With Love'' * 2009: ''Brief Encounters'' * 2009: ''Brand New Love Affair (EP), Brand New Love Affair'' * 2012: ''I Don't Like Disco'' * 2014: ''My Happiness (album), My Happiness'' * 2016: ''Let Me Entertain You (Amanda Lear album), Let Me Entertain You'' * 2021: ''Tuberose (album), Tuberose''


Filmography

*''
Ne jouez pas avec les Martiens ''Ne jouez pas avec les Martiens'' or Don't Play with Martians is a 1967 comedy film starring Jean Rochefort and Macha Méril shot in Crozon. Synopsis The incompetent journalist René Mastier and photographer Paddy working for the Gazette de P ...
'' (1967) *'' Wonderwall'' (1968) *''Follie di notte'' (1978) *''Loggerheads (1978 film), Loggerheads'' (1978) *''Grottenolm'' (1985) *''L'amour est à réinventer'' (1997) *''Bimboland'' (1998) *''La Défi'' (2002) *''Oliviero Rising'' (2007) *''Bloody Flowers'' (2008) *''8th Wonderland'' (2010) *''Jodorowsky's Dune'' (2013) *''Metti una notte'' (2017) *''Miss'' (2020) *''Si muore solo da vivi'' (2020)


Books

* 1984 : (autobiography) * 1987 : (novel) * 1994 : (reprint of ''Le Dalí d'Amanda'', with a foreword by Paco Rabanne) * 2004 : (reprint of ''Le Dalí d'Amanda'') * 2006 : (collected arts) * 2009 : (autobiography) * 2018 : (collection of meditations and anecdotes)


In popular culture

* Lear was romantically linked to
Brian Jones Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones (28 February 1942 – 3 July 1969) was an English multi-instrumentalist and singer best known as the founder, rhythm/lead guitarist, and original leader of the Rolling Stones. Initially a guitarist, he went on to prov ...
, which resulted in the ironic The Rolling Stones, Rolling Stones track "Miss Amanda Jones" on the 1967 album ''
Between the Buttons ''Between the Buttons'' is the fifth British and seventh American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 20 January 1967 in the UK and on 11 February in the US as the follow-up to '' Aftermath''. It reflected the S ...
''. * Character Patsy Stone from the UK TV series ''Absolutely Fabulous'' was partly modeled on Amanda Lear. * Italian band Baustelle dedicated their 2016 song "Amanda Lear" to her. * In the biographical film ''Dalíland'', Amanda Lear is played by the model and actress Andreja Pejić.


References


Bibliography

* * * * * *


External links


Official website

Official art website
(in Italian)
Official channel
at YouTube
Official VEVO channel
at YouTube
Official channel
at Dailymotion {{DEFAULTSORT:Lear, Amanda 20th-century French painters 20th-century French women singers 21st-century French painters 21st-century French women singers Ariola Records artists Eurodisco musicians Women new wave singers French dance musicians French disco singers French female models French women pop singers French film actresses French lyricists French television actresses French television personalities French women artists LGBT rights activists from France Living people Recipients of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Vietnamese emigrants to France People from Ho Chi Minh City People of French Indochina 1939 births