Belgian-born French singer and nightclub entrepreneur Régine Zylberberg was born on December 26, 1929, in the city of Anderlecht. Commonly nicknamed “The Queen of the Night,” she is credited with contributing to the creation of modern-day club culture and is widely regarded as an icon in the gay community. After being abandoned by her mother, she spent most of her childhood in a convent in Nazi-occupied France and later sold underwear in the streets of Paris in order to survive. By the early 1950s, Régine was already a well-known figure in the Parisian nightlife working as a nightclub manager at the legendary Whisky à Gogo. Chez Régine, her first club, opened in 1956 and quickly established itself as the go-to place for celebrities, socialites, and royalty visiting the city. Encouraged by singer Renée Lebas, Régine launched herself as a singer in 1965 with the single “Nounours,” specially written for her by Charles Aznavour. That same year, she also recorded the Gainsbourg original “Les P'tits Papiers,” which would eventually become one of her biggest hits. Her studio debut, Les Lampions, appeared in 1966 and also featured the Frédéric Botton-penned “La Grande Zoa.” Over the course of the following decades, she performed live at some of the most important venues in the world, including L’Olympia in Paris and New York City’s Carnegie Hall, and scored a disco hit with a French version of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” titled “Je Survivrai” (1979). Régine’s Duets, her last release, saw the light in 2009 and featured guest appearances by Jane Birkin, Paolo Conte, Boy George, and Arthur H. On May 1, 2022, Régine passed away at the age of 92.
