The Canadian singer/songwriter Jonathan Painchaud launched his music career in the mid-1990s as a member of Okoumé, then enjoyed increased success as a solo artist during the early 2000s. A native of the Magdalen Islands in Quebec, he was born on September 17, 1974, and raised in a family that included his brother, Eloi Painchaud. Both siblings were talented musicians, and Jonathan joined the folk-band Okoumé in 1995. Okoumé toured the country as Kevin Parent's opening act and released a self-titled debut album, Okoumé, in 1997. When a second album, 2000's Plan B, failed to generate significant interest, the group split up. Jonathan Painchaud then formed a short-lived duo with his brother, Eloi, and the two released Au nom du père in early 2002. Although the two would continue to work together during the late 2010s, Jonathan first decided to launch a solo career, which he kickstarted with the release of C'Est la Vie in 2005. The debut album went gold and was followed by a number of additional solo release, including Qu'on se lève in 2007, La dernière des arcades in 2010, Mon cœur collé au tien in 2013, and La tête haute in 2016. As the decade drew to a close, the Painchaud brothers began collaborating once again, this time under the band name "Salebarbes." The group formed in 2017, with Jonathan serving as both the singer and drummer. Salebarbes released a concert album, Live au Pas Perdus, in 2019, followed by the studio album Gin à l'eau salée in 2021. Gin à l'eau salée was a critical success in Quebec, where the album helped Salebarbes win "Group of the Year" at the 44th Félix Awards in 2022.
