Before he was singing to stadiums in France, Roch Voisine was chasing pucks on Canadian ice. The bilingual New Brunswicker swapped a promising hockey career for a microphone and ended up with one of the biggest Francophone pop hits of all time. Here’s what his journey from rink to stage actually looked like, and where his life and career stand today.

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Born: March 26, 1963 ·
Origin: Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada ·
Occupation: Singer-songwriter, actor, radio/television host ·
Genres: Pop, rock, country ·
Years active: 1986–present ·
Famous song: Hélène

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact net worth — no reliable public financial disclosure
  • Current relationship status — not publicly confirmed after divorce
  • Details of current romantic partner — unverified in official sources
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Continues touring and recording in Canada and Europe
  • Hosts radio and television programs in Quebec and France

Eight key facts that anchor Voisine’s biography, each sourced to official or established records.

Label Value
Full Name Roch Voisine
Date of Birth March 26, 1963
Place of Birth Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada
Occupation Singer-songwriter, actor, host
Years Active 1986–present
Spouse Myriam Brousseau (m. 2000–2007)
Children 1 son (Killian) and daughter Alix-Elouan — per official biography
Most Famous Song Hélène

Is Roch Voisine still married?

Who is Roch Voisine’s ex-wife?

Roch Voisine married Myriam Brousseau in 2000 after a relationship that began in the late 1990s. The couple separated in 2007, ending a seven-year marriage. According to Roch Voisine official biography, Voisine has two children: a son named Killian and a daughter named Alix-Elouan.

Does Roch Voisine have a partner now?

His current relationship status is not publicly confirmed. No official statement from Voisine or his representatives has disclosed a new partner since the divorce. The artist maintains a private personal life, and neither his official website nor verified social media accounts contain information about a current romantic partner.

The pattern is clear: Voisine keeps his private life tightly controlled. For fans and media, the marital record stops at 2007, with no verifiable update since.

What was Roch Voisine’s biggest hit?

What is the song Hélène about?

The song “Hélène” is a pop ballad whose lyrics express longing and romantic devotion. Co-written with Voisine’s childhood friend and fellow hockey player Stéphane Lessard, according to Place des Arts article, the track became an unexpected phenomenon.

How successful was Hélène?

  • Released as a single in November 1989 (Wikipedia song entry)
  • Stayed at #1 on France’s Top 50 chart for nine consecutive weeks (Roch Voisine official biography)
  • The album ‘Hélène’ sold three million records (Roch Voisine official biography)
  • Reached #1 in Quebec, France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Norway (Roch Voisine official biography)
Why this matters

For a Canadian singer releasing music in French, charting at #1 in five countries with a single album is rare. Voisine’s ‘Hélène’ did what few Francophone albums outside of France had done before: cross all major French-speaking markets with one song.

The implication: ‘Hélène’ is not just Voisine’s biggest hit; it is the anchor of his entire international career. No subsequent single has matched its chart dominance in both Quebec and Europe.

Where does Roch Voisine live now?

Does Roch Voisine split time between Montreal and Paris?

Yes. According to his Roch Voisine official biography, Voisine currently lives in both Montreal and Paris. He maintains a home in the south of France, allowing him to work across his two primary markets: French Canada and Europe.

What this means: For an artist whose core audience is split between Quebec and France, maintaining residences in both is a logistical necessity, not a luxury. His career requires physical presence on both sides of the Atlantic.

Did Roch Voisine play hockey?

What level of hockey did he play?

Voisine played at the junior major level. In 1980, he was a member of the Quebec Remparts in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (Place des Arts article). He later played four seasons for the uOttawa Gee-Gees men’s hockey team while studying at the University of Ottawa (Wikipedia entry).

Why did he stop playing hockey?

A knee injury ended his hockey aspirations. According to Place des Arts article, the injury shattered his childhood dream of becoming a professional player. Following the setback, he pursued physiotherapy, graduating from the University of Ottawa in 1985 (Wikipedia entry).

The trade-off

The same knee injury that ended Voisine’s hockey career sent him toward music. Indirectly, it turned a junior-league player into a multi-platinum artist. His hockey background remains a defining chapter of his public identity, especially in Quebec where both sports and music cultures run deep.

The catch: Voisine never played professional hockey at the NHL or major-junior elite level. His career was junior-level and university-level — impressive, but often mythologized in media retellings.

What is Roch Voisine’s early life and background?

Where was Roch Voisine born?

Voisine was born on March 26, 1963, in Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada (Roch Voisine official biography). He grew up in Saint-Basile, New Brunswick, a small town in the francophone region of the province.

What is his family background?

Voisine is bilingual, speaking French and English fluently. His upbringing in a French-speaking community shaped his musical identity, but his English fluency opened the door to Anglophone markets and acting roles later in his career.

At age 18, he completed his studies at CEGEP de Limoilou in Quebec City, while beginning his singing career (Place des Arts article).

The pattern: Voisine’s bilingualism and cross-cultural upbringing are his career’s structural advantage. He did not break into France as a foreigner — he grew up in a francophone environment and leveraged that cultural foundation.

Career timeline and milestones

  • 1963: Born in Edmundston, New Brunswick (Roch Voisine official biography)
  • 1980: Played for Quebec Remparts in QMJHL (Place des Arts article)
  • 1985: Graduated with physiotherapy degree from University of Ottawa (Wikipedia entry)
  • 1986: First major public performance — summer concert at LaRonde in Montreal before 50,000+ (Roch Voisine official biography)
  • 1989: Released album ‘Hélène’; single ‘Hélène’ held #1 in France for 9 weeks (Roch Voisine official biography)
  • 1994: Won Juno Award for Male Vocalist of the Year (Wikipedia entry)
  • 1997: Appointed Officer of the Order of Canada (Famous Birthdays database)
  • 2000–2007: Married to Myriam Brousseau
The upshot

Voisine’s career arc — from injured junior-league hockey player to physiotherapy graduate to international pop star — is unusual by any measure. Most artists do not have a fallback degree in rehabilitation science. That path gave him credibility and a distinct narrative in the French music industry.

Confirmed facts and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Born March 26, 1963 in Edmundston, New Brunswick
  • Played junior hockey for Quebec Remparts and university hockey at uOttawa
  • Released ‘Hélène’ in 1989; it sold 3 million copies and topped charts in 5 countries
  • Married Myriam Brousseau from 2000 to 2007
  • Has two children: Killian and Alix-Elouan

What’s unclear

  • Exact net worth — no reliable financial disclosure
  • Current relationship status — not publicly verified since divorce
  • Details of any current romantic partner

Related reading: Roch Voisine biography · Hélène (Roch Voisine song)

Additional sources

allmusic.com, musiflo.com, musiccanada.wordpress.com, en.wikipedia.org, musiccanada.wordpress.com, facebook.com, facebook.com

For an in-depth look at his journey from physiotherapy student to international star, you can read more about Roch Voisines career and see how his music and hockey background intertwine.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Roch Voisine’s real name?

His real name is Roch Voisine. He does not use a stage name or pseudonym professionally.

How many albums has Roch Voisine released?

He has released over 15 studio albums and multiple live recordings since 1986, including ‘Hélène’ (1989), ‘I’ll Always Be There’ (1993), and ‘Confidences’ (2010). A complete discography is maintained on his official website.

What awards did Roch Voisine win for Hélène?

The album ‘Hélène’ was certified multi-platinum in France and Quebec. Voisine won the Juno Award for Male Vocalist of the Year in 1994, though that award covers his broader career, not specifically the album.

Does Roch Voisine have any children?

Yes. According to his official biography, he has two children: son Killian and daughter Alix-Elouan.

Where did Roch Voisine grow up?

He grew up in Saint-Basile, New Brunswick, Canada, a small francophone community near the border of Quebec.

Is Roch Voisine still making music?

Yes. He continues to record, tour, and perform. He remains active as a musician, with recent concerts in Quebec and France, and also works as a radio and television host.

What genre is Roch Voisine’s music?

His music spans pop, rock, and country. While his early work was largely pop-oriented, later albums have incorporated more country and folk influences.

Did Roch Voisine ever play professional hockey?

No. He played junior hockey for the Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) and university hockey for the uOttawa Gee-Gees, but never at the professional level. A knee injury ended his hockey aspirations before he could turn pro.

Related reading

  • Roch Voisine official biography
  • Wikipedia entry for Hélène song
  • Place des Arts article on Hélène phenomenon

Editor’s note

This article was compiled from publicly available sources including official biography materials, Wikipedia, and Place des Arts. The singer’s current relationship status and net worth remain unverified due to the absence of official disclosure.