The Voice winner left fighting for life after being shot in the chest
22 April 2024, 10:52 | Updated: 22 April 2024, 11:09
The Voice winner Kendji Girac has been left fighting for life after being shot in the chest.
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The 27-year-old singer, who rose to fame after winning the French version of reality television show The Voice, was found with a gunshot wound to the chest during the early hours of Monday morning.
Emergency services were called to a traveller site in Biscarrosse, Landes, around 50km from Bordeaux, at around 5:30am on Monday.
Mr Girac was discovered conscious outside his caravan with a single gunshot wound to the chest.
The singer hails from the Dordogne region of France and grew up in the Catalan Gypsy community.
Police confirmed that they were called to the site and were greeted by around 20 men who initially claimed "nothing had happened" French outlet Le Parisien.
According to the report, it's claimed the gun was shot accidentally by Mr Girac after "poor handling" of his own weapon according to his initial police statement.
It's claimed the weapon had been purchased at a flea market the previous day.
The paper confirmed that Girac’s condition had been stabilised later on Monday morning.
"He was at a travellers' camp where he was wounded by a firearm," said an investigating source.
Mr Girac rose to fame in 2013 after winning the singing competition, subsequently recording with artists including pop hit-maker Mika.
The singer gained traction online after he covered a track entitled “Bella” by Congolese-French rapper Gims.
The following year, he took part in and later won The Voice France, going on to release five studio albums.
His hits Color Gitano and Andalouse have seen him garner a loyal fanbase, with his videos accruing hundreds of millions of views on YouTube.
Reacting to the news, French TV host Cyril Hanouna told La Parisien: "We are all shocked. We love him, he's an great guy, incredibly kind, always smiling, always ready to help."
It comes as police said they are continuing to investigate the incident and no lines of enquiry have been ruled out.
