Pauline is a French pop singer/songwriter and pianist whose debut single, "Allô le Monde," was a smash hit throughout the French-language world in 2008. Born Pauline Vasseur on January 5, 1988, in Lens, Pas-de-Calais, France, she began playing the piano at a young age and studied music at the Conservatoire de Lille in northern France. She made her recording debut in summer 2007 with the single "Allô le Monde," followed by an album of the same name a couple months later in the fall. While her debut album is largely self-written, Pauline collaborated extensively with producer Jean-Luc Léonardon and songwriter François Welgryn, who co-penned the title track and a few other songs. Released by Capitol Records, Allô le Monde initially broke into the Top 100 of the French albums chart upon its release in October 2008 but reached no higher than number 92 before falling off the chart a month later. However, once "Allô le Monde" became a smash hit in early 2008, reaching the Top Ten of the French singles chart and the Top Five of the Belgian singles chart, the album surged back up the French albums chart, reaching the Top 30 and charting for much of 2008. The album's commercial success was bolstered by the release of a follow-up single, "C'est Pas Toi Qui M'auras," in late 2008. Moreover, Pauline embarked on a promotional concert tour in support of her debut album that kept her on the road well into 2009. ~ Jason Birchmeier