Nâdiya

French R&B diva Nâdiya traded a career as a track and field champion for pop music success, scoring a breakthrough hit in 2004 with "Parle-moi." Born Nâdiya Zighem in Tours, France, on June 19, 1973, she was the product of a large Algerian family that also produced brother Kader, a future French boxing champion. In 1989, she was ranked number one in the nation in 800-meter running, but at age 20 she retired from athletics to pursue a career in music, relocating to Paris and in 1999 releasing a little-noticed single, "Dénoue Mes Mains." After taking time out to start a family, ...