Grégory Lemarchal was born in Chambéry, Savoie, France on May 13, 1983. At 20 months old, his parents learned that he had a disease called mucovisidosis, a respiratory disease. On December 22, 2004 he was the big winner of "Star Academy" (4th edition), sort of "American Idol" TV show in France on TF1, with 80% of the votes against Lucie Bernardoni.