Kathmandu, April 28 (IANS) French guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Louis Bertignac -better known as an ex-boyfriend of French first lady Carla Bruni - will now hit a different note in Nepal, far removed from Parisian high life.
The 55-year-old, said to be always ready to help old pals - which included producing Bruni’s debut album when she tired of modelling and decided to reinvent herself as a pop artiste - will be doing a gig in Kathmandu next month to help out a Nepali friend.

Bertignac, one of the founder members of famed French rock band Telephone, will perform in the Nepal Academy auditorium in Kathmandu May 23 to boost SAC Music International, a Nepali music company formed 11 years go by entrepreneur Sachidanand Rauniyar.

Rauniyar, who is also involved with Nepali fusion band Trikaal, says his ties with Bertignac go back to 2003 when the French singer had given a performance in Kathmandu.

“It was a most memorable concert,” the 31-year-old Nepali producer told IANS.

At that time, French tennis player turned soul singer Yannick Noah was also in Nepal to shoot a music video. While shooting “Pokhara”, named after Nepal’s popular sunny tourist city, Noah came to know that Bertignac was performing and arrived at the venue to belt out some catchy numbers himself.

This time too, other well-known gate crashers would be welcome.

It could be some Bollywood star passing through.

Kathmandu has already played recent host to golden-voiced Sukhwinder Singh, whose fame soared after his “Jai Ho” number in the Danny Boyle-directed “Slumdog Millionaire” went on to bag an Oscar.

Singh came to Nepal to sing in Nepali director Akash Adhikari’s new film “Kathmandu”.

Also, according to the music industry grapevine in Nepal, another Bollywood sensation Kailash Kher also came to Nepal recently to attend - and sing at - a wedding in the capital.

But of course the most welcome visitor along with Bertignac would be Carla Bruni herself.

Even though Nepal does not seem to be on the current jaunt list of the globe-trotting French first lady, it is a favourite with many other celebs.

They include actor and Dalai Lama champion Richard Gere, Hollywood heart throb Orlando Bloom, Sting and American pop singer Cher.