"Mainly The Doors for its mixture of poetry and rock," he noted when asked about what made him want to become a singer in a recent email interview with The St. Petersburg Times.

"I have always looked for Jim Morrison's sensuality."

Born Arthur Higelin to singer Jacques Higelin and music producer Nicole Courtois in Paris in 1966, he describes his music as a "mix of chanson, techno, funk and European atmospheric music."

However, the Gainsbourg comparison is apt.

"Serge Gainsbourg proved that rock could be French," wrote H, adding that Gainsbourg is still one of his favorite artists, alongside Bjork and Tom Waits.

"Tom Waits showed me that one could be modern while using acoustic instruments, that one could mix modernity and emotion and atmosphere."

According to his biography on the web site of Radio France Internationale, H left school at 16 and and went sailing in the West Indies for three months. His parents then sent him to Boston in the U.S., where he studied music at university for a year and a half, but showed little interest in his formal education.

Upon his return to Paris, H started a few bands to perform his early songs, but he did not meet his first success until December 1988 when he put together a show with British bassist Brad Scott for a three night booking at La Vieille Grille, a small, 60-seat venue. The show did so well, that the duo stayed on for the next three months.

However, even though H is praised for his poetry and humor, the meaning of his lyrics is largely lost outside the French-speaking world. H admits the problem.

"I have been lucky enough to go on tour three times in Africa," he wrote.

"There are still many French-speaking countries, but otherwise French is almost never heard. It's a shame."

But in any case the tradition of French chanson is still going strong, he argues. "There is still a strong tradition of chanson," wrote H.

"The language needs to be worked on, invented by poets, otherwise it withers." Listening to H's recordings, one cannot help but notice the attention he pays to how the record sounds.

"Sound is essential, it is what makes a song modern," he wrote.

"I like it when a classical song has a modern sound. One should be able to play a song at the piano.

"I make arrangements with musicians in a democratic way. We dream together."

Speaking about Russia, H admits he likes Russian classical music.

"I listen to a lot of Russian classical music: Stravinsky, Prokofiev, etc.," he wrote.

"I am very curious about new Russian music."

In concert, H, who plays keyboards as well as singing, will be backed by Nicolas Repac on electric guitar, Jarome Goldet on bass and Frank Vaillant on drums.