Soeur Sourire: The Story of the Singing Nun

Written By Max Gibson

She rose to global fame overnight; her voice making her an international celebrity. She was known as The Singing Nun, but her real name was Jeanine Deckers. With a gift for verse and a golden voice, she emerged as one of the preeminent recording artists of 1963. Although her time in the spotlight was short lived, as fate and circumstance led to her demise. Considered a one-hit wonder, in hindsight, the story of Jeanine Deckers offers a glimpse into the pitfalls of fame and sudden celebrity.

Born and raised in Brussels, Belgium, as a youth Jeanine was always expected to take over the family bakery, although Jeanine chose art school instead. Shocking her family with her decision soon after, Jeanine soon dropped out of school to pursue a life of service by joining the Dominican Fichermont Convent of Belgium.

Once a member of the convent, Jeanine became known as Sister Luc-Gabrielle. During her time there she entertained her fellow sisters by singing and playing her guitar. Performing popular songs in addition to her own, Sister Luc-Gabrielle was celebrated in the convent for her uplifting songs and pleasant singing voice.

Urged by her fellow sisters to record her songs, Sister Luc-Gabrielle ventured to the Philips Recording Studio in Brussels. There she caught the ear of Phillips recording executives and higher ups at the company who saw potential in the singer’s amiable voice. Agreeing to press a thousand copies of her record initially, the company went on to commercially market the sister’s music, vigorously promoting her most notable single, an upbeat record called, “Dominique.” It was an overnight success. Becoming an instant hit in Europe, it wasn’t until 1963 that the record hit the United States.

In the wake of President Kennedy’s death at the time, the U.S. was in a somber state, welcoming the melodic tones of Dominique with open arms. Topping the U.S. Billboards charts for four weeks in a row, the song was rerecorded in a variety of languages for audience around the globe, charting in eleven countries between 1963 and 1964.

Before she knew it, Sister Luc-Gabrielle had become an international celebrity. Packaged as Soeur Sourire or “Sister Smile,” by Philips executives, she made an appearance on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964, the premiere television entertainment venue of the time. Her appearance catapulted her fame to epic proportions.

In 1966, a feature length film depicting Sister Luc-Gabrielle’s life was released. Despite the film staring the then popular Debbie Reynolds, the movie, aptly titled, The Singing Nun, was poorly received. Failing to make a favorable impression at the box-office, Sister Luc-Gabrielle began to withdraw from public life altogether.

Following the lukewarm response to the feature film, Jeanine broke away from the Church to re-launch her music career full-time. This time her progress was impeded by her original recording company, Philips, which owned the rights to her stage name.

Unable to perform under the name “Souer Sourire,” Jeanine attempted to relaunch her career with a new album entitled, “I Am Not a Star in Heaven.” A stark contrast from her previous work, “Heaven” saw Jeanine preaching her new-found beliefs, although many of her beliefs contradicted the views of the Church. With songs such as, “The Smiling Sister is Dead,” and the pro birth-control ode “Glory Be to God for the Golden Pill,” the album did little to win back her pious audience.

Withdrawing again from public life, the celebrated sister began to build a school for autistic children, with the assistance of friend and partner Annie Pecher. The two would live in virtual anonymity while establishing their learning center for children.

In short order, the duo encountered another setback. Claiming that the sister owed them $63,000 in back taxes, the Belgian tax authorities targeted the singer. Having taken a vow of poverty during her time with the convent, Jeanine testified that she had given the majority of the earnings to the convent. However, with no receipts or proof of her philanthropy, she was unable to disprove the claim.

Facing significant financial troubles and rising anxiety, the once famous nun turned to alcohol and prescription drugs in the 1980s. The combination proved detrimental to her career and well being. Losing her final court case with the tax authorities in 1982, the singer released an updated version of her 1963 hit “Dominique,” hoping to appeal to a new audience with an upbeat, synth-heavy sound that characterized popular music of the 1980s. Again, her musical efforts went unnoticed.

With growing back taxes and legal fees, the stress on Jeanine’s was insuperable. On the verge of losing her cherished school to debt, Jeanine succumbed to barbiturates and alcohol. She committed suicide alongside her life companion, Annie Pecher on March 29,1985. She was 51 years old.