Arno (singer) Biography: Albums, Ethnicity, Wife, Age, Religion, Songs, Age, Children, Height, Death

Arnold Charles Ernest Hintjens, professionally known as Arno, was a legendary Belgian singer-songwriter, actor, and composer whose gravelly voice and raw charisma fused rock, blues, chanson, and Ostend dialect into a career that spanned over five decades, earning him icon status across Europe.

He fronted the provocative new wave band TC Matic in the 1980s with hits like “Putain putain” and “Elle adore le noir,” blending punk edge with funky grooves that packed clubs from Brussels to Paris.

Solo from 1986, Arno unleashed a torrent of albums in French, English, Dutch, and his native Flemish, from the bluesy Ratata (1990) to À la française (1995) and the wry Le European Cowboy (2002), mixing melancholy introspection with irreverent humor on love, loss, and life’s absurdities.

Profile

• Full Name: Arnold Charles Ernest Hintjens
• Stage Name: Arno
• Born: 21 May, 1949
• Died: 23 April, 2022
• Age: 76 years old
• Birthplace: Ostend (Oostende), West Flanders, Belgium
• Nationality: Belgian
• Occupation: Singer-songwriter, actor, composer
• Height: 1.84m
• Parents: Maurice Hintjens and Lucrèce van den Kieboom
• Siblings: Peter Hintjens
• Spouse: None
• Children: Felix Hintjens
• Relationship: Single
• Net Worth: $4 million

Early Life and Education

Arnold Charles Ernest Hintjens was born on May 21, 1949, in Ostend, West Flanders, Belgium, raised by father Maurice Hintjens and mother Lucrèce van den Kieboom amid the salty bustle of the North Sea coast.

His brother Peter Hintjens, a saxophonist, later joined musical ventures. Arno skipped formal higher education, diving straight into local stages by the late 1960s with gigs at summer festivals and bands like Freckleface. He is of Flemish seaside roots, with personal faith kept from the spotlight.

Career

Arno cut his teeth in the 1970s with Freckleface and Tjens Couter, evolving into TC Matic by 1979 alongside guitarist Jean-Marie Aerts, whose debut album Cheater’s Town mixed new wave punch with hard rock that gained cult traction across Europe.

Hits like “Putain putain” and “Elle adore le noir” from later records pulsed with provocative lyrics and infectious riffs, filling venues and sparking underground buzz through the mid-1980s.

He penned most material, blending English snarls with French flair, while early film scores like Le concert d’un homme seul (1978) hinted at his multimedia reach.

TC Matic’s raw energy and experimental bite laid the groundwork for Arno’s solo dominance, turning Ostend rebellion into continental anthems.

Arno went solo in 1986 with Forget the Cold Sweat, but Ratata (1990) ignited his French-language surge, co-written with Aerts and featuring “Lonesome Zorro” that seduced Parisian crowds at the Cigale.

À la française (1995) earned the Grand Prix du Disque, while Idiots Savants (1993), recorded in Nashville, revived Adamo’s “Les Filles du bord de mer” with blues swagger.

Les yeux de ma mère topped charts, mixing tango, jazz, and covers of Brel, as collaborations with Roland Van Campenhout and Beverly Jo Brown added soulful layers.

Albums like Charles Ernest (2002) brought Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres honors, with Victoires and live marathons from Bataclan to U.S. tours showcasing his gravelly command and genre-blending mastery.

Arno poured final fire into Vivre (2021), a poignant farewell amid cancer, performing defiantly at Ancienne Belgique in 2022 before earning Officer of the Order of the Crown as a Belgian icon.

Lifetime nods from Ostend Film Festival and Music Industry Awards capped a legacy of over 20 albums, soundtracks for Merci la vie, and Stromae duets like “Putain putain” at Victoires.

His multilingual rasp, humor-laced melancholy, and unfiltered tales of vice and vitality reshaped rock-chanson hybrids, inspiring outsiders from Flanders to France with fearless authenticity.

Social Media

Arno does not have social media accounts

Personal Life

Arno shared a long-term bond with French singer Marie-Laure Béraud, fathering son Felix Hintjens, while navigating various relationships without formal marriage publicly known.

He savored Ostend’s bohemian haunts, channeling life’s blows—from health battles to personal losses—into lyrics that bared his soul. Arno guarded intimates fiercely, prioritizing stage rawness and quiet coastal retreats until pancreatic cancer claimed him on April 23, 2022, in Brussels.

Discography

• Cheater’s Town (TC Matic, 1981)
• Ratata (1990)
• À la française (1995)
• Idiots Savants (1993)
• Charles Ernest (2002)
• Vivre (2021)

Net Worth

Arno amassed an estimated net worth of $4 million. Decades of album sales from TC Matic hits to solo platinums like Les yeux de ma mère, plus Victoire awards and European tours, built his estate.

Soundtrack royalties, live circuits, and honors like Grand Prix du Disque sustained revenue in Belgium’s music scene.