French singer Kendji Girac is left fighting for life after being shot in the chest while visiting travellers' camp

One of France's most popular singers is fighting for his life in hospital after being shot in the chest on a visit to a travellers' camp.

Kendji Girac, 27, is in an intensive care unit at the University Hospital in Bordeaux.

It followed a visit to a camp in nearby Biscarrosse where he was hit by gunfire in the early hours of this morning.

'He was at a travellers' camp where he was wounded by a firearm,' said an investigating source. 

'Gendarmes were alerted at around 5.30am, and when they arrived they were confronted by around 20 people who refused to communicated any information.

'The emergency services meanwhile evacuated a seriously wounded man who had been shot in the chest, and he was rushed to hospital.'

Confirming the victim as Kendji Girac, the source described his medical condition as 'life threatening.'

Mr Girac, a father-of-one, shot to fame in France in 2014 after winning the third series of the popular TV singing show, The Voice. He has since released five albums and performed duets with other French singing stars, such as Vianney and Florent Pagny.

Kendjii Girac was born Kendji Maillé in Périgueux, in the Dordogne, and is of Catalan gypsy origin. 

He has often spoken of 'growing up in a caravan' and becoming a pruner after stopping formal education at the age of 16.

In August 2013, his uncle posted a video online of Mr Girac covering a song called Bella, in gypsy style. It became a huge YouTube hit, and got him on to The Voice, which he won with more than 51 per cent of the national vote.

In January 2021, Mr Girac became the father of a daughter called Eva Alba, but has never revealed the identity of the little girl's mother.

Prosecutors have opened a criminal enquiry into the shooting, and police were on Monday searching the camp where it happened.