Meet the French pianist who escaped a sect and topped the charts

Riopy faced physical and psychological torture due to a sect in France but yoga and meditation helped pull him back from the brink. Photos: Joel Saget/AFP

From a violent French sect to living on the streets of Los Angeles, the United States, to the top of the music charts, pianist Riopy's incredible journey is the epitome of the idea that music can save your life.

The 38-year-old – whose real name is Jean-Philippe Rio-Py – wrote the score for award-winning films The Shape of Water and The Danish Girl, spent three weeks at the top of the US classical charts in January, and is streamed by millions around the world via meditation and yoga apps.But it has been a hard road to success, worthy of a fantastical film.