I
Sébastien Tellier

About:

30 November 1974

Sébastien is the son of rhythm guitaris Alain Tellier, member of the legendary psychedelic cult band Magma. Tellier's first album, ‘L'incroyable Vérité’ (The Incredible Truth), was released in 2001. Tellier went on tour with Air in support of the album and was joined on stage by theremin player Pamelia Kurstin. Its sleeve featured Tellier in full evening dress on the front, while the back of jacket had a shot of him cavorting in a playboy's pool. He instructed listeners only to listen to the album by candlelight. The album got well known outside France when Sofia Coppola featured songs from it in her film ‘Lost in translation’. Tellier followed L'incroyable Vérité with his second studio album ‘Politics’ (2005). The album featured Nigerian drummer, Tony Allen, known for his work with Fela Kuti. In the slipstream of the album, Tellier has also recorded an acoustic album of his more popular songs called ‘Sessions’ (2006). The album was repackaged for the British market as ‘Universe’ (2006), to include both highlights from the French CD, as well as compositions from Tellier's score for the film Narco. This compilation included a cover of ‘La Dolce Vita’, a song originally by French singer Christophe.

In 2008 he represented France at the ESC with the song ‘Divine’. This was the first time in the history of the contest that the nominated French entry was to be performed largely in English, which caused controversy, leading to Tellier pledging to increase the amount of French in the song prior to the competition itself. At the contest it did not gain much points but it did push his cultstatus internationally and promoted his third studio album ‘Sexuality’, produced by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of Daft Punk. A side gimmick from the sessions a cover from Étienne Daho’s ‘Des Heures Hindoues’ ended up on a tribute compilation ‘Tombés pour Daho’.

In 2011 Tellier joined up with Gilles Bousquet, alias Mr. Flash, for recording ‘My god is blue’. An album that tended to link hedonism, sexuality and divinity. Tellier chose the colour blue as a pun to the colour of the Viagra pill. The album was released in 2012 and started a lengthy European tour. Quick after he recorded the mostly instrumental album Confection. This was partially inspired by the death of Tellier's grandmother. Some of the music on the album was intended to appear on a film soundtrack, but ended up not being used.

On the web:

- Sebastien's on Facebook: https://fr-fr.facebook.com/sebastientellierofficial

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What do we think:

DB: An artist that looks like Catweazle with the attitude a dirty pencilseller. Only in France. His music has that slick hornyness of Francis Lai and Emanuelle. A tat bit naughty, a tat bit weathered chique, a hint of a bohemiène . The spirit of the seventies lingers through Sébastian Telliers music which is not strange when you figure he grew up in the communinal enviremont of the Magma collective. The shows of Tellier are chaotic and sometimes sex and liquour infused (or so the stage act wants us to believe). But when he sits behind his piano and sets in ‘L’amour et la violence’ or ‘Sexual sportwear’ magic happens. The pieces fall together and some of the greatest loungy europop is flowing from his hands and voice. Mysterious, sensual and naughty, and probably one of the most genuine Euro electronic popcult phenomena’s to enter the ESC stage since Telex in 1980.

Recommended albums:

- L'incroyable Vérité 2001

♪♪♪ - Politics 2004

- Sessions - 2006

♪♪♪♪ - Sexuality 2008

♪♪♪ - My God Is Blue 2012

♪♪ 1/2 - Confection 2013

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♪♪♪♪♪ = outstanding album, an absolute must-have
♪♪♪♪ = great album, highly recomended
♪♪♪ = nice album
♪♪ = be careful, requires listening before buying
♪ = best to be avoided