Sébastien Tellier Explained

Sébastien Tellier
Birth Date:1975 2, df=y
Birth Place:Le Plessis-Bouchard, France
Occupation:Musician
Years Active:2001–present
Label:Record Makers

Sébastien Tellier (in French tɛlje/; born 22 February 1975)[1] is a French singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He represented France in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 with his song "Divine". He has also produced songs for Dita Von Teese and composed music for the French films Narco and Steak, among others. Tellier is currently signed to Record Makers, a French independent record label. He sings in English, French and Italian.

Biography

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. L'incroyable Vérité is a pop album featuring styles from lo-fi electronica to bizarre cabaret tunes.

The same year, he appears, alongside Vincent Belorgey (Kavinsky) in Nonfilm, directed by Quentin Dupieux.[2]

His second studio album, Politics, released on 31 January 2004. Politics included the popular song "La Ritournelle", a string-led tune with Nigerian drummer Tony Allen.

The same year, he composed the soundtrack for the film Narco, directed by Tristan Aurouet and Gilles Lellouche. The soundtrack released two years later, on 9 November 2007.

Since the release of Politics, Tellier has also recorded an acoustic album of his more popular songs, 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 2007, he composed a few songs with Mr. Oizo, for the soundtrack of the film Steak, directed by Quentin Dupieux (Mr. Oizo himself). Also co-composed by SebastiAn, the soundtrack was released by Ed Banger and Because Music the same year. Tellier also appears in the film as Prisme, the man with the electric wheelchair.[3]

His third studio album Sexuality was produced by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of Daft Punk. Like his previous album Politics, Tellier used a single term as title and theme of the album. Tellier's label Record Makers collaborated with retailer American Apparel for an exclusive three-month pre-release of the album, whilst American Apparel sold limited edition versions of the Sexuality CD, LP and "Divine" 7" and 12" single through their North American stores and website.

On 7 March 2008, it was announced by Bruno Berberes, head of EBU delegation in France, that Tellier would represent France in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. It was held in Belgrade on 24 May 2008. Tellier sang "Divine". This was the first time in the history of the contest that the nominated French entry was to be performed largely in English,[4] which caused controversy,[5] leading to Tellier pledging to increase the amount of French in the song prior to the competition itself. In total, the entry received 47 points.

His fourth album My God Is Blue was released in 23 April 2012. As the name suggests, the concept of this album is religion.[6] Tellier is presented in this album as a guru, founder of a fictional sect called "Alliance Bleue".[6] The album is entirely produced by Mr Flash and Pavle Kovacevic.

His fifth album Confection was released in October 2013. 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. In an interview with artistxite, Tellier noted: "You can say my grandmother's death as well as this nonexisting soundtrack had an impact on “Confection“. To me this has been a super strange situation. I was full of love for my grandmother and full of dedication to this soundtrack; Confection is the result of both of these emotional conditions."[7] In Spring 2014, Tellier performed a medley of tracks from Confection at the Chanel Haute Couture show at the Grand Palais. Tellier recounts that Karl Lagerfeld invited him to perform, having listened to the album himself.[8]

His sixth album L'Aventura, was released on 14 July 2014. The album was inspired by the childhood and Brazil, where the video to its lead single, "L'Adulte", is set.[9] This album, consisting of 10 tracks, is sung entirely in French.[10]

In 2016, he composed soundtracks for the two French films Saint-Amour, directed by Benoît Delépine and Gustave Kervern, and Marie et les naufragés, directed by Sébastien Betbeder.[3] The same year, he composed the music for the credits of the comedy show broadcast on Canal+, Groland Le Zapoï. The next year, he composed the soundtrack for the series A Girl Is a Gun.[3]

In 2018, Tellier composed all the songs from the eponymous album by Dita Von Teese.

In 2020, Tellier returned with a new single "A Ballet", released on 29 January,[11] to promote his seventh album Domesticated, consisting of 8 tracks, which released on 29 May 2020. On 8 April, "Domestic Tasks", the second single released and "Stuck in a Summer Love" the third single on 19 May.[12] The concept on this album is domestic life and this concept was born following his marriage and the birth of his two children.[13] The album is produced by Corentin "nit" Kerdraon, Mind Gamers (John Carroll Kirby and Daniel Stricker), Jam City, Varnish La Piscine and Philippe Zdar (who died in 2019).[13] Apart from this album, on 14 February 2020, he appeared as a featured artist on "Boycycle" by Salvatore Ganacci.

The same year, he released an album titled Simple Mind, in which he covered several tracks from his previous albums, Sexuality, My God Is Blue, L'Aventura and Domesticated.[14]

Personal life

Tellier is married to Amandine de la Richardière with whom he has two children.[15]

Discography

Studio albums

TitleDetailsChart positionsCertifications
FRA
[16]
BEL
[17]
SWE
[18]
L'incroyable Vérité
  • Released: 12 June 2001
  • Label: Record Makers
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
Politics
  • Released: 31 January 2004
  • Label: Record Makers
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
123
Sexuality
  • Released: 25 February 2008
  • Label: Record Makers
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
33 68 43
My God Is Blue
  • Released: 23 April 2012
  • Label: Record Makers
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
17 31
Confection[19]
  • Released: 14 October 2013
  • Label: Record Makers
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
52 69
L'Aventura[20]
  • Released: 17 July 2014
  • Label: Record Makers
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
53 54
Domesticated
  • Released: 29 May 2020
  • Label: Record Makers
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
117
[21]
93 85

Soundtracks

TitleDetails
Steak (Music from the Motion Picture)
(with Mr. Oizo and SebastiAn)
Narco (Original Motion Picture Score)[22]
  • Released: 9 November 2007
  • Label: Record Makers
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
Marie et les naufragés (Original Motion Picture Score)[23]
  • Released: 8 April 2016
  • Label: Record Makers
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
A Girl Is a Gun (Music from the Original Series)[24]
  • Released: 13 October 2017
  • Label: Record Makers
  • Formats: Digital download

Compilations

TitleDetails
Sessions
  • Released: 20 January 2006
  • Label: Record Makers
  • Peaked in FRANCE: #192
Universe
  • Released: 2006
  • Label: Record Makers
Sexuality Remix
  • Released: 9 April 2010
  • Label: Record Makers
Love Songs
  • Released: 29 April 2011
  • Label: Record Makers
Simple Mind[25]
  • Released: 13 November 2020
  • Label: Record Makers

Singles

TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum
FRA
BEL
DEN
[26]
GER
[27]
SWE
UK
[28]
"La Ritournelle"2005167 66 Politics
"Broadway"2006
"Divine"200815 39 4 106Sexuality
"Roche"[29] 2009
"Kilometer"[30] 64
"Fingers of Steel"[31] 89
"L'amour et la violence"[32] 97
"Cochon ville"[33] 201269 78 My God Is Blue
"In The Crew of Tea Time"[34]
(with Caroline Polachek)
2013
"L'amour naissant"[35] 154 Confection
"Aller vers le soleil"[36] 2014L'Aventura
"Ricky l'adolescent"[37]
"A Ballet"[38] 2020Domesticated
"Domestic Tasks"[39]
"Stuck in a Summer Love"[40]

Other appearances

TitleYearOther Artist(s)Album
"A Mountain for President"
(featuring Sébastien Tellier)
2007Principles of GeometryLazare
"Gisele"2016Jean-Michel Jarre
"When You Die"2018MGMTLittle Dark Age
"Señorita"[41] 2019ChristopheChristophe Etc.
"Boycycle"[42]
(featuring Sébastien Tellier)
2020Salvatore GanacciBoycycle EP
"Feels Like Summer – Souvenirs d'été"[43]
(Deezer Original)
"Goodbye"
(featuring Sébastien Tellier)
2022KavinskyReborn

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sébastien Tellier . France inter . 15 June 2014. fr.
  2. Web site: Séance gratuite : "Nonfilm", de Quentin Dupieux – UniFrance. UniFrance. 4 September 2020.
  3. Web site: Le saviez-vous ? Sébastien Tellier a aussi écrit de superbes musiques de film – Jack. Jack.canalplus.com. 27 May 2020 . 9 October 2020.
  4. News: Viniker . Barry . France: Sébastien Tellier to Eurovision . ESCToday.com . 7 March 2008 . 16 April 2008 .
  5. News: Eurovision song sparks French row . . 16 April 2008 . 16 April 2008 .
  6. Web site: Chronique : Sébastien Tellier — My God Is Blue – TSUGI. . 26 July 2016 . 9 June 2020.
  7. Interview with Sébastien Tellier: I cannot make music while feeling empty . . 10 November 2013 . 10 November 2013 .
  8. DelliCarpini. Gregory Jr.. Sebastien Tellier Talks Karl Lagerfeld Chanel Performance: Exclusive Interview. Billboard. 6 May 2014.
  9. News: Sebastien Tellier – L'Adulte: new music. The Guardian. 6 May 2014.
  10. News: "L'Aventura" : nos balades au Brésil avec Sébastien Tellier. Les Inrocks. 9 June 2020.
  11. Web site: Sébastien Tellier signe son grand retour avec le clip perché de "A Ballet". Konbini France. 29 January 2020 . 19 February 2020.
  12. Web site: Sébastien Tellier sort le sensuel "Stuck in a Summer Love". Les Inrocks. 19 May 2020.
  13. Web site: Sébastien Tellier revient avec "un album électro, parce que ça marche bien avec le ménage". France Inter. 29 May 2020 . 31 May 2020.
  14. Web site: Sébastien Tellier revisite son répertoire en version déshabillée. Les Inrocks. 9 November 2020.
  15. News: Sébastien Tellier : Papa pour la deuxième fois, d'un bébé au prénom surprenant ! – Purepeople. Purepeople. 20 April 2020.
  16. Web site: Sébastien Tellier discography . Hung Medien . lescharts.com . 26 October 2013.
  17. Web site: Sébastien Tellier discography . Hung Medien . ultratop.be/nl/ . 26 October 2013.
  18. Web site: Sébastien Tellier discography . Hung Medien . swedishcharts.com . 26 October 2013.
  19. Web site: Confection by Sébastien Tellier on Apple Music . Apple Music. 9 March 2020.
  20. Web site: L'Aventura by Sébastien Tellier on Apple Music . Apple Music. 9 March 2020.
  21. Web site: Top Albums (Week 23, 2020). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. fr. 8 June 2020.
  22. Web site: Narco (Original Motion Picture Score) by Sébastien Tellier on Apple Music. Apple Music. 9 October 2020.
  23. Web site: Marie et les naufragés (Original Motion Picture Score) by Sébastien Tellier on Apple Music. Apple Music. 9 October 2020.
  24. Web site: A Girl Is a Gun (Music from the Original Series) by Sébastien Tellier on Apple Music. Apple Music. 9 October 2020.
  25. Web site: Simple Mind by Sébastien Tellier on Apple Music. Apple Music. 9 November 2020.
  26. Web site: Sébastien Tellier discography . Hung Medien . danishcharts.dk . 26 October 2013.
  27. Web site: Sébastien Tellier Single-Chartverfolgung. PHONONET GmbH. 6 May 2014.
  28. Web site: UK Charts > Sebastien Tellier. Official Charts Company. 6 May 2014.
  29. Web site: Roche – Single by Sébastien Tellier on Apple Music . . 17 February 2020.
  30. Web site: Kilometer (Remixes) by Sébastien Tellier on Apple Music . . 17 February 2020.
  31. Web site: Fingers of Steel – Single by Sébastien Tellier on Apple Music . Apple Music. 17 February 2020.
  32. Web site: L'amour et la violence – Single by Sébastien Tellier on Apple Music . Apple Music. 17 February 2020.
  33. Web site: Cochon Ville (Remixes) Pt. 1 – Single by Sébastien Tellier on Apple Music . . 17 February 2020.
  34. Web site: In The Crew of Tea Time – Single by Sébastien Tellier & Caroline Polachek on Apple Music . . 9 March 2020.
  35. Web site: L'amour naissant – Single by Sébastien Tellier on Apple Music . . 17 February 2020.
  36. Web site: Aller vers le soleil – Single by Sébastien Tellier on Apple Music . . 17 February 2020.
  37. Web site: Ricky l'adolescent – Single by Sébastien Tellier on Apple Music . . 17 February 2020.
  38. Web site: A Ballet – Single by Sébastien Tellier on Apple Music . . 17 February 2020.
  39. Web site: Domestic Tasks – Single by Sébastien Tellier on Apple Music . . 8 April 2020.
  40. Web site: Stuck in a Summer Love – Single by Sébastien Tellier on Apple Music . . 19 May 2020.
  41. Web site: Christophe Etc. by Christophe on Apple Music . . 9 March 2020.
  42. Web site: Boycycle EP by Salvatore Ganacci on Apple Music . . 15 February 2020.
  43. Web site: Sébastien Tellier : Feels Like Summer – Souvenirs d'été – Musique en streaming – À écouter sur Deezer. Deezer. 2 July 2020 . 3 July 2020.