Sébastien Tellier
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (January 2008) |
Sébastien Tellier is a French singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is currently signed to Record Makers, a French independent record label.
History
His first LP, L'incroyable Vérité (The Incredible Truth), was released in 2001. Sébastien went on tour with Air in support of the album and was joined on stage by world-renowned theremin player Pamelia Kurstin. L'incroyable Vérité is a pop album featuring styles from lo-fi electronica to bizarre cabaret tunes. 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 candle light. The track, Fantino, was chosen by Sofia Coppola for the Lost in Translation soundtrack.
Sebastien followed this with Politics (2005), which, like his third studio album Sexuality (2008), took a single term as both its title and theme. The disc dealt with ways of power and governance, in as much as it discussed the relative merits of genocide versus ketchup, as well as the tennis-playing opportunities presented by the Berlin Wall. The most prominent song on Politics was La Ritournelle, a string-led tune, which featured Nigerian drummer, Tony Allen, drummer and musical director of Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s band Africa 70 from 1968 to 1979.
Since the release of Politics, Tellier has also recorded an acoustic album of his more popular songs, Sessions (2006), which topped the French iTunes Store chart; this was repackaged for the British market as Universe (2006), to include both highlights from the French CD, as well as compositions from his score to the film Narco.
In 2007 Tellier contributed songs to and collaborated with Mr. Oizo for the soundtrack of Oizo's feature film directorial debut, "Steak".
His third studio album Sexuality (an 11 track meditation on love-making) was produced by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of Daft Punk. Tellier and de Homem-Christo live near each other in Paris.
Tellier's father played with nihilist French prog rockers, Magma.
Eurovision Song Contest
On March 7 2008, it was announced by Bruno Berberes, Head of EBU delegation in France, that Tellier is to represent France in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. It is to be held in Belgrade on May 24, with Tellier's song "Divine". This will be the first time in the history of the contest that the French entry will be performed entirely in English.[1]
Discography
- L'incroyable Vérité (2001), Record Makers
- Politics (2004), Record Makers
- Sessions (2006), Record Makers, a collection of previous songs recorded with new arrangements
- Universe (2006), Lucky Number, compilation album, featuring tracks from the two firsts albums
- Sexuality (2008)
References
http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=2814 Oikotimes.com reference to Sébastian entry: