music
January 8, 2026
Sébastien Tellier: ‘I thought I’d be famous after Eurovision
The musician’s elegant electropop marked him out as one of the ‘cool French dudes’, before an attempt to literally crash the Song Contest fell badly flat. Now back with an adventurous new album, he talks about the man who stole his identity and why he doesn’t care for ‘good taste’
TL;DR
- Sébastien Tellier's upcoming album, "Kiss the Beast," features a song inspired by his identity being stolen.
- The artist is embracing a broader musical scope as he turns 50, aiming for a larger audience.
- The album includes collaborations with Nile Rodgers and Kid Cudi, and production by Oscar Holter.
- Tellier has moved from enjoying experimental music like Robert Wyatt's to appreciating artists like Lionel Richie.
- His early life in Cergy-Pontoise, a new city lacking natural beauty, influenced his early music.
- Tellier's career began after he was signed to the Source label, later Record Makers, by Air.
- He is known for playfully blending genres and concepts, avoiding "boring" conceptual art.
- Tellier's 2008 Eurovision performance, where he arrived on a golf cart and inhaled helium from a globe, is a memorable moment.
- His song "La Ritournelle" is considered a classic and holds a special place for his audience.
- The album "Kiss the Beast" explores Tellier's duality with its title and artwork, and features diverse sounds.
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