French musician Sébastien Tellier has come to terms with being an also-ran in his own country. Just a few years ago, he found himself living under the shadow of an impersonator who was using his image and charm to get by in Paris's high society. The imposter posed as Tellier at exclusive parties, snagged free clothes from Chanel, and even landed deals with Hollywood studios.
"I thought I'd be famous after Eurovision," Tellier admits wryly from his Parisian home, sporting a familiar pair of sunglasses and beard. "But nobody noticed." In fact, the only thing he noticed was that the imposter had also been experimenting with ketamine in front of an audience – a situation that Tellier seems to find utterly nonchalant.
Tellier's latest album, Kiss the Beast, captures this sense of identity crisis and disillusionment, blending synth-heavy beats, disco strings, and even the occasional baaing sheep sound. For Tellier, the key to success lies in finding balance between his different personas – from the brooding musician to the sleek pop star.
The title of Kiss the Beast may refer to Tellier's own duality, but musically it explores themes of glamour, whimsy and even a touch of absurdity. When asked about his recent collaboration with Nile Rodgers and Kid Cudi, Tellier reveals that he wants to respect his age – a sentiment that resonates with someone who used to idolize Robert Wyatt's dark, introspective rock music at 20.
Growing up in the tough area of Cergy-Pontoise, north-west of Paris, Tellier found himself trapped in a soulless concrete world devoid of culture. However, after discovering Air and seeing his name reflected on TV screens, he was set on a path that would take him to the fringes of pop music.
Throughout his career, Tellier has explored different genres, concepts and styles – all while keeping a touch of playfulness intact. One concept that doesn't sit well with Tellier is the notion that an idea can be too complex or boring – he believes in bringing glamour to even the most abstract ideas.
Tellier's greatest moment remains his infamous Eurovision performance in 2004, which ended up being more surreal than anticipated. His initial plan was to stage a dramatic exit but ultimately settled on a harmless inflatable globe of helium – something that flew under the radar and failed to generate much attention.
It is this disconnect between artist and audience, concept and execution that Tellier finds infuriating – an issue he hopes his new album will help bridge. With Kiss the Beast set to drop in January, it's clear that Sébastien Tellier has no intention of becoming a one-trick pony or conforming to expectations.
"I thought I'd be famous after Eurovision," Tellier admits wryly from his Parisian home, sporting a familiar pair of sunglasses and beard. "But nobody noticed." In fact, the only thing he noticed was that the imposter had also been experimenting with ketamine in front of an audience – a situation that Tellier seems to find utterly nonchalant.
Tellier's latest album, Kiss the Beast, captures this sense of identity crisis and disillusionment, blending synth-heavy beats, disco strings, and even the occasional baaing sheep sound. For Tellier, the key to success lies in finding balance between his different personas – from the brooding musician to the sleek pop star.
The title of Kiss the Beast may refer to Tellier's own duality, but musically it explores themes of glamour, whimsy and even a touch of absurdity. When asked about his recent collaboration with Nile Rodgers and Kid Cudi, Tellier reveals that he wants to respect his age – a sentiment that resonates with someone who used to idolize Robert Wyatt's dark, introspective rock music at 20.
Growing up in the tough area of Cergy-Pontoise, north-west of Paris, Tellier found himself trapped in a soulless concrete world devoid of culture. However, after discovering Air and seeing his name reflected on TV screens, he was set on a path that would take him to the fringes of pop music.
Throughout his career, Tellier has explored different genres, concepts and styles – all while keeping a touch of playfulness intact. One concept that doesn't sit well with Tellier is the notion that an idea can be too complex or boring – he believes in bringing glamour to even the most abstract ideas.
Tellier's greatest moment remains his infamous Eurovision performance in 2004, which ended up being more surreal than anticipated. His initial plan was to stage a dramatic exit but ultimately settled on a harmless inflatable globe of helium – something that flew under the radar and failed to generate much attention.
It is this disconnect between artist and audience, concept and execution that Tellier finds infuriating – an issue he hopes his new album will help bridge. With Kiss the Beast set to drop in January, it's clear that Sébastien Tellier has no intention of becoming a one-trick pony or conforming to expectations.
I was just thinking about how weird it is when you look at old pics of yourself and realize how much you've changed since then... like my friend Emma, she used to have that awesome pixie cut back in college, but now her hair's all grown out and she looks like a totally different person 
. I swear, time flies! Anyway, Sébastien Tellier's new album sounds kinda deep, I mean, who wouldn't wanna explore themes of identity crisis and disillusionment? 
it reminds me of that one song by Bjork where she talks about how her emotions are like a stormy weather... you know, the one with the crazy accordion solo 
. Do you guys think we can still discover new sounds in music if everyone's just rehashing what's already been done?
Maybe that's what Tellier is trying to do with his new album – turning an identity crisis into something beautiful, a new chapter in his life, not letting someone else define him. 
. It's crazy how far out Sébastien Tellier's style is now compared to his idol Robert Wyatt back in the day 
. You know, people used to take risks with their music and it paid off. Nowadays it's all about blending styles and genres just to fit into some new pop category 
.
I don't know if that's genius or just weird 
. But hey, at least he's still true to himself and not afraid to experiment. That takes balls, you know?
. So, fingers crossed that Kiss the Beast will be a hit and not just another commercial flop...
anyway, tellier's music always has this extra layer of depth to it, you know? he's all about exploring different vibes and styles, and i think his new album is gonna be a total game-changer 