Sébastien Tellier had long envisioned a triumphant return to stardom after his infamous Eurovision performance. But, in the end, it was not to be.
Years ago, an imposter stole the French musician's identity, donning his trademark sunglasses and beard at high-profile events. They swindled free clothes from Chanel and even met with Hollywood bosses – all while Tellier himself struggled to cope with the constant scrutiny. The charade only unraveled when a confused woman reached out, only to discover the real Tellier was performing in Belgium.
These dark days have since been transformed into pop gold on his new album, Kiss the Beast. "My name you steal it / Hat and success" – Tellier croons in the chorus over a chunky bassline, disco strings, and synths that crackle like fireworks.
Tellier's career has long balanced the serious with the playful, from the majestic Tony Allen-assisted dreamscape La Ritournelle to the derided Eurovision performance. A 50th birthday milestone marked a turning point for him, as he sought to reach a bigger audience on his new album. Featuring collaborations with Nile Rodgers and Kid Cudi, plus production input from Oscar Holter – the mastermind behind hits like Blinding Lights by The Weeknd – Kiss the Beast is Tellier's attempt at mainstream validation.
Growing up in a tough area of France, Tellier felt stifled by the lack of culture and soul. Music became his escape on a four-track recorder, with Air launching their own label and signing him shortly after. His early days were marked by wild parties and excess, but the music video for Air's Kelly Watch the Stars sparked a connection he'd been searching for.
His biggest WTF moment remains that Eurovision performance, which never gained traction despite Tellier's intentions to create something memorable. The disconnect between his vision and execution has always frustrated him, with La Ritournelle – at 63 million plays on Spotify alone – being one of the most streamed songs of his career.
Tellier sees himself as an artist who brings glamour to his concepts, rather than getting bogged down in theory. His latest album is about balance – Tellier wants to feel comfortable with all aspects of life. On Kiss the Beast, comical snatches of sheep baaing and frantic electronic outbursts disrupt the lounge jazz of Loup.
In an era where fame can be fleeting, Sébastien Tellier remains committed to his art, no matter how unconventional it may seem. With Kiss the Beast set to drop on January 30th, fans will have to wait until March for him to perform live – but Tellier's journey is far from over.
Years ago, an imposter stole the French musician's identity, donning his trademark sunglasses and beard at high-profile events. They swindled free clothes from Chanel and even met with Hollywood bosses – all while Tellier himself struggled to cope with the constant scrutiny. The charade only unraveled when a confused woman reached out, only to discover the real Tellier was performing in Belgium.
These dark days have since been transformed into pop gold on his new album, Kiss the Beast. "My name you steal it / Hat and success" – Tellier croons in the chorus over a chunky bassline, disco strings, and synths that crackle like fireworks.
Tellier's career has long balanced the serious with the playful, from the majestic Tony Allen-assisted dreamscape La Ritournelle to the derided Eurovision performance. A 50th birthday milestone marked a turning point for him, as he sought to reach a bigger audience on his new album. Featuring collaborations with Nile Rodgers and Kid Cudi, plus production input from Oscar Holter – the mastermind behind hits like Blinding Lights by The Weeknd – Kiss the Beast is Tellier's attempt at mainstream validation.
Growing up in a tough area of France, Tellier felt stifled by the lack of culture and soul. Music became his escape on a four-track recorder, with Air launching their own label and signing him shortly after. His early days were marked by wild parties and excess, but the music video for Air's Kelly Watch the Stars sparked a connection he'd been searching for.
His biggest WTF moment remains that Eurovision performance, which never gained traction despite Tellier's intentions to create something memorable. The disconnect between his vision and execution has always frustrated him, with La Ritournelle – at 63 million plays on Spotify alone – being one of the most streamed songs of his career.
Tellier sees himself as an artist who brings glamour to his concepts, rather than getting bogged down in theory. His latest album is about balance – Tellier wants to feel comfortable with all aspects of life. On Kiss the Beast, comical snatches of sheep baaing and frantic electronic outbursts disrupt the lounge jazz of Loup.
In an era where fame can be fleeting, Sébastien Tellier remains committed to his art, no matter how unconventional it may seem. With Kiss the Beast set to drop on January 30th, fans will have to wait until March for him to perform live – but Tellier's journey is far from over.
those imposter days were like a masterclass in how not to be a musician. I mean, who tries to impersonate someone else and steals their clothes? That's just basic theft 
. Anyway, his new album Kiss the Beast is all about balance and finding comfort with himself, which is dope 
. The fact that he collaborated with Nile Rodgers and Kid Cudi adds some major credibility to the project. I'm not sure if it'll be a hit or miss, but Tellier's dedication to his art is always admirable 
. That Eurovision performance was wild, btw... poor guy just got robbed of his moment in the spotlight 
.
what really happened btw was it just a random impersonator or did the real tellier really lose his mind? and 50th birthday milestone being a turning point for him makes sense, but doesn't he already have like a million fans from air's early days? also what's up with this "balance" vibe on kiss the beast, is it supposed to be some deep emotional album or just a fun party playlist 
Tellier’s always been an artist who wears his heart on his sleeve (literally in that iconic Eurovision outfit), and I think he's finally found the balance between playfulness and seriousness that he was searching for. His collaborations with Nile Rodgers and Kid Cudi are pure fire 
, and the production from Oscar Holter is on point. Bring on March 30th when we get to experience it all live!
he's been through so much already like that Eurovision fiasco was super humiliating 
and now he's coming back stronger than ever with Kiss the Beast 
his collabs with Nile Rodgers and Kid Cudi are gonna be fire 
i mean, that Eurovision fail was a low point, but it's all part of the journey right? the fact that he's not trying to change who he is or what his art is about just to fit in is refreshing 
and who can resist a good disco beat with some funky synths 
I'm so glad Sébastien Tellier finally found his groove back after that crazy imposter incident 
! His new album Kiss the Beast sounds like a total game-changer 
!
. Music was his escape and it's amazing how far he's come from those wild parties and excess 
.
! But hey, La Ritournelle is still fire 
, we all need a little reminder to chill out 
i mean sébastien tellier had like a solid career already and then that whole identity theft thing happened 
gotta check out nile rodgers and kid cudi collabs 
! Tellier's got this whole balance thing down pat – I love that he's not afraid to bring the glamour and get weird with his music 
!
! But let's give it up for the French musician who turned his struggles into pop gold 
! 50th birthday milestone and all, Tellier still brings the sass & glamour to his art 
. His collaborations with Nile Rodgers and Kid Cudi are giving me major '90s nostalgia 
. On a personal level, I can relate to feeling stifled by surroundings, but music always saved my soul 
. I mean, who tries to make a statement and ends up being mocked? But on the bright side, he's used it as fuel to create something amazing like Kiss the Beast 
. Bring on January 30th, can't wait to dive into Kiss the Beast!
.