Sébastien Tellier

Sébastien Tellier (; born 22 February 1975) 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, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Biography

Tellier is the son of rhythm guitarist Alain Tellier, who is known to have played with the band Magma. Tellier attended the École Saint-Martin-de-France in Pontoise, Val-d'Oise.

Tellier's first album, L'incroyable Vérité (English: 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, also known as Kavinsky, in Nonfilm, directed by Quentin Dupieux.

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 Quentin Dupieux, also known as Mr. Oizo, for the soundtrack of the film Steak, directed by 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.

left|thumb|165px|Sébastien Tellier performing "Divine" at the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 in Belgrade, Serbia, 24 May 2008

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, which caused controversy, 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 on 23 April 2012. As the name suggests, the concept of this album is religion. Tellier is presented in this album as a guru, founder of a fictional sect called "Alliance Bleue". 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.

His sixth album L'Aventura (English: The Adventure) was released on 14 July 2014. The album was inspired by Tellier's childhood and Brazil, where the video to one of its songs, "L'adulte", is set. This album, consisting of 10 tracks, is sung entirely in French.

In 2016, Tellier 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. 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. The concept on this album is domestic life and this concept was born following his marriage and the birth of his two children. 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).

In 2024, Tellier performed La Ritournelle with Ensemble Matheus at the Paralympic Games opening ceremony in Paris.

In April 2025, Tellier was appointed as an Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

In September 2025, Tellier returned with a new single, "Refresh", which marked his first single in five years after the release of Domesticated, and would later be revealed as the lead single to his next album. A month later, in October, he officially announced his eighth album, titled Kiss the Beast, along with the release of the album's second single, "Naïf de Coeur". The third single, "Thrill of the Night", was released the next month, in November, and features Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers and singer-songwriter Slayyyter. In January 2026, Tellier performed the song "Parfum Diamant" on the Colors YouTube channel, which would then become the fourth single from the album, released days later. The fifth and final single, "Amnesia", which features rapper and singer Kid Cudi, was released two days before the album's release. The album was officially released on 30 January 2026.

Influences

Tellier's musical artistry is inspired by Serge Gainsbourg, François de Roubaix, Antonin Artaud, Salvador Dalí, Lucio Battisti, and Stevie Wonder.

Personal life

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

Discography

Studio albums

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

! style="width:200px;" rowspan="2" | Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18.5em;"| Details

! colspan="3"| Chart positions

! align="center" rowspan="2" width="120"|Certifications

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | FRA

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | BEL

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | SWE

! scope="row"|L'incroyable Vérité

Released: 12 June 2001
Label: Record Makers
Formats: CD, LP, digital download

| — || — || —

! scope="row"|Politics

Released: 31 January 2004
Label: Record Makers
Formats: CD, LP, digital download

| 123 || — || —

! scope="row"|Sexuality

Released: 25 February 2008
Label: Record Makers
Formats: CD, LP, digital download

| 33 || 68 || 43

! scope="row"|My God Is Blue

Released: 23 April 2012
Label: Record Makers
Formats: CD, LP, digital download

| 17 || 31 || —

! scope="row"|Confection

Released: 14 October 2013
Label: Record Makers
Formats: CD, LP, digital download

| 52 || 69 || —

! scope="row"|L'Aventura

Released: 17 July 2014
Label: Record Makers
Formats: CD, LP, digital download

| 53 || 54 || —

! scope="row"|Domesticated

Released: 29 May 2020
Label: Record Makers
Formats: CD, LP, digital download

| 117 || 93 || 85

! scope="row"|Kiss the Beast

Released: 30 January 2026
Label: Because Music
Formats: CD, LP, digital download

| 42 || 81 || —

Soundtracks

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

! style="width:200px;" | Title

! scope="col" style="width:18.5em;"| Details

! scope="row"|Steak (Music from the Motion Picture) (with Mr. Oizo and SebastiAn)

Released: 18 June 2007
Label: Ed Banger Records, Because Music
Formats: CD, digital download

! scope="row"|Narco (Original Motion Picture Score)

Released: 9 November 2007
Label: Record Makers
Formats: CD, LP, digital download

! scope="row"|Marie et les naufragés (Original Motion Picture Score)

Released: 8 April 2016
Label: Record Makers
Formats: CD, LP, digital download

! scope="row"|A Girl Is a Gun (Music from the Original Series)

Released: 13 October 2017
Label: Record Makers
Formats: Digital download

Compilations

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

! style="width:200px;" | Title

! scope="col" style="width:18.5em;"| Details

! scope="row"|Sessions

Released: 20 January 2006
Label: Record Makers
Peaked in FRANCE: #192

! scope="row"|Universe

Released: 2006
Label: Record Makers

! scope="row"|Sexuality Remix

Released: 9 April 2010
Label: Record Makers

! scope="row"|Love Songs

Released: 29 April 2011
Label: Record Makers

! scope="row"|Simple Mind

Released: 13 November 2020
Label: Record Makers

Other contributions

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

! style="width:200px;" | Title

! scope="col" style="width:18.5em;"| Details

! scope="col" style="width:18.5em;"| Notes

! scope="row"|Dita Von Teese (by Dita Von Teese)

Released: 16 February 2018
Label: Record Makers
Formats: CD, LP, digital download

| Written and composed by Sébastien Tellier

Singles

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;" | Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year

! scope="col" colspan="6"| Peak chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | FRA

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | GER

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | SWE

! scope="row"|"La Ritournelle"

| 2005

| 167 || — || — || — || — || 66

| rowspan="2"|Politics

! scope="row"|"Broadway"

| 2006

| — || — || — || — || — || —

! scope="row"|"Divine"

| 2008

| — || 15 || 39 || — || 4 || 106

| rowspan="5"|Sexuality

! scope="row"|"Roche"

| rowspan="4"| 2009

| — || — || — || — || — || —

! scope="row"|"Kilometer"

| — || 64 || — || — || — || —

! scope="row"|"Fingers of Steel"

| 89 || — || — || — || — || —

! scope="row"|"L'amour et la violence"

| — || — || — || 97 || — || —

! scope="row"|"Cochon ville"

| 2012

| 69 || 78 || — || — || — || —

| My God Is Blue

! scope="row"|"In The Crew of Tea Time" (with Caroline Polachek)

| rowspan="2"| 2013

| — || — || — || — || — || —

! scope="row"|"L'amour naissant"

| 154 || — || — || — || — || —

|Confection

! scope="row"|"Aller vers le soleil"

| rowspan="2"| 2014

| — || — || — || — || — || —

| rowspan="2"|L'Aventura

! scope="row"|"Ricky l'adolescent"

| — || — || — || — || — || —

! scope="row"|"A Ballet"

| rowspan="3"|2020

| — || — || — || — || — || —

| rowspan="3"|Domesticated

! scope="row"|"Domestic Tasks"

| — || — || — || — || — || —

! scope="row"|"Stuck in a Summer Love"

| — || — || — || — || — || —

! scope="row"|"Refresh"

| rowspan="3"|2025

| — || — || — || — || — || —

| rowspan="5"|Kiss the Beast

! scope="row"|"Naïf de Coeur"

| — || — || — || — || — || —

! scope="row"|"Thrill of the Night"

| — || — || — || — || — || —

! scope="row"|"Parfum Diamant"

| rowspan="2"|2026

| — || — || — || — || — || —

! scope="row"|"Amnesia"

| — || — || — || — || — || —

Other appearances

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

! scope="col" style="width:20em;" | Title

! scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Other Artist(s)

! scope="col" | Album

! scope="row"|"A Mountain for President" (featuring Sébastien Tellier)

| 2007

| Principles of Geometry

| Lazare

! scope="row"|"Gisele"

| 2016

| Jean-Michel Jarre

| Electronica 2: The Heart of Noise

! scope="row"|"When You Die"

| 2018

| MGMT

| Little Dark Age

! scope="row"|"Señorita"

| 2019

| Christophe

| Christophe Etc.

! scope="row"|"Boycycle" (featuring Sébastien Tellier)

| rowspan="2" | 2020

| Salvatore Ganacci

| Boycycle EP

! scope="row"|"Feels Like Summer – Souvenirs d'été" (Deezer Original)

! scope="row"|"Goodbye" (featuring Sébastien Tellier)

|2022

|Kavinsky

|Reborn

References

External links

Official website
Anthem interview with Sebastian Tellier, on Anthemmagazine.com
Photos of Tellier Performing in Philadelphia, April 2009, on Phrequency.com
Sebastian Tellier, on SoundCloud