Benjamin Biolay
Although Benjamin Biolay is often pigeon-holed as a knockoff of Serge Gainsbourg, he projects equally as a modern-day French equivalent of James Dean. Perhaps it’s the brooding sulkiness and swooping pompadour hair-do combined with rebellious demeanor. Of course, James Dean didn’t sing and he died young, but they inhabit the same vibe.
James Dean aside, in many other ways Biolay manifests an amalgam of signature traits associated with prior and contemporary French artists. His chameleon-like, cross-genre inclinations in song and film, half-spoken smoky voice, boyish mischievousness and romantic dalliances do recall Serge Gainsbourg. He shares a low-toned, rhythmic vocal style with both Gainsbourg and Etienne Daho. His suave manner and looks conjure Yves Montand. His marital and duet musical pairing with Chiara Mastroianni, daughter of Catherine Deneuve and Marcello Mastroianni, recall those of Gainsbourg with Jane Birkin and Brigitte Bardot. In performance, he prefers casual wear and roams the stage like a metronome aligned with the melody. All of which is to say that, despite resemblances, Biolay is an original.
James Dean aside, in many other ways Biolay manifests an amalgam of signature traits associated with prior and contemporary French artists. His chameleon-like, cross-genre inclinations in song and film, half-spoken smoky voice, boyish mischievousness and romantic dalliances do recall Serge Gainsbourg. He shares a low-toned, rhythmic vocal style with both Gainsbourg and Etienne Daho. His suave manner and looks conjure Yves Montand. His marital and duet musical pairing with Chiara Mastroianni, daughter of Catherine Deneuve and Marcello Mastroianni, recall those of Gainsbourg with Jane Birkin and Brigitte Bardot. In performance, he prefers casual wear and roams the stage like a metronome aligned with the melody. All of which is to say that, despite resemblances, Biolay is an original.
For the purposes of this note, BB refers to Benjamin Biolay and not Brigitte Bardot. BB was born in 1973 at Villefranche-sur-Saône between Lyon and Beaujolais. His father was a clarinet player. His early influences span from The Beatles and Chuck Berry to classical music. When he studied at the Lyon Conservatoire, he opted for an unlikely multi-instrumental combination of violin, trombone and tuba, and then moved on to guitar and piano.
Before he emerged as a vocalist, BB learned the ropes as a songwriter, arranger and producer for an A-list of artists like Henri Salvador, Julien Clerc, Françoise Hardy, Jane Birkin, Isabelle Boulay, and Juliette Greco as well as his sister Coralie Clément. His early achievements were 2 albums that he co-wrote and produced with singer Keren-Ann along with joint work on Henri Salvador’s 2001 comeback album Chambre avec vue. In 2001, BB released his first vocal piece, Rose Kennedy, a concept album akin to Gainsbourg’s Histoire de Melody Nelson. Rose Kennedy went on to win "Best Album by a Newcomer" at the "Victoires de la Musique" (French Grammys) awards in 2002. It was followed quickly by the albums “Négatif”(2003) and “Home” (2004) (with his then-wife Chiara Mastroianni).
His first independent release, the 2009 album La Superbe won the Victoires de la Musique for Best Male Artist and Best Album of Songs/Variety in 2010. BB is one of only 5 persons in the past 40 years (since 1985) who have been awarded the l’artiste interprète masculin by the Victoires musique (2010 and 2021) as well as album of the year (2021, Gran Prix). Altogether, he has received 6 awards from Victoires de la Musique and the Rolf Marbot “song of the year” award from SACEM (Société des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Éditeurs de Musique) in 2010 for La superbe. Suffice it to say that he is heavily awarded and a major presence in the French musical universe.
His first independent release, the 2009 album La Superbe won the Victoires de la Musique for Best Male Artist and Best Album of Songs/Variety in 2010. BB is one of only 5 persons in the past 40 years (since 1985) who have been awarded the l’artiste interprète masculin by the Victoires musique (2010 and 2021) as well as album of the year (2021, Gran Prix). Altogether, he has received 6 awards from Victoires de la Musique and the Rolf Marbot “song of the year” award from SACEM (Société des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Éditeurs de Musique) in 2010 for La superbe. Suffice it to say that he is heavily awarded and a major presence in the French musical universe.
Biolay’s music is heavy on melody, rhythm and tempo that, in combination with lush orchestral and electro accompaniment, often obscure his low-toned voice. His melancholic lyrics are introspective, poetic and often elusive. He has a distinctive style that some listeners find repetitive in large doses.